General Updates and News - Page 208

spaustin · #**4141** Posted **Dec 20, 2012, 1:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

It would be great to see high density residential all along that section of Alderney. The ferry is right there!

Last I read it was an as of right condo. I haven't seen any renderings, but I seem to recall 5 floors? Maybe it was 7? What would be really great would be to see something happen with the Belmont House block. The surface parking lot and the really short parking garage wastes a lot of space. If that happened and HRM sold their surface parking lots on the other side for development (they're also wasting land), Alderney Drive could gain a whole block of urbanized street frontage!

someone123 · #**4142** Posted **Dec 21, 2012, 4:03 AM**

There's a new and seemingly even more absurd chapter now to the St. Pat's-Alexandra train wreck.

Here's my understanding of the events reported in Allnovascotia:

- Community groups get upset about HRM awarding development to Jono
- Lawyer Ron Pink declares that he will do pro bono work for community groups
- Community groups win their case, Jono loses development
- Judge rules that HRM and Jono must pay legal fees of the community groups. Ron Pink submits $30,000 or so bill, explaining that pro bono work does not preclude him from trying to get court costs covered. Jono must pay 25%. Taxpayers are on the hook for the remaining 75%.
- End result of a developer submitting a winning bid to HRM: no development rights and some legal fees. And there appears to be no plausible plan to build on the derelict St. Pat's-A site.

This is the worst development story since the Jazz condo debacle.

scooby074 · #**4143** Posted **Dec 22, 2012, 1:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

There's a new and seemingly even more absurd chapter now to the St. Pat's-Alexandra train wreck.

Here's my understanding of the events reported in Allnovascotia:

- Community groups get upset about HRM awarding development to Jono
- Lawyer Ron Pink declares that he will do pro bono work for community groups
- Community groups win their case, Jono loses development
- Judge rules that HRM and Jono must pay legal fees of the community groups. Ron Pink submits $30,000 or so bill, explaining that pro bono work does not preclude him from trying to get court costs covered. Jono must pay 25%. Taxpayers are on the hook for the remaining 75%.
- End result of a developer submitting a winning bid to HRM: no development rights and some legal fees. And there appears to be no plausible plan to build on the derelict St. Pat's-A site.

This is the worst development story since the Jazz condo debacle.

That is pretty sickening. You have a developer who had constructive plans for the site lose out to a bunch of "community" groups who don't have 2 cents to rub together other than what they get from handouts. Nice.

Something, something, Lawyers, something, something.

Keith P. · #**4144** Posted **Dec 22, 2012, 1:38 AM**

Joe M. ought to sue HRM for several million.

worldlyhaligonian · #**4145** Posted **Dec 22, 2012, 1:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

There's a new and seemingly even more absurd chapter now to the St. Pat's-Alexandra train wreck.

Here's my understanding of the events reported in Allnovascotia:

- Community groups get upset about HRM awarding development to Jono
- Lawyer Ron Pink declares that he will do pro bono work for community groups
- Community groups win their case, Jono loses development
- Judge rules that HRM and Jono must pay legal fees of the community groups. Ron Pink submits $30,000 or so bill, explaining that pro bono work does not preclude him from trying to get court costs covered. Jono must pay 25%. Taxpayers are on the hook for the remaining 75%.
- End result of a developer submitting a winning bid to HRM: no development rights and some legal fees. And there appears to be no plausible plan to build on the derelict St. Pat's-A site.

This is the worst development story since the Jazz condo debacle.

HRM, using resources effectively since... never.

someone123 · #**4146** Posted **Dec 22, 2012, 1:46 AM**

This is a classic example of a well-intentioned but bad policy that added complexity to the process and, ultimately, derailed it entirely.

I also have a pretty low opinion of people who play the "Africville" card to try to shut down debate. The original Jono development had a lot of public merit, and nobody would have been displaced to build it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Joe M. ought to sue HRM for several million.

I'm not a lawyer but this is my impression as well. It seems completely unfair that Jono is on the hook for HRM incompetence.

JET · #**4147** Posted **Dec 27, 2012, 7:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaustin

Last I read it was an as of right condo. I haven't seen any renderings, but I seem to recall 5 floors? Maybe it was 7? What would be really great would be to see something happen with the Belmont House block. The surface parking lot and the really short parking garage wastes a lot of space. If that happened and HRM sold their surface parking lots on the other side for development (they're also wasting land), Alderney Drive could gain a whole block of urbanized street frontage!

It looked like it might have been a total demolish, but it may just be a partial rebuild. The southern end of the building is gone except for a short stone wall.
the middle part is down to one story, and there is tyvek on the wall of the northern part that remains. Any rumours?

kph06 · #**4148** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 8:34 PM**

Here is the crane on Lovett Lake Court, photo by me:

someone123 · #**4149** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 10:46 PM**

Here's a small but interesting proposed development: http://www.halifax.ca/planning/Case16958Details.html

I remember passing by the "Cleveland Industries" building on Oxford many times on the bus. I didn't know the building was still in use 6 years ago; it looked like it was abandoned in the 1970's or something.

Drybrain · #**4150** Posted **Dec 30, 2012, 11:20 PM**

I noticed that one a few weeks ago. Looks like a perfect little scale for that location. Might even be an attractive building, if they don't cheap out on finishing materials!

Keith P. · #**4151** Posted **Dec 31, 2012, 6:14 PM**

When I was in university I lived not far from the Cleveland Industries location and often caught the bus at the stop right outside their door. They had a '60s-era cutaway Johnson outboard in their showroom window forever that I thought was really neat. Wonder whatever happened to it.

cormiermax · #**4152** Posted **Dec 31, 2012, 6:18 PM**

Cleveland Industries was always a wonder for me. Same with that corner store on Chebucto that seemed to have closed in the 70s and all its contents remained inside.

alps · #**4153** Posted **Dec 31, 2012, 7:26 PM**

Wasn't there a slightly larger proposal made for the Cleveland Industries building? Or did I imagine that? Maybe it was wishful daydreaming over years of waiting for the bus next to it.

My family has lived near it since the mid-90s and it's always seemed pretty dormant.

Happy new year all! Best wishes for 2013.

DB15 · #**4154** Posted **Jan 1, 2013, 9:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by alps

Wasn't there a slightly larger proposal made for the Cleveland Industries building? Or did I imagine that? Maybe it was wishful daydreaming over years of waiting for the bus next to it.

My family has lived near it since the mid-90s and it's always seemed pretty dormant.

Happy new year all! Best wishes for 2013.

Correct. I believe there was a proposal for a mid sized apartment building at one point.

Dmajackson · #**4155** Posted **Jan 3, 2013, 6:19 PM**

Gottingen projects ‘in holding pattern’
January 2, 2013 - 8:25pm BY REMO ZACCAGNA BUSINESS REPORTER

Quote:

A date to begin construction on two Gottingen Street residential projects is unknown because they are in planning limbo, says the proponent.

Ross Cantwell, president of the Housing Trust of Nova Scotia, has proposed to build a 10-storey building at 2183 Gottingen, the former Met building, and a 10-storey building at the former Diamonds bar location at 2215 Gottingen.

The non-profit group purchased the sites in April 2010 for $3 million, money it received from the province under the Canada-Nova Scotia Co-operation Agreement on Economic Diversification because of its plan to offer half of the units as affordable housing.

...

They have scheduled an open house at the Halifax North Public Library on Jan. 17 at 6 p.m.

...

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