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

[yal]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

Looking at the office tower layout and the confirmed tenants, I think it will be full and maybe some of the 80s and 90s towers will be more vacant.

I see this as a good thing. I think it will make downtown more attractive and affordable to start-ups and smaller companies. There is already a downward pressure in the rents in the older office buildings.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by yal

I see this as a good thing. I think it will make downtown more attractive and affordable to start-ups and smaller companies. There is already a downward pressure in the rents in the older office buildings.

There's also been a loss of some really old buildings like the Roy which offered space affordable enough for small businesses and nonprofits. The 70's and 80's towers will serve the same purpose in the future.

It's only really the landlords of those old towers that stand to lose from the new supply of nicer buildings, and I would guess that they have already profited over the years. They also "stole" tenants from older buildings.

[Phalanx]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

Right, but I'm sure they aren't getting that for free and Rogers is named after Ted Rogers, a prominent Canadian. Its not that big a deal.

Who has no connections to Halifax and has no cultural or historical significance beyond owning a business.

Sorry, not ready to completely surrender to the corporate dystopia quite yet.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Phalanx

Who has no connections to Halifax and has no cultural or historical significance beyond owning a business.

Sorry, not ready to completely surrender to the corporate dystopia quite yet.

You already have: AbInbev owns the legal rights to Keith's now... as an example.

Maybe a valuable part of the conversation: Scotiabank should sponsor more in Halifax, and possibly stadium naming rights.

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by Ziobrop

err Keith was mayor of halifax for a number of years, and Cunard was one of the principles of the halifax Steamboat company which offered the first powered ferry to dartmouth, and who went on to revolutionize transatlantic travel with fixed scheduled service.

while names carry on as a Beer/Cruise line brand, both were haligonians worthy of commemoration beyond "corporate naming rights"

Keith's and Cunard have connections here. Rogers, as far as I know, does not.

[Phalanx]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

You already have: AbInbev owns the legal rights to Keith's now... as an example...

...How is that related? The fact that the company named for the person is now owned by a big multinational doesn't change the fact that the person was an important historical figure in the city. Don't confuse the person with the company that bears his name.

I don't really care what happens with private buildings (beyond the fact naming them all for some variation of the company name can get a bit silly), but I don't want to see a situation where branding rights for public infrastructure is sold off to the highest bidder.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

My thoughts about naming the section of the street: we have plenty of things named after commercial interests in Halifax... its literally part of the tradition of the city. Keith and Cunard are examples.
...

Keith and Cunard were prominent Haligonians. I suspect that things named after them are done so out of respect.

Rogers Plaza is named after a corporate entity that has essentially purchased a public street - something that used to belong to all of us. I think that streets and sidewalks are the MOST significant public spaces in a city, and I think it's pretty sad that they are for sale.

[mleblanc]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

Keith and Cunard were prominent Haligonians. I suspect that things named after them are done so out of respect.

Rogers Plaza is named after a corporate entity that has essentially purchased a public street - something that used to belong to all of us. I think that streets and sidewalks are the MOST significant public spaces in a city, and I think it's pretty sad that they are for sale.

Agreed. Especially after being marketed as Grafton Place.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Have to agree with the posts above - not comfortable with selling off a city street to a private concern.

I don't like the precedent that it sets, nor do I like the impression it creates of our city - that it's for sale for the right price...

[Jonovision]

20171006_130100 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[Jonovision]

A few evening and night pics now that lights are on in the building and light standards have been installed along some of Argyle.

DHBC is planning an official opening and street party for Argyle on November 4th.

20171014_071941 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20171012_011208 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20171012_011023 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20171012_010933 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[Jonovision]

Trees have arrived for Argyle

20171019_135542 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[Jonovision]

Grafton Street is almost done?!

20171021_171552_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20171021_171442 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20171022_072127 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[someone123]

Thanks for posting these pictures. I love the frequent updates.

Originally Posted by Jonovision

20171021_171552_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

I have a hard time reconciling a picture like this with the negative comments about the Nova Centre. I think this looks great and is an enormous improvement over what this area used to look like. And the Nova Centre isn't even done yet.

