[Halifax] The Sister Sites | 2X29 m | 2X9 floors | Completed

[kph06]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Does Mickey own the Thirsty Duck or whatever building next to Starbucks? I wouldn't be sorry to see that go, though the memories of it from the '80s are vast...

I think that is owned by Dugger's.

[eastcoastal]

Given the internal linkage between Dugger's and Mills, I had assumed that they were both owned by Mickey now.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by kph06

Photos of the newly vacated lots:

I'm pulling this update forward. These pictures are remarkable... at 9 stories this is going to be a nice development.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

I'm pulling this update forward. These pictures are remarkable... at 9 stories this is going to be a nice development.

Only if the design is good. Micco's abrupt and unpredictable treatment of his properties around here hasn't given much reason for optimism that there's a lot of thought or care going into this proposal, IMO.

[someone123]

I guess it's possible the Chickenburger development could be a disaster, but I think a simple apartment or condo building on that site would also be fine. Not many buildings are worse than parking lots.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by someone123

I guess it's possible the Chickenburger development could be a disaster, but I think a simple apartment or condo building on that site would also be fine. Not many buildings are worse than parking lots.

For sure. I'd just love it to really end up a looker, given the high visibility of the location. It's one of those key intersections that really colours your perception of a place (to out of towners, especially).

[someone123]

We will have to wait and see. It is difficult to predict what a building will look like based only on the developer, because they hire different architects from one project to the next and some projects have higher budgets than others.

I think something along the lines of the Winsby's replacement would be fine, although I would like to see more colour. The library will already have some if they build the orange floor as plan, and Clyde Street is supposed to have some too. I think Spring Garden is going to look great in a few years, assuming nothing bad happens to the old BMO/TD block.

[worldlyhaligonian]

I think the area will be more cohesive regardless. Those lots have been there my whole life and it was very odd to have those two remaining houses amidst a parking lot.

[halifaxboyns]

I agree with someone123; assuming nothing bad comes along - this area is going to grow up really well.

SGR is a great model of what I'm hoping will come out of the Regional Centre plan for some of the corridors, like Robie or Agricola. Just a little different...my hope would be that in those corridors there might be some urban format retail stores included and a bit more building height. Plus a much more aggressive density bonusing schedule to include parks maintenance, transportation and recreation facilities.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

I agree with someone123; assuming nothing bad comes along - this area is going to grow up really well.

SGR is a great model of what I'm hoping will come out of the Regional Centre plan for some of the corridors, like Robie or Agricola. Just a little different...my hope would be that in those corridors there might be some urban format retail stores included and a bit more building height. Plus a much more aggressive density bonusing schedule to include parks maintenance, transportation and recreation facilities.

SGR is getting that upscale, urban "village" feeling... almost a mini-Yorkville. Our own Schmidtville, lol

I see Agricola like the Queen West of Halifax... and I agree on the urban format for Agricola.

I think Robie has a ton of potential, especially around Bell Rd... that lot next to the Atlantica and the funeral home site need to make the street feel like its facing inward instead of the isolating feeling it currently gives because of the commons and amount of lanes in that stretch. I'd like to see 10+ floor residential developments with groundfloor retail onto Robie.

[bluenoser]

No drastic changes here but I think most of the asphalt has been taken up - which I guess is symbolically a drastic change as the surface parking lot is finally gone.


photo by me

[Nilan8888]

It will be great getting some shots of this going up while work on the Library is still ongoing. Plus I don't know when some of the other Sister sites are due to start...

I'm thinking come October next year or so things are going to really start looking different when we start seeing significant lift-off from this and other projects in the downtown, and they start filling out their vertical footprint in the skyline.

The strange thing is, for all the construction activity, when I was there over December there didn't seem to be all that much pedestrian traffic compared to when I was younger. It could have been the holidays but... is there just not enough people and offices filling the new volume yet?

[Hali87]

It's probably because there's nowhere to park now

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by someone123

We will have to wait and see. It is difficult to predict what a building will look like based only on the developer, because they hire different architects from one project to the next and some projects have higher budgets than others....

All Nova Scotia is reporting that the "developer" (I put it in quotes, because I think Mickey is more of a business man than a person who spends time thinking about the "development" of physical property) is now casting about looking for others to buy his Spring Garden Road properties... he's not sure if he'd sell before or after HbD submission.... whatever is most advantageous.

Let's hope if he does so, it's prior to HbD process so someone who cares about the end product is leading that particular charge.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

All Nova Scotia is reporting that the "developer" (I put it in quotes, because I think Mickey is more of a business man than a person who spends time thinking about the "development" of physical property) is now casting about looking for others to buy his Spring Garden Road properties... he's not sure if he'd sell before or after HbD submission.... whatever is most advantageous.

Let's hope if he does so, it's prior to HbD process so someone who cares about the end product is leading that particular charge.

I think he should rebuild the Chickenburger...........

[Drybrain]

Geeez. The number of abrupt and contradictory decisions (and in some cases, actions, like expensively renovating Chickenburger months before demolishing it) he's made seem to indicate that he doesn't have any long-term vision. He just wants to do something, anything, be in action. I hope he just sells all the properties to someone who will either maintain them in good shape (and maybe keep the Mills store in the old Mills building?) or come up with an actual, thoughtful development proposal, not just some whimsical quasi-plan.

Maybe this is part of Halifax's growing pains? The peninsula and especially downtown is seeing a lot more development than it has in decades—but we still have a lot of these rich-guy hobbyist developers kicking around who, no offense meant, are really kinda clueless about city building, and would be better suited to throwing up power centres and drive-thrus in the 'burbs.

[Phalanx]

Here's a related article from the Herald: MacDonald open to offers on central site

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

... he's made seem to indicate that he doesn't have any long-term vision. He just wants to do something, anything, be in action. ... kinda clueless about city building, and would be better suited to throwing up power centres and drive-thrus in the 'burbs.

Exactly the impression I have. I don't think he's trying to be thoughtless, but I think buying and selling businesses is a far different game than buying/selling/developing property. Or, should be if done properly.

Rich-guy-hobbyist indeed

[macgregor]

Bidding ends for DHX Media building

January 13, 2013
By REMO ZACCAGNA Business Reporter
Halifax Chronicle Herald

A bidding process on the current site of DHX Media Ltd. concluded Friday.

But when or even whether the company will move from its longtime digs at 1478 Queen St. in Halifax is still unknown.

http://thechronicleherald.mobi/busin...media-building

[macgregor]

DHX is on the same block as the Mary Ann site and the Chickenburger/Mills parcels. This is like Halifax Monopoly (still have a copy actually)....
Does anyone know who owns the remaining parts? Can you confirm the owners that I have marked? Feel free to take the images and modify...


It should say Fares of course. Oops
Taken from the excellent Viewpoint.ca
Base data from Google and HRM.