General Updates and News

[Dmajackson]

Demolition of 2 structures; each is a two-story wood frame building on 2731 and 2737 Robie St, North end of Halifax, NS.

Status - Submitted

No other building permits of note this week.

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Demolition of 2 structures; each is a two-story wood frame building on 2731 and 2737 Robie St, North end of Halifax, NS.

Status - Submitted

No other building permits of note this week.

That's where the Coastal Café use to be?

[NorthernGreg]

Originally Posted by Haliguy

That's where the Coastal Café use to be?

Yes it is - they are the last two buildings standing between Bloomfield school & May street on Robie. A small part of this property is designated for the transit ROW widening, but I'm not sure where that project stands with the rest of the land acquisitions along Robie.

I wonder if the demolition of these two buildings will have any influence on the proposed development happening at Robie/May? I'd hate to see building flattened, only to sit vacant for years like some of the rest of Robie.

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=246942

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by NorthernGreg

Yes it is - they are the last two buildings standing between Bloomfield school & May street on Robie. A small part of this property is designated for the transit ROW widening, but I'm not sure where that project stands with the rest of the land acquisitions along Robie.

I wonder if the demolition of these two buildings will have any influence on the proposed development happening at Robie/May? I'd hate to see building flattened, only to sit vacant for years like some of the rest of Robie.

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=246942

Yeah hate to see that too. Not sure what's going on with that development. They had a sign up for a few years ago and then took it down, maybe because the of the impending widening of Robie?

[Jreeb]

Yeah, I have been told the development is on hold until the street widening is done for the Transit Priority Corridor. Same thing goes for the neighbouring vacant lot at 2705 Robie Street at the corner of May Street. They are separate developments hopefully going up at the same time once the widening is done.

[Haliguy]

Originally Posted by Jreeb

Yeah, I have been told the development is on hold until the street widening is done for the Transit Priority Corridor. Same thing goes for the neighbouring vacant lot at 2705 Robie Street at the corner of May Street. They are separate developments hopefully going up at the same time once the widening is done.

That's what I thought, thanks for confirming.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

I had been wondering what the big pipes aboard the heavy-lift vessels in the harbour were for. Turns out they're windmill tower sections heading down to a project off the US east coast.

20230709_173749 by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr

20230709_174131 by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr

20230718_154133 by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr

[Dmajackson]

There is a 20-unit, 6-storey residential building starting construction at 5297 KENT STREET, HALIFAX.

Construction Management Plan

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

There is a 20-unit, 6-storey residential building starting construction at 5297 KENT STREET, HALIFAX.

This is a potentially interesting part of town that has hills, views, and some architectural gems. But many of the buildings and empty lots around there today are awful.

If the city were slightly larger by 1920 or so, this area would have filled up with much nicer apartment buildings. There are a few decent older ones but it's hit or miss. There's Smith Street which has a long row of great old houses on one side and then nondescript lowrise apartments and parking on the other side.

[Colin May]

Lotus Point, 52 units on Ochterloney, was sold to Canadian Aprtment REIT on June 1 2023 for $20.4 million. The buyer claims to be involved in finding ways to provide affordable housing - https://www.capreit.ca/canadian-rental-housing-providers-for-affordable-housing/
The sale price values a unit at $392,000 and I know of one tenant who cannot afford the pending significant increase in rent.
The former owner owns the empty lots at Victoria and Queen and I expect plans for development will soon be filed.

[kevinbottawa]

I just visited Halifax for the first time. I returned to Toronto this morning. I have to say, I really love Halifax/Nova Scotia. The waterfront. The architecture. Spring Garden Road. Black culture. Diversity. I lived in Ottawa for 13 years before moving back to Toronto and I have to say, I found Halifax to be an overall better city than Ottawa. Between the private sector and the city, it seems like there's an appetite to make Halifax a great place to live and visit. You can sense that there's ambition. If I wasn't in the entertainment industry in Toronto, I'd strongly consider moving to Halifax.

[someone123]

I haven't been to Ottawa in many years so can't say how it's doing these days but I notice on SSP and sometimes in real-life conversations people assume that cities must be better or worse, or more or less urbane, based on the size, and they put Halifax in the small category. But that's not really how it works and Halifax isn't all that small anymore. It's possible to have a very nice and vibrant city of 500k or one with basically no urbanism or appeal whatsoever. From 1950-2000 most of the urban issues in Halifax related to suburbanization, not a lack of overall growth.

If the growth continues I think people are going to be surprised at how "big" inner city Halifax feels in a few years. And that'll mostly be driven just by gradual quality of life and public improvements (hopefully including better transit) and urban infill rather than grandiose projects or millions of people living in suburbs an hour away.

