[Halifax] Nova Centre | 65-58-58 m | 16-15-14 fl | Completed

[JET]

CBC reports new board for convention centre: "Directors on the volunteer board receive $150 per day for meetings, plus reasonable expenses. The chair is entitled to a rate of $200 per day." What an insult to actual volunteers to call these appointed directors volunteers.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/new-halifax-convention-centre-board-1.3650896

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by JET

CBC reports new board for convention centre: "Directors on the volunteer board receive $150 per day for meetings, plus reasonable expenses. The chair is entitled to a rate of $200 per day." What an insult to actual volunteers to call these appointed directors volunteers.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/new-halifax-convention-centre-board-1.3650896

The use of the word "volunteer" is indeed odd in this context. They are not volunteers. They are poorly paid corporate directors. You get what you pay for, and I am relatively unimpressed with the roster of individuals they have assembled. I am astounded that they have nobody on the Board from the tourism/hospitality/convention sector.

[ns_kid]

Developer Joe Ramia and Rank Inc. have withstood the slings and arrows of Save the View, Heritage Trust and the Thiel family. They'll now have to endure a legal action launched by lawyer Ray Wagner on behalf of some aggrieved neighbouring businesspeople.

You'll recall that last winter the proprietors of the Wooden Monkey (that's would-be mayor Lil MacPherson), Carleton and Attica were crying foul, saying city taxpayers should compensate them for their losses suffered during the construction of Nova Centre. According to the Herald and AllNovaScotia, Wager has now filed legal notice that they're seeking damages for injurious affection to recover what they're rightfully owed. Named in the action are Argyle Developments, Rank and the Halifax Convention Centre Corp., along with all three levels of government (i.e., you and me).

Wagner says the businesses have lost 30-35 per cent of their revenues and will each be looking for "hundreds of thousands" of dollars in compensation.

Under the Expropriation Act, Wagner (who says he has other aggrieved businesses waiting to pile on) having served notice must now try to work out a settlement with the named parties. If he can't do that it all goes to the UARB for a ruling.

No word on if any of the money will be repaid if the completed Nova Centre, with its thousands of employees and visitors, results in a windfall for the businesses.

[teddifax]

Here, here!!! I know there are financial hardships for the businesses in the area, but Attica is on Barrington St..... if this goes through and they win , can Nova Centre sue back to get a percentage of the increased sales after construction is finished and business picks up?

[portapetey]

http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax/201...awsuit-to-recoup-nova-centre-losses.html

They say Nova Scotia lacks opportunity, but people in HRM certainly don't lack opportunism.

[Haliguy]

I'm not sure they have much of a case. How do they prove that it's absolutely the Nova Centre and not other factors that are causing their problems. Increased competition change in trends in where people go and in the case of Wooden Monkey prices that are too high for what you get in imo anyway.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Haliguy

I'm not sure they have much of a case. How do they prove that it's absolutely the Nova Centre and not other factors that are causing their problems. Increased competition change in trends in where people go and in the case of Wooden Monkey prices that are too high for what you get in imo anyway.

Once people discovered that Lil MacPherson was a staunch NDPer and close personal pal of Comrade Dexter, I imagine 80% of the population decided to take their business elsewhere anyway.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by Haliguy

I'm not sure they have much of a case. How do they prove that it's absolutely the Nova Centre and not other factors that are causing their problems. Increased competition change in trends in where people go and in the case of Wooden Monkey prices that are too high for what you get in imo anyway.

I empathize with the business owners, but this is sort of the crux of it: how do they PROVE the downturn is due to the construction? I can see a pretty open-and-shut case for businesses like the Carleton, reliant on patio patrons on Argyle, but the Monkey? I don't know why someone would avoid going there due to construction on a different block. And it's true that a lot of new restaurants and bars have opened downtown in the past couple of years, competing for their patrons. So.

[teddifax]

and don't forget Attica - On Barrington St. is in on this too, what does there location have to do with this fight?

[Jonovision]

20160708_160104_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[Jonovision]

Framing appears to be going up for the yet to be approved changes to the hotel facade.

20160708_155655_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[IanWatson]

I noticed glass going up on the hotel tower on my walk to work this morning.

[TheGreenBastard]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

I noticed glass going up on the hotel tower on my walk to work this morning.

Finally!

[Jonovision]

20160711_135306_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20160711_135416_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[Jonovision]

Two storey glass curtain wall has begun installation on the curve. It is hard to see in the pic, but it has the green tint as opposed to the blue tint but the size of the window is larger so the overall effect should be less checker board like than the office tower.

20160712_133301_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

And framing continues on the back side for the brick which also appears to be going in in 2 storey sections. Perhaps they have preassembled brick panels that they will use instead of laying the brick? It would look a lot better if they did that and would come together quiet quickly.

20160712_133426_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[Keith P.]

I was surprised to see yesterday as I drove down Sackville St that the Market St side of part of the lower section was clad in chipboard.

[TheGreenBastard]

Glass is going up nicely on the hotel tower.

[someone123]

After all the complaining about blocked views, I can't help but enjoy how frequently the Nova Centre figures into many tourist photos of the Town Clock and Citadel. My impression from these photos is that the view from at least some angles is much improved:


Source

I never really cared for the white Homburg building on its own. It looks better with some taller buildings behind it. I also have the feeling that some people in Halifax like to look at, you know, the city, and don't only want to see panoramic views of woods and water in every direction. Those who do have a lot of other better places to go visit.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by someone123

After all the complaining about blocked views, I can't help but enjoy how frequently the Nova Centre figures into many tourist photos of the Town Clock and Citadel. My impression from these photos is that the view from at least some angles is much improved:


Source

I never really cared for the white Homburg building on its own. It looks better with some taller buildings behind it. I also have the feeling that some people in Halifax like to look at, you know, the city, and don't only want to see panoramic views of woods and water in every direction. Those who do have a lot of other better places to go visit.

Nice find. Whenever I went to the Citadel, I liked the view of the city buildings more than the view of the harbour.

Also the southern view will change for the better with the Pavilion going up and a couple of other projects that have been approved.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by someone123

After all the complaining about blocked views, I can't help but enjoy how frequently the Nova Centre figures into many tourist photos of the Town Clock and Citadel. My impression from these photos is that the view from at least some angles is much improved:

In the course of my job, I was doing some photography for for one of the universities in town. The idea was to get some city imagery from Citadel Hill, but I was instructed to shoot so as not to include the Nova Centre, because a lot of the profs hate it on political and/or aesthetic grounds.

They'd literally like to pretend it doesn't exist, and I had to wonder how long it'll take some people to just accept that it's there, like it or not.