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

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I heard that this store is costing them close to $4 million. I would rather have that money go elsewhere in govt. and let a private operator make that kind of investment.

$4 million? Really?

Are they buying part of the building? Seems like a lot of money for leaseholder upgrades.

[Jonovision]

They have finally started to add the finishing touches to the facade and it is starting to actually look good. Not as much of a mess as I had first thought. Although I still hate that green strip.

[worldlyhaligonian]

I can't stand the green strip.

Otherwise, not bad. There should be a ban in vinyl siding in that area.

[Keith P.]

lt looks like a hideous mishmash of random elements IMO.

NSLC is saying they are going to be open in 10 days. That will be a minor miracle.

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

I can't stand the green strip.

Otherwise, not bad. There should be a ban in vinyl siding in that area.

Vinyl siding should be banned.
A waste of a valuable resource and firemen hate the stuff.
I'm a wooden shingles guy.

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

lt looks like a hideous mishmash of random elements IMO.

NSLC is saying they are going to be open in 10 days. That will be a minor miracle.

I walked by two days ago and it looked like a pretty complete store inside. They've also completed the sidewalk around the entrance to the NSLC, so it appears as if they are indeed serious about opening soon.

And yeah... those materials. Just... wow.

[beyeas]

Originally Posted by Colin May

Vinyl siding should be banned.
A waste of a valuable resource and firemen hate the stuff.
I'm a wooden shingles guy.

I agree (and my house is wood shingled too), but you can bet on a massive backlash on the "government should butt out of my life and not tell me what I can and can't do to my house/property" front.

[portapetey]

Yeah this building looks like someone's crazy grandma was dressed by a toddler, or when she was very drunk. Or by a drunk toddler.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

Originally Posted by IanWatson

I walked by two days ago and it looked like a pretty complete store inside. They've also completed the sidewalk around the entrance to the NSLC, so it appears as if they are indeed serious about opening soon.

And yeah... those materials. Just... wow.

Inside may be ready but look at what you are facing as a customer. The construction fence needs to come down, there is scaffolding over the entryway, and presumably workmen will be overhead installing granite, glass, trim elements... and of course one assumes the parking levels are not accessible yet either. Ridiculous.

[teddifax]

I can't believe it. It should be a requirement that every time there is a new development, the wiring should go underground.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by teddifax

I can't believe it. It should be a requirement that every time there is a new development, the wiring should go underground.

Yes, isn't that jumble of wires and poles and equipment attractive to look at?

For a project that was planned by planners for a decade, it sure turned out badly.

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by teddifax

I can't believe it. It should be a requirement that every time there is a new development, the wiring should go underground.

They did UG on the Queen Street Side.

The pole in the middle of the photo looks new and based on the wiring that I saw the other day, it looks like everything to the right of it will be UGed. Seems like everything to the left is going to stay though, which is indeed crappy.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by teddifax

I can't believe it. It should be a requirement that every time there is a new development, the wiring should go underground.

I wonder why this differs project to project. I posted a before-and-after of the Vic Suites in the national forum a month or so ago, and it the wiring was under-grounded there, to great aesthetic improvement. Of course, that was an all-around much better project than this one...

[Phalanx]

If memory serves, the Vic utility undergrounding was done more or less after the building was complete (I remember walking past and being surprised that there were still poles, anyway).

Could this be the case here, or is it something that would have already shown up in the application/development agreement process?

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by Phalanx

If memory serves, the Vic utility undergrounding was done more or less after the building was complete (I remember walking past and being surprised that there were still poles, anyway).

Could this be the case here, or is it something that would have already shown up in the application/development agreement process?

The approved plans do mention undergrounding utilities but only mentions it on Clyde Street with no poles or markings on Birmingham/Queen.

The Vic took awhile because the area had more utilities than normal due to the former power plant nearby. A current example is North Park Street, the road upgrades were completed last year but they are still working on removing the utilities.

[counterfactual]

Whenever I see this thread "bolded" for new posts, I get excited thinking it's the "Twisted Sister site" (ie Tex Park / Skye site), and then I realize it's this one.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by portapetey

Yeah this building looks like someone's crazy grandma was dressed by a toddler, or when she was very drunk. Or by a drunk toddler.

I think this is a nice type of development for the area but the design doesn't look great so far, and it is somewhat worse than the renderings, although the renderings looked busy too.

In the older renderings there was a lighter stone cladding material on the lower floors that matched the silver colour of the cladding on the upper floors. I guess the green-ish stuff is meant to pop out but it looks dull in these photos. The awnings look undersized to me and the taller one above the entrance is probably going to add to the busy look when it's finished. It's not clear yet if they're going to have coloured balconies like in the renderings. To me, the metal on the upper floors has an institutional appearance. It reminds me a bit of the air traffic control tower at YHZ.

It's unfortunate because there are a few developments around Spring Garden that are too bland, and then there's this one that looks too garish. Can't there be a happy medium?

In any case, the Margaretta design looks simpler and more modern to me. I also think that, regardless of the choices of cladding materials, the Mary Ann is way better than the old parking lot. The scale, massing, and mixed-use nature of the development all seem pretty good.

[TheGreenBastard]

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Whenever I see this thread "bolded" for new posts, I get excited thinking it's the "Twisted Sister site" (ie Tex Park / Skye site), and then I realize it's this one.

Same. This development is very unfortunate if you ask me.

[portapetey]

Originally Posted by TheGreenBastard

Same. This development is very unfortunate if you ask me.

I like the overall design, shape, massing, what have you. I think it fits the neighbourhood well. A bit more setback with a patio level at the third floor would have been nice, but overall it's pretty decent.

I just wish the cladding wasn't so all over the place.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by portapetey

I like the overall design, shape, massing, what have you. I think it fits the neighbourhood well. A bit more setback with a patio level at the third floor would have been nice, but overall it's pretty decent.

I just wish the cladding wasn't so all over the place.

Don't forget the porthole windows.

I wonder if we will have lighthouse art pieces out front when it is done.