General Updates and News

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Empire

What are the odds a wrong decision could be made here?

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/ha...d=d9d6a34553144f4e9e2ca3e80b2c812f&ei=16

Aside from being a useful pool, it's a piece of history with interesting architecture that marked a significant anniversary in Canada's history. IMHO, it is somewhat of a landmark in DT Halifax.

Background: https://builthalifax.ca/2021/07/30/the-centennial-project/

One also has to wonder why proactive maintenance hasn't been occurring to prevent the leaks from happening in the first place, rather talking as though it was surprising that 56 year old pool has started to leak. (Omigod! It leaked! Tear it down! )

While there's no question that affordable housing is needed, I'm not sure that the city becomes a better place by inserting affordable housing in every location possible, especially a prominent downtown location that serves its citizens with a recreational facility. A well-thought-out strategy to provide affordable housing seems to be something needed vs random knee-jerk reactions every time a structure/development plan comes into question. There doesn't seem to be much long-term thinking involved here.

My line of thought: keep the pool, come up with a sustainable housing strategy that also respects Halifax's downtown (which also considers an alternate location for the Grand Parade tent city). We definitely need to take care of those who are less fortunate, but damn, we can't forget that pride in our city is of importance as well (to everybody who lives here). We need to help and consider those who are living rough or having trouble finding a place to live, while not forgetting everybody else. Walk and chew gum at the same time - help out our homeless while simultaneously maintaining pride in our city for the long run.

[someone123]

Nice medium density developing in this area:


Source

[someone123]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

My line of thought: keep the pool, come up with a sustainable housing strategy that also respects Halifax's downtown (which also considers an alternate location for the Grand Parade tent city). We definitely need to take care of those who are less fortunate, but damn, we can't forget that pride in our city is of importance as well (to everybody who lives here). We need to help and consider those who are living rough or having trouble finding a place to live, while not forgetting everybody else. Walk and chew gum at the same time - help out our homeless while simultaneously maintaining pride in our city for the long run.

I find the crisis mode arguments are often dubious in that some people pretend they are taking no-holds-barred crisis measures only because the measures happen to not to infringe on their personal values; if they did then the crisis rhetoric would be dropped. When it comes to the Grand Parade the tents are treated like a force of nature but they've been banned or displaced in other parts of town. I suspect that's mostly about whether or not there are politically connected local residents and councillors directly affected. The South Enders can live with tents on the Grand Parade. But arguably the negative impact of having tents there is much higher than it would be in many other residential areas. The city also has to deal with the fact that you can "induce demand" for tents just as you can induce demand for roadways. Some people might choose to live in a tent next to their work in the summer months, for example, instead of living in a dumpy apartment that requires an hour long 6 am bus commute; that desire as one example shouldn't trump the integrity/availability of some of the city's main public spaces. It's subtler than a lot of people let on.

HRM politicians seem pretty underwhelming lately IMO. About a decade ago there was progress from the Peter Kelly, but now the city feels stuck in the 2010's and it's just not enough for the current tougher challenges. The design review committee delays, passivity around housing issues, and lack of progress on transit are examples. This isn't unique to Halifax but it's been straddling the small town vs. larger city boundary and needs to operate more like a big city. It is quite a large municipality.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by someone123

Nice medium density developing in this area:


Source

The density bump in the past year or two has been noticeable at street level here, in pedestrian activity and overall business. There are also I believe five buildings U/C in this picture, which will add collectively a few hundred more new residents. I also won’t be surprised to see this badly underused lot replaced in the near or medium term as well. (I do hope the space occupied by the warehouse market building on Isleville escapes redevelopment though—it’s a prime lot, but also arguably offers more to the neighbourhood as a commercial and gathering space.)

[Dmajackson]

New Building - Submitted - 2730 AGRICOLA STREET, HALIFAX - $10'591'000 - Residential Use - 44 Units - 5 Floors - We are looking for a building permit to develop a 44 unit apartment building at 2730 Agricola Street.

[Keith P.]

Just south of the derelict Bloomfield site, adjacent to (or perhaps inclusive of) McLellan Antiques.

[Dmajackson]

^It must include it. 2730-2732-2736 were sold as a combined development site back in March for just under $2 million. The permit is "Mixed-Use & Commercial" which means the GF will be commercial. That means there is 11 units per floor which should require the 10'000 sq ft the combined lot provides.

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by someone123

I suspect that's mostly about whether or not there are politically connected local residents and councillors directly affected. The South Enders can live with tents on the Grand Parade. But arguably the negative impact of having tents there is much higher than it would be in many other residential areas.

HRM politicians seem pretty underwhelming lately IMO. About a decade ago there was progress from the Peter Kelly, but now the city feels stuck in the 2010's and it's just not enough for the current tougher challenges. The design review committee delays, passivity around housing issues, and lack of progress on transit are examples. This isn't unique to Halifax but it's been straddling the small town vs. larger city boundary and needs to operate more like a big city. It is quite a large municipality.

