[Halifax] The Maple | 72 m | 21 fl | Completed

[Northend Guy]

From thechronicleherald.ca:

Tower project to start with bang
August 29, 2013 - 7:50pm REMO ZACCAGNA BUSINESS REPORTER

Bank building to be demolished

The Bank of Canada building in Halifax will be torn down in a matter of weeks to make room for a proposed mixed-use residential building.

Southwest Properties Ltd. unveiled plans last year to construct the 21-storey tower at 1583 Hollis St. that will accommodate 450 to 500 people in nearly 300 apartment units.

The building would have three levels of underground parking to accommodate 314 vehicles, almost 15,000 square feet of retail commercial space and more than 6,000 square feet — 26 per cent of the site — dedicated to public open space.

Jim Spatz, the company’s chief executive officer, said the project is still at the planning-approval stage.

“We think we will have a public meeting, which is required by the process, in the latter part of September,” he said Thursday.

ALSO SEE: Province approves terms of $75-m deal for waterfront project

The matter will come before Halifax regional council sometime after that, but whether approval is received or not, demolition of the five-storey, 60-year-old Bank of Canada building is happening at the beginning of October.

“We hope to have our approval sometime around that time frame, possibly after we begin demolition, but we’re taking down the old Bank of Canada building in any case.”

In addition to this and the $75-million Cunard block project, the company is working on a third major residential development Spatz said is also in the planning-approval stage.

Three community meetings have been held for a proposed 10-year, $500-million project on a 25-hectare Rockingham property where the Sisters of Charity Motherhouse once was.

The development will accommodate up to 4,000 people and will include single-family dwellings, townhouses, apartments and condominiums. Five per cent of those will be dedicated as low-income housing.

Spatz said he hopes to start breaking ground to build roads and service the property in the spring.

“We hope to have our first official public (meeting) … in the next couple of months and then we will hopefully have a perfected application after that, and then hopefully within a few months after that have approval.”

[halifaxboyns]

This is exciting, another crane soon!

[someone123]

A 300 unit residential building should do wonders for this area. It's always a little worrisome though when developers decide to demolish buildings before the replacement is approved.

Hopefully one day a similar building will go up on the United Gulf site.

[hoser111]

So this is 300 units and the Cunard block is 250 and Jim Spatz is saying that Southwest will building about 800 units downtown in the next 5 years. Would one dare hope for the Alexander @ Brewery Market to make up the other 250!

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by hoser111

So this is 300 units and the Cunard block is 250 and Jim Spatz is saying that Southwest will building about 800 units downtown in the next 5 years. Would one dare hope for the Alexander @ Brewery Market to make up the other 250!

That's a pretty impressive population bump. If you assume an average of 1.75 people per unit (given the unit mixes of bachelors, one and two bedrooms) that's a potential population 2800 people (I'd actually guess even more).

[scooby074]

Shame they are tearing it down. I always kinda liked the look of it. Too bad they couldnt have worked with the existing facade in some way.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by someone123

A 300 unit residential building should do wonders for this area. It's always a little worrisome though when developers decide to demolish buildings before the replacement is approved.

Hopefully one day a similar building will go up on the United Gulf site.

Should changes to the rules be made to prevent early demolitions? Part of this is the developer's approval confidence -- thanks to how specific HRMbyDesign is.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Should changes to the rules be made to prevent early demolitions? Part of this is the developer's approval confidence -- thanks to how specific HRMbyDesign is.

Yeah, because of HbD, the developer, and the fact that these are apartments this seems like a lower-risk proposition than some past developments.

I think banning demolition is more of a band-aid than a real fix. The real problems are a lack of protection for heritage buildings (which shouldn't be torn down even if something new is built), perverse tax incentives to tear down properties, and uncertainty surrounding downtown development.

HbD has done a lot to fix the last point. There will still be the odd demolition like the Trinity church on Brunswick but these might not actually be so bad if there are fewer empty lots to begin with. Part of the reason why new lots are so bad is that there are so many still kicking around, or at least there used to be. I am not sure the city will still have a major problem with surface lots in 5 or 10 years.

[ILoveHalifax]

Originally Posted by scooby074

Shame they are tearing it down. I always kinda liked the look of it. Too bad they couldnt have worked with the existing facade in some way.

I'll meet you there tomorrow for a protest. Bring your sign.

[scooby074]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

I'll meet you there tomorrow for a protest. Bring your sign.

LOL.

Should I start a group, "Save the banks" perhaps... Maybe "Save the Granite" since it's the granite on the lower floors that appeals to me

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by scooby074

Shame they are tearing it down. I always kinda liked the look of it. Too bad they couldnt have worked with the existing facade in some way.

I wouldn't want them to try to incorporate the existing building into anything, but I agree that it's unfortunate to lose the BofC building. It is a very elegant, classic design from the 1950s and always seemed "right" to my eye, albeit a bit undersized. Imagine if this was 10 or 15 floors high. I especially like the brown granite cladding. Too bad this could not go on another lot. Of course, it could also be in poor condition inside - I have never been in it.

I always wondered what the original rationale was for the large 2-bay garage next to it. It seems very odd to have something like that downtown.

[fenwick16]

I have a question regarding the Chronicle Herald story that was previously posted by Northend Guy: why is a public hearing required? I don't think that it is a requirement of HRM_by_Design. Is it because the building doesn't follow the HRM_by