General Updates and News

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Arrdeeharharharbour

Wanna buy a t-shirt?... lol. It is a catchy phrase but I don't really have a firm vision of how utilization of the cut would look or be accomplished. For instance, one vision/option in my head is to go into the railcut wall sideways (grind it out) in from the existing rail bed elevation to create more width for new rail lines separate from CN's rail bed. It'd be like having a subway tunnel with one half underground and one half sticking out of the wall.

LOL It would make a great T-shirt! Seriously, you should create slogans for advertisers.

I do think there would be great challenges in trying to pull it off, though. Even once you got past the engineering issues and cost, there would be the political struggles of how it should best be used. If it were done literally, you would be faced with a number of at-grade crossings, and even grade changes gentle enough for rail (the reason for the original “cut”) could be an issue.

The original cut was done somewhat forcefully by the feds as it was determined that the need for new Ocean Terminals was far more important for the wellbeing of the nation than the protestations of some well-off locally-important residents. In 2026 this could be possible due to our struggles with the US, but I suspect that if used for transit, it would more likely be in the form of a financial assist than a political one. On the other hand, we have the Province intervening in the ferry situation, so maybe?

However “cap the cut” still has power as a slogan (at least in my mind, being conditioned to respond to catchy slogans from childhood… )!

[Dmajackson]

There is a new development starting excavation a stone's throw from Highfield Park Terminal.


HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)

[Dmajackson]

A building permit was just submitted for 6426 BAYERS ROAD - 9 FLOORS - 64 UNITS. This is the former home of Doctor Piano between LOOK HO HO and THE COURTYARD development.

GOOGLE STREETVIEW

[markbeaver]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

A building permit was just submitted for 6426 BAYERS ROAD - 9 FLOORS - 64 UNITS. This is the former home of Doctor Piano between LOOK HO HO and THE COURTYARD development.

GOOGLE STREETVIEW

Well, this will be interesting, in light of the imminent start of the Bayers Road Widening Project between Connaught and Windsor, which will make that section of Bayers 4 lanes, with two traffic lanes and dedicated bus lanes along the curb - one wonders if the city will allow the project to set up encroachment blocking the eastbound bus lanes that will (theoretically) just have been completed by the time this project starts…

[RoshanMcG]

Tower Road bridge reconstruction

[OldDartmouthMark]

Great pics! I did not know this was being rebuilt.

I notice that there are two sets of rails, bith shiny (in use), which is surprising to me as it was mentioned that only one set could be used due to double stacking containers. Guess that’s not the case?

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Great pics! I did not know this was being rebuilt.

I notice that there are two sets of rails, bith shiny (in use), which is surprising to me as it was mentioned that only one set could be used due to double stacking containers. Guess that’s not the case?

The rail line goes down to a single at the Marleborough road bridge and stays single until the Rail yard in the North end.

Now if someone could or would raise the Bridges along the way who knows.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Dartguard

The rail line goes down to a single at the Marleborough road bridge and stays single until the Rail yard in the North end.

Now if someone could or would raise the Bridges along the way who knows.

That explains things. Thanks!

The Tower Road bridge is really high, but the clearance must decrease significantly as you move north.

[kph06]

There is a new crane up at Stadacona near the Junior Offers (I think) building. another crane by Sivret.

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by kph06

There is a new crane up at Stadacona near the Junior Offers (I think) building. another crane by Sivret.

Its actually above the former Football field and will construct the new River class Destroyer training school. Its very close to the Wellington barracks office complex that has the distinction of being one of the oldest surviving brick built structures in Halifax.The mortar composition used finally solved the freeze thaw cycle that stymied alot of Halifax construction back then. An exact copy of Victorian Military barracks from the mid 1800's.

[Insigne]

A PCL sign and office trailer are now on site at the corner of Coburg and Walnut. Two more houses on Walnut are being demolished as well as one on Chestnut and the brick apartment building on Coburg Rd. The house on the corner of Chestnut St appears to be staying. Has anyone seen renderings? It seems like a small project for PCL as I think it is limited to 9 stories.

[ArchAficionado]

Originally Posted by Insigne

A PCL sign and office trailer are now on site at the corner of Coburg and Walnut. Two more houses on Walnut are being demolished as well as one on Chestnut and the brick apartment building on Coburg Rd. The house on the corner of Chestnut St appears to be staying. Has anyone seen renderings? It seems like a small project for PCL as I think it is limited to 9 stories.

Probably some kind of student-oriented housing project I would imagine, based on its location

[kph06]

Originally Posted by ArchAficionado

Probably some kind of student-oriented housing project I would imagine, based on its location

I think it was a student housing company based out of Quebec or Ontario. So partnering with a national General Contractor like PCL makes sense if the owner doesn’t have a big local presence.

[beyeas]

Originally Posted by Dartguard

Its actually above the former Football field and will construct the new River class Destroyer training school. Its very close to the Wellington barracks office complex that has the distinction of being one of the oldest surviving brick built structures in Halifax.The mortar composition used finally solved the freeze thaw cycle that stymied alot of Halifax construction back then. An exact copy of Victorian Military barracks from the mid 1800's.

Interesting on the freeze thaw stuff. Back when I was an undergrad I spent one of my summers working for an engineer and doing testing on concrete in marine environments (lived in a motel and caught a ride out to an island at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy to take various measurements, funded by the US Army Corps of Engineers). I remember the lead engineer saying that it took a long time for scientists to figure out to add liquid organics to the concrete mixture in order to entrain bubbles that act as pressure release bulbs when the water freezes. And once they did they realized it explained what the Romans were doing with the concrete structures that they built - some of which are still standing - as they moved north into England. When they analyzed the concrete long ago they noticed it contained animal blood and assumed it was some sort of ritualistic sacrifice to the gods type thing, but once modern engineers "discovered" adding liquid organics they realized that the Roman's had actually figure that out two millennia ago!

[Dmajackson]

Demolition is starting on Fairview's next mid-rise. This is at the corner of WESTERWALD STREET & MELROSE AVENUE.


HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)

[alonesaucer71]

I'm sure this has been talked about a bunch before but the growth in the Joseph Howe area is pretty nuts.

The Interchange (2x13 floors) - 324 units
The Joseph (2x8 floors)- 168 units
The Fairway (2x8 floors) - 148 units
3524 Dutch Village Road (7 floors) - 80 units
3461 Dutch Village Road (9 floors) - 96 units
3331 Westerwald Street (9 floors) - 164 units
JoeWest Suites (9 floors) - 89 units
5 Melrose Avenue (7 floors) - 50 units

Total: 1119 units

Crazy how on top of that theres still the shoppers mall and the area on the other side of the Interchange

[kph06]

Crane base in place at the former church site on Dutch Village.