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I just visited Halifax for the first time. I returned to Toronto this morning. I have to say, I really love Halifax/Nova Scotia. The waterfront. The architecture. Spring Garden Road. Black culture. Diversity. I lived in Ottawa for 13 years before moving back to Toronto and I have to say, I found Halifax to be an overall better city than Ottawa. Between the private sector and the city, it seems like there's an appetite to make Halifax a great place to live and visit. You can sense that there's ambition. If I wasn't in the entertainment industry in Toronto, I'd strongly consider moving to Halifax.

In my business life I have had the pleasure of entertaining a wide variety of business associates from World known brands such as Kitchenaid, Bosch, Henkel/Lepage , Sylvania, World Kitchen, Weber Grills. Most of those folks have been well travelled literally around the World. Without question every guest has rated Halifax no worse than top three for cities visited. I agree.

[mleblanc]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I just visited Halifax for the first time. I returned to Toronto this morning. I have to say, I really love Halifax/Nova Scotia. The waterfront. The architecture. Spring Garden Road. Black culture. Diversity. I lived in Ottawa for 13 years before moving back to Toronto and I have to say, I found Halifax to be an overall better city than Ottawa. Between the private sector and the city, it seems like there's an appetite to make Halifax a great place to live and visit. You can sense that there's ambition. If I wasn't in the entertainment industry in Toronto, I'd strongly consider moving to Halifax.

Love to hear it, glad you enjoyed your trip! Come back soon.

[Dmajackson]

Major new building permit just got issued;

Mixed Use & Commercial Building Permit - New Building - Issued - 5543 BILBY ST, HALIFAX - $9'331'109 - Commercial - Retail Use - 10 Floors - Commercial Hotel

This is immediately next to NRTH Condos and on the same block as The Camille, The Bilby, The Stackhouse, and Admiral's Corner. Does anyone have information about this?

[Keith P.]

Bilby St seems a very odd site upon which to build a hotel.

I wonder if this is another planning loophole like the supposed hotel on Prince Albert Rd in Dartmouth, where a hotel was allowed to be built much taller than a residential structure.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by kevinbottawa

I just visited Halifax for the first time. I returned to Toronto this morning. I have to say, I really love Halifax/Nova Scotia. The waterfront. The architecture. Spring Garden Road. Black culture. Diversity. I lived in Ottawa for 13 years before moving back to Toronto and I have to say, I found Halifax to be an overall better city than Ottawa. Between the private sector and the city, it seems like there's an appetite to make Halifax a great place to live and visit. You can sense that there's ambition. If I wasn't in the entertainment industry in Toronto, I'd strongly consider moving to Halifax.

Glad you enjoyed your stay.

I've only spent a couple of weeks in Ottawa, but enjoyed it very much. I've been to Toronto more times than I would like to admit, and can't say that it's my cup of tea.

Been in Halifax much longer than that, and have to agree that it's a great place to live.

Hope you have the chance to visit again and really get to know the city!

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Bilby St seems a very odd site upon which to build a hotel.

I wonder if this is another planning loophole like the supposed hotel on Prince Albert Rd in Dartmouth, where a hotel was allowed to be built much taller than a residential structure.

It is an odd location in my mind... and I thought it was odd when a hotel was announced a couple blocks away at Isleville and Almon. I wonder if it'll be run similar to how the hotel at Bilby and Agricola is (Brewery Park).

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

Butler Scaffolding has been looking more and more out of place in that location. I have wondered how much longer it would remain. That lot goes through the block and fronts on Macara Street too. Functionally at least, it would seem like a good lot for a hotel. Perhaps with the proliferation of high-rise condo and apartment living in the north end, the hotels in the area will used by visitors of local residents who are unable to accommodate their guests in their small quarters. Also, the north end is quickly becoming one of THE centres of vibrancy in the city making it a destination all on its own. For certain, this is not the Bilby Street of old.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Arrdeeharharharbour

Butler Scaffolding has been looking more and more out of place in that location. I have wondered how much longer it would remain. That lot goes through the block and fronts on Macara Street too. Functionally at least, it would seem like a good lot for a hotel. Perhaps with the proliferation of high-rise condo and apartment living in the north end, the hotels in the area will used by visitors of local residents who are unable to accommodate their guests in their small quarters. Also, the north end is quickly becoming one of THE centres of vibrancy in the city making it a destination all on its own. For certain, this is not the Bilby Street of old.

Good points... I do think Agricola and Almon are more natural fits, as they're certainly more significant circulation routes. I hope this is an interesting approach to hospitality - given the points you've raised, this might be a good opportunity for a newer model in the city.