General Updates and News

[Jonovision]

Originally Posted by beyeas

I agree. All Dartmouth Crossing achieved was a further hollowing out of urban areas, and even more so, used up what should have been industrial land to put shopping (at which point they used they presence of the shopping to then justify residential zoning in an industrial area, which just even further increases the suburban spread). The whole damn thing is just so completely counter to the sort of urban planning that results in livable cities, and feeds into the urban sprawl car culture.

(I know I sound like an irrational tree hugger here too, which I'm not. I just think that this is the wrong side of the balance sheet).

I completely agree with you. What I don't understand is lots of the offices in burnside don't necessarily need the industrial park setting. The density is way too thin. Some of it should be amalgamated into larger and taller buildings. And spreading even further out is not good planning.

[Jonovision]

Originally Posted by Empire

Those townhouses look O.K. if that is real brick. W.M. Fares group know how to design.

Attachment B Sheet A1....http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/090428ca1113.pdf

I think they look quite nice. And I would love to see more brownstone style townhouses built on the peninsula. However, I hate seeing garages on the front of houses. Ideally they would be car free, but if they had to have them I would like them to be in the back off laneways.

[someone123]

Burnside mostly seems like a failure. It's primarily a cheap, worse alternative to the city for office space. It's not even really any better as far as traffic goes, and there aren't good options for living nearby. Nearby services are also bad, so if you're on lunch for example you mostly get to pick from McDonald's or Wendy's or whatever. It's for office space what Bayers Lake is before retail.

Had the city done things properly they could have had a bunch of office buildings around Young Street or something that would have served a similar purpose but instead been far better and far more efficient.

I agree about the garages as well. The houses would look better without them, although they're in the middle of the block so they'll barely be visible anyway. Maybe it doesn't matter.

[Wishblade]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

Yay?

Has anyobdy been out to the new section of Burnside between the City of Lakes BP and Dartmouth Crossing BP? It's a completely empty yet the municipality wants to spend money expanding Burnside further.

Industrial lands are valuable I realize to the city but when you start filling out more when dozens, if not hundreds, of acres of serviced lands have not been developed it seems pointless. I have no problem with the older sections of Burnside where buildings are adajcent to each other and is actually a very dense community however I am disliking the new method of half-assing the protection of forest by having narrow strips of parkland cutting lots apart and not actually having a forest or wilderness area. It is much better to have a dense area of lots concentrated on the main roads (ie Wright Ave) then it is too have them isolated and connected by pointlessly wide roads.

lol, I never said it was particularly a good thing. I just remembered though, I thought that this land was going to become mid-high density residential. Honestly, I much rather would have seen that there.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by someone123

Burnside mostly seems like a failure. It's primarily a cheap, worse alternative to the city for office space. It's not even really any better as far as traffic goes, and there aren't good options for living nearby. Nearby services are also bad, so if you're on lunch for example you mostly get to pick from McDonald's or Wendy's or whatever. It's for office space what Bayers Lake is before retail.

The city has drop the ball on burnside and continues to. Understanding, as being in the industry, the taxes now for companies and office users is passing downtown rates. Couple with this and the lack of bus service the park is at a disadvantage.

The city needs to clean up their act and stick to a plan. I rather see office development in parks, instead of being all over the city. Least then, with proper planning, infastructure can be put in place.

I will admit, the city of Lake portion of the park offers some very attractive office product that is far better then comparables though out the city, including the downtown.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Empire

Those townhouses look O.K. if that is real brick. W.M. Fares group know how to design.

Attachment B Sheet A1....http://www.halifax.ca/council/agendasc/documents/090428ca1113.pdf

It is so sad that we have to say "real brick" around here that it is almost comical. You are totally right about this one... it could look terrible if fake stone and brick are used although the design is good.

We must have the cheapest developers in Canada and potentially the developed world.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Wishblade

lol, I never said it was particularly a good thing. I just remembered though, I thought that this land was going to become mid-high density residential. Honestly, I much rather would have seen that there.