Beggars want to be near heavy foot traffic and busy traffic intersections and the South End is not a place where beggars will choose to be. Both sides of the MacDonald bridge have several beggars and are well compensated by drivers. The one beggar I remember was the one man who sat outside Shoppers on Spring Garden every day and seemed to make a decent living from the heavy foot traffic.

[new2halifax]

Originally Posted by someone123

Some people might choose to live in a tent next to their work in the summer months, for example, instead of living in a dumpy apartment that requires an hour long 6 am bus commute;

It was last summer that a census of the tent encampments showed that there were a handful of tourists among the homeless. I was shocked, not by that fact per se, but to the fact that city officials did nothing about it.

[new2halifax]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

- New 6-storey residential building for 6230 QUINPOOL ROAD to infill a parking lot. This is between The Other Bean and Pleasures N' Treasures.

Greatly needed! Is there a plan for GF commercial?

[Dmajackson]

^Quinpool Road is pedestrian-oriented commercial street. The at-grade level is required to have commercial use.

"New developments along pedestrian-oriented commercial streetscapes will be required to provide active at-grade uses consistent with pre-existing built form characteristics." - Centre Plan Package B.

New development this week for 25 CRYSTAL DRIVE, DARTMOUTH. The demolition permit has been issued for the vacant commercial building at the corner with Leaman Drive. The redevelopment is said to be a 50-unit residential and commercial building. The site is zoned HR-1 and 20'000 sq ft.

[new2halifax]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

^Quinpool Road is pedestrian-oriented commercial street. The at-grade level is required to have commercial use.

"New developments along pedestrian-oriented commercial streetscapes will be required to provide active at-grade uses consistent with pre-existing built form characteristics." - Centre Plan Package B.

Good to know! Thank you Dmajackson

[Dmajackson]

Looks like Polycorp's next development site might be their vacant land south of Mont Blanc Terrace above North Barrington Street.

PLANAPP - 2023-01974

I predict they'll have The Aria done by 2030 and will swiftly move onto this project.

[Keith P.]

I wonder if the Five Moes will be finished their labors at the NFB project to allow them to move (slowly) to this one?

[kph06]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I wonder if the Five Moes will be finished their labors at the NFB project to allow them to move (slowly) to this one?

I believe the NFB building has actually been complete for some time now, I had family visiting this summer and they stayed in the hotel there. They have now moved crews onto the Tramway Building renovation. I think the NFB building was plagued by access and space constraint, contributing the slow pace. The developer behind these, Steve Caryi recently passed away. I think he had other heritage restorations in the area planned.

Aria by Polycorp on the other hand doesn’t have the space constraints at Long Lake Village. I think the developer has been quoted saying they have a different financial model than most, I always go back to the missed years of rental income in the current market. I recall a few years back reading that Polycorp also had a large tract of land near Long Pond further south on Herring Cove Road they would develop in the near future.

[Dmajackson]

Some demolition permits submitted this week. These don't have any known projects associated with them. Anyone know who may own them?

2872 Agricola Street (at Macara Street)

212-218 Portland Street, 28A-30 Maitland Street, 3 Newcastle Street in Dartmouth Cove. The land assembly totals to 31'000 sq ft in HR-1 zoning.

15 Prince Albert Road (notes state future development)

Also a building permit was issued for a 10-storey / 148 unit building that I cannot locate (41028556). The lot must be so new it's not in mapping software.

[Insigne]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Also a building permit was issued for a 10-storey / 148 unit building that I cannot locate (41028556). The lot must be so new it's not in mapping software.

Seems to be 19 Hamlet Lane, Dartmouth. Odd that it has a different PID than the map. see: https://cdn.halifax.ca/sites/default/fil.../community-councils/220420hemdcc1311.pdf

[IanWatson]

2872 Agricola Street (at Macara Street)
Bragg Group. They own a lot of the land in that area. I think anything substantial for this area will have to wait for the result of the ongoing infrastructure study that HRM is doing.

[JET]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Some demolition permits submitted this week. These don't have any known projects associated with them. Anyone know who may own them?

2872 Agricola Street (at Macara Street)

212-218 Portland Street, 28A-30 Maitland Street, 3 Newcastle Street in Dartmouth Cove. The land assembly totals to 31'000 sq ft in HR-1 zoning.

15 Prince Albert Road (notes state future development)

Also a building permit was issued for a 10-storey / 148 unit building that I cannot locate (41028556). The lot must be so new it's not in mapping software.

Too bad about 15 Prince Albert, nice house, looks old.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by JET

Too bad about 15 Prince Albert, nice house, looks old.

Nice enough but not too remarkable. Overall these all look like "good" demolitions to me, if I can use that word--nothing of significant architectural value of density being lost, and it doesn't look like a lot of displacement either.

There is one new development that the Halifax Developments blog posted this morning, which is a bit unfortunate as it will take out a particularly unique and attractive, if rundown, Victorian House on Green Street in the South End.

Maybe another potential for the developers of the College/Robie project to move to make up for their house-dropping mistake! (Which seems to have put the whole development on ice for the past eight months, with no word of when it will resume, which I find a little concerning...)