The "Argyle Street" pavers are cool too.

It makes me wish the city would properly fully overhaul SGR and Barrington in a similar way, in the case of SGR extending the style of the existing streetscape around the library along the rest of the street.

[Keith P.]

I dunno about making them 1-lane streets to mess up traffic and taking away parking. Can't imagine the businesses would appreciate that. Seems like excessive indulgence into the municipal treasury by planning theorists.

[Duff]

[miesh111]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I dunno about making them 1-lane streets to mess up traffic and taking away parking. Can't imagine the businesses would appreciate that. Seems like excessive indulgence into the municipal treasury by planning theorists.

There's actually a lot of parking downtown. Just not a lot of "free" parking downtown. Also, Nova Centre actually will add a couple hundred parking stalls here that were not here before.

People need to stop complaining that there's no parking, when what they mean is, "I don't want to pay for parking".

The streets are not just for cars, they're for people too, and, quite frankly, I'll gladly hide my car underground so that I can have a more dynamic experience streetside.

[Franco401]

Originally Posted by miesh111

There's actually a lot of parking downtown. Just not a lot of "free" parking downtown. Also, Nova Centre actually will add a couple hundred parking stalls here that were not here before.

People need to stop complaining that there's no parking, when what they mean is, "I don't want to pay for parking".

The streets are not just for cars, they're for people too, and, quite frankly, I'll gladly hide my car underground so that I can have a more dynamic experience streetside.

I can't vouch for this particular situation, but removing a street from circulation is only going to simplify traffic, not mess it up.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by miesh111

There's actually a lot of parking downtown. Just not a lot of "free" parking downtown. Also, Nova Centre actually will add a couple hundred parking stalls here that were not here before.

People need to stop complaining that there's no parking, when what they mean is, "I don't want to pay for parking".

The streets are not just for cars, they're for people too, and, quite frankly, I'll gladly hide my car underground so that I can have a more dynamic experience streetside.

Definitely a net plus to the area. And I agree, I actually never park on downtown streets as I don't have the patience to drive around and around looking for the one free spot. Not to mention a few years back, the only time I parked on the street in years, I came back to find my car damaged. Didn't save a dime parking on the street that time.

Would much rather use my time enjoying the downtown than looking for a place to park, so I always go directly to the parkade nearest my destination and just plan to pay for it as part of the expense of the evening. If we ever have an improvement in transit that makes it more efficient and convenient, then that will be my preferred method of transportation.

I won't lie and say that the NC is my favourite part of the downtown, but certainly the streetscaping around it and the associated increased level of activity will change the vibe of the area for the better. And, as has been mentioned several times before by several posters, it is better than the empty lots that were taking up much of the landscape beforehand.

It certainly looks good in the photos!

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by someone123

Thanks for posting these pictures. I love the frequent updates.



I have a hard time reconciling a picture like this with the negative comments about the Nova Centre. I think this looks great and is an enormous improvement over what this area used to look like. And the Nova Centre isn't even done yet.

The "Argyle Street" pavers are cool too.

It makes me wish the city would properly fully overhaul SGR and Barrington in a similar way, in the case of SGR extending the style of the existing streetscape around the library along the rest of the street.

Agree that it looks great in the pics above. I think I've expressed my main beefs with it in previous posts, but mostly it's how - to my sense of aesthetics - it overwhelms the surrounding neighborhood, taking up two full blocks and towering over everything nearby. You get a real sense of that when you're coming down Sackville Street near the citadel. And, standing on Argyle and looking up at its massiveness...

Now, those very things may be what makes it great to some skyscraper-ites, and I'm not trying to take away from that... those are just my thoughts.

Enough horse-beating by me already. It's almost finished, there are many nice aspects of it, and it will be better than it was before. It's not going away any time soon. Overall, massiveness aside, I'm happy with its effect on the area and will be happier when it's finally finished.

Now, back to your regularly-scheduled program....