I thought they passed a subdivision for the northern border of DC?

[alps]

HRM to hold public meeting on future land use in Burnside
http://www.burnsidenews.com/index.cfm?sid=316425&sc=397
January 27 at the Dartmouth High School cafeteria

Originally Posted by Empire

They should try a highrise node in the new section of Burnside...perhaps 10 acres. Four buildings at a min of 30fl. with ample green space etc. A metrolink would go downtown and other buses would service Burnside.

I don't like the idea of more office space drain to Burnside. I would rather development there be much more strictly controlled and preference given to development closer to the core, and I wish they weren't so wasteful with the land.



What is the point of blowing all that money on sidewalks on both sides of the street if every other aspect of the development is designed so that cars are the most convenient form of transportation? With the newer sections being of such low density, I wonder how long I would have to sit there before someone actually walked by.

The interchange at Anderson Lake as part of the 107 extension is also something I am not fond of whatsoever...I don't want to see the entire area between the 102 and the 118 fill up with suburbs, but apparently that is what the city has in mind.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by alps

HRM to hold public meeting on future land use in Burnside
http://www.burnsidenews.com/index.cfm?sid=316425&sc=397
January 27 at the Dartmouth High School cafeteria



I don't like the idea of more office space drain to Burnside. I would rather development there be much more strictly controlled and preference given to development closer to the core, and I wish they weren't so wasteful with the land.



What is the point of blowing all that money on sidewalks on both sides of the street if every other aspect of the development is designed so that cars are the most convenient form of transportation? With the newer sections being of such low density, I wonder how long I would have to sit there before someone actually walked by.

The interchange at Anderson Lake as part of the 107 extension is also something I am not fond of whatsoever...I don't want to see the entire area between the 102 and the 118 fill up with suburbs, but apparently that is what the city has in mind.

If I'm not mistaken that is the corner of John Savage and Wright Ave.

From my research and what I've heard the city currently owns the land to the right, top and bottom of the photo. If I'm not mistaken the plan for the other two corners involve new RCMP headquarters (HRP is in the large building on the bottom left), and a MetroTransit terminal.

It's hard to notice becuase of it's well hidden nature from the street but Grassy Brook (Dartmouth Crossing) actually cuts through the top of the photo and crosses Wright Avenue somewheres before the set of lights at Countryview.

[spaustin]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

It is so sad that we have to say "real brick" around here that it is almost comical. You are totally right about this one... it could look terrible if fake stone and brick are used although the design is good.

We must have the cheapest developers in Canada and potentially the developed world.

haha too true. Fake brick would look really terrible on this design. If they use real brick though this could look quite nice. That end of Henry has a few neat old brick and stone buildings so this would fit the neighbourhood rather well. I'm not a fan of the garage doors, but at least they have windows on them so they won't just be a blank white face. The real funny part about the look of this development is none of it is really hugely important because you won't really see anything from the street. Might as well just ask the few people whose yards back on it what they think and call it a day.

[alps]

QEII "master plan" from the WHW Architects website. I dunno what the status of this is. A cut-away prow corner like that could be really cool if they do something modern, although the building seems a bit too far back from the street. I think the main pedestrian entrance should be ON the intersection rather than up Robie like it appears to be.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by alps

QEII "master plan" from the WHW Architects website. I dunno what the status of this is. A cut-away prow corner like that could be really cool if they do something modern, although the building seems a bit too far back from the street. I think the main pedestrian entrance should be ON the intersection rather than up Robie like it appears to be.

Nice find.

While I would agree with you that the entrance should be at the corner if I'm not mistaken the Willow Tree is in bad need of upgrades and might need a roundabout or more lanes which would mess with an entrance corner.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

It is so sad that we have to say "real brick" around here that it is almost comical. You are totally right about this one... it could look terrible if fake stone and brick are used although the design is good.

