[Halifax] Skye Halifax (1565 Granville) | 66 m | 2 x 21 fl | U/C

[City_of_Lakes]

I'm just glad to hear SOMETHING from this

[Jonovision]

Sadly this lot is now being opened as another parking lot. It has been smoothed over and leveled to some extent and numbers have been placed all around.

[fenwick16]

The only way that I can see this proceeding with towers of the proposed height would be if United Gulf gets an extension on their development agreement. If a new developer takes over and makes a new proposal then they might be required to follow the new HRMbyDesign height restrictions for that site (about 21 residential storeys, with bonus height 66m, as opposed to rampart maximum height as it was before). http://www.halifax.ca/capitaldistric...signManual.pdf - page 56 of 141

Probably the current soft condo and hotel markets have a lot to do with it. This is why Halifax needs the new convention centre to bring more visitors downtown (just my opinion).

[halifaxboyns]

The problem is that a convention centre would take time to build (roughly 3 years I'm guessing).

An extension to a DA should be no problem; they happen all the time for various reasons.

Calgary had a major change to it's Bylaw and permit processes to allow extensions to development permits; because of the market. It's allowed many of the big projects to have an extended life in hopes of getting out of this economic slump. But many of the projects in downtown are converting to parking lots; to recoup money in the interim.

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

The only way that I can see this proceeding with towers of the proposed height would be if United Gulf gets an extension on their development agreement. If a new developer takes over and makes a new proposal then they might be required to follow the new HRMbyDesign height restrictions for that site (about 21 residential storeys, with bonus height 66m, as opposed to rampart maximum height as it was before). http://www.halifax.ca/capitaldistric...signManual.pdf - page 56 of 141

Probably the current soft condo and hotel markets have a lot to do with it. This is why Halifax needs the new convention centre to bring more visitors downtown (just my opinion).

Are you sure about that? It seems like once these lots are approved, then as of right development can go on indefinitely. The Triangle Lands (International Place) was approved decades ago, and has been through many design iterations since.. as well as the Paramount apartments on South Park. Approved in the 80's or 90's I think, nothing ever happened.. then one day out of the blue, up goes a crane.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

Are you sure about that? It seems like once these lots are approved, then as of right development can go on indefinitely. The Triangle Lands (International Place) was approved decades ago, and has been through many design iterations since.. as well as the Paramount apartments on South Park. Approved in the 80's or 90's I think, nothing ever happened.. then one day out of the blue, up goes a crane.

I don't know that this is the same situation since they have a 5 year development agreement. I hope that they do have a right of development. (It is strange thought that the height limit in the Downtown Halifax Land Use ByLaws has been reduced for this lot).

Initially this development was rejected by HRM council and then I think that United Gulf had to appeal to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board to have it approved. If that is the case then the HRM council might not want to extend the Development Agreement. This is just conjecture, and I hope that my conjecture is completely wrong.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

Are you sure about that? It seems like once these lots are approved, then as of right development can go on indefinitely. The Triangle Lands (International Place) was approved decades ago, and has been through many design iterations since.. as well as the Paramount apartments on South Park. Approved in the 80's or 90's I think, nothing ever happened.. then one day out of the blue, up goes a crane.

I decided to check this a bit further. In this report http://www.halifax.ca/council/agenda...taffReport.pdf - page 21 of 67 (of the .pdf file) it states that the development should proceed within 4 years of signing the development agreement between the municipality and United Gulf . This was approved on March 21 2006 http://www.halifax.ca/council/documents/C060321.pdf - page 20 of 30 of the pdf file. The Development Agreement had to be signed within 120 days of that date.

Voting for were Councillors Streatch, Hendsbee, McInroy, Younger, Karsten, Kent, Smith, Wile, Uteck, Fougere, Hum, Johns, Harvey, Goucher and Rankin

Voting against were: Mayor Kelly and Councillors Snow, McCluskey, Murphy and Sloane

Based on all of what I have found on the HRM website, the development agreement is set to expire sometime in late March 2010. (i.e. this month). Since the approval of this project was appealed to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board and passed in October 2007 ( http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=139678 ) that might affect the term of the development agreement.

I hope that it will go ahead. It will depend on whether or not the HRM council extends the development agreement. Since United Gulf owns the land they could always submit another proposal if the agreement isn't extended.

[Dmajackson]

I'm all for this one going up but I've got to wonder if they actually will proceed with this or will they start projects on other properties they own instead (ie Bedford Motels)?

[worldlyhaligonian]

Its a good thing Waterton will keep proceeding and alot of other projects are going well.

[musicman]

I have just read most of the City Center Atlantic information and i was wondering if the same rules apply to this project... There is a section about signing the development agreement that states that the development agreement has to be signed before the experation date... Not that you have to break ground... And that this date can be extended with notice from the developer 60 days prior to the the experation date

[sdm]

Originally Posted by musicman

I have just read most of the City Center Atlantic information and i was wondering if the same rules apply to this project... There is a section about signing the development agreement that states that the development agreement has to be signed before the experation date... Not that you have to break ground... And that this date can be extended with notice from the developer 60 days prior to the the experation date

Development agreements vary between projects. These documents become a registered document on the property amd therefore can be reviewed with people with access.

From what i can remember, the agreement for this development is signed, and that the developer has to commence the project prior to expiry.

For example the trillum project i believe had 10 years to start, so each development agreement varies.

[musicman]

Ok thanks for the explanation.

[alps]

if these never come through I'm pulling a Someone123 and moving to Vancouver.

[DigitalNinja]

So sad, these would have looked so cool.

[Jonovision]

Originally Posted by alps

if these never come through I'm pulling a Someone123 and moving to Vancouver.

I've never seen that second drawing before. It appears to not have any of the twists in the design?! But I do really like the look of the entrance to the slender tower.

[fenwick16]

This would look great from George's Island. I hope that it will go ahead.

[cormiermax]

what a great project, what a loss.

[fenwick16]

It isn't dead yet that I know of. The city might just extend the development agreement.

[Wishblade]

I believe the developer plans to start in approx. 2 years if an extension is granted.

[fenwick16]

If the city doesn't extend the Development Agreement, I wonder if United Gulf can appeal to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

The models by United Gulf are not very detailed, especially the podium section. It makes me wonder how close this will be to the final model.