We must have the cheapest developers in Canada and potentially the developed world.

What is so sad is that planning staff, council, HRM by Design, HT and the general public have not figured it out. Because of that we have some horrific looking buildings in Halifax. 90% of new buildings in Halifax display no pride of ownership and what's worse there is no respect for the buildings for the past that were all about pride of ownership. The result of these great buildings was an enriched community. We have cheapened a very rich urban landscape and it continues.

[DigitalNinja]

CD plus is closing down on barrington street, pretty horrible, that's basically the last retail spot on the street aside from a couple other stores.
Also, anyone know what was going on with the tim hortons on barrington? They have brown paper over the windows.
IMO they need to do something about Barrington, focusing on shopping is a bad idea, because it is only the business people who work down there who really shop there aside for a few tourists. That section should be focusing on all office space and restaurants IMO. There is not really enough parking for people who would want to go shop there even if it was lined with shops. People don't want to take the buses, so what can ya do?

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by DigitalNinja

CD plus is closing down on barrington street, pretty horrible, that's basically the last retail spot on the street aside from a couple other stores.
Also, anyone know what was going on with the tim hortons on barrington? They have brown paper over the windows.
IMO they need to do something about Barrington, focusing on shopping is a bad idea, because it is only the business people who work down there who really shop there aside for a few tourists. That section should be focusing on all office space and restaurants IMO. There is not really enough parking for people who would want to go shop there even if it was lined with shops. People don't want to take the buses, so what can ya do?

By the Tim Horton's I'm assuming you mean the one downtown (at Sackville St I think) and not the other one in the South-End?

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by DigitalNinja

Also, anyone know what was going on with the tim hortons on barrington? They have brown paper over the windows.

The Tim's on the corner of Barrington and Sackville is closed permanently. Too many panhandlers and bums were hurting their business.

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

The Tim's on the corner of Barrington and Sackville is closed permanently. Too many panhandlers and bums were hurting their business.

While true they had bums and panhandlers, i doubt it affected business much, its Tim Horton's after all. That location had a problem with either a sewage or an oil spill under the building. The fumes caused them to close.

[ZET]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

Nice find.

While I would agree with you that the entrance should be at the corner if I'm not mistaken the Willow Tree is in bad need of upgrades and might need a roundabout or more lanes which would mess with an entrance corner.

Entrance would need to be at the south end by the parking garage. There would be very little foot traffic. Most would be walking over from the parking area. Lots of folks heading to hospitals have mobility issues, so car would be how most would arrive. ZET

[Empire]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

The Tim's on the corner of Barrington and Sackville is closed permanently. Too many panhandlers and bums were hurting their business.

One rumour is there was an oil spill in the basement below Tims

[someone123]

Originally Posted by DigitalNinja

CD plus is closing down on barrington street, pretty horrible, that's basically the last retail spot on the street aside from a couple other stores.
Also, anyone know what was going on with the tim hortons on barrington? They have brown paper over the windows.
IMO they need to do something about Barrington, focusing on shopping is a bad idea, because it is only the business people who work down there who really shop there aside for a few tourists. That section should be focusing on all office space and restaurants IMO. There is not really enough parking for people who would want to go shop there even if it was lined with shops. People don't want to take the buses, so what can ya do?

The problem on Barrington isn't retail, it's that the street is mostly heritage buildings. This might change with the new incentives, but traditionally heritage status in Halifax was nothing but an economic penalty - the city expects the owner to take on the job of paying inflated maintenance costs and prevents changes to bring buildings up to code, etc., but gives nothing in return. The HRM recognizes that heritage buildings are an important public good but has never stepped up to the plate to pay for them.

I'm not sure what will happen on Barrington, but there's no need for it to be in its current state. There were always two options; loosen up on the controls, or start paying out to make the street viable as a historic district. Either one would bring in lots of residents and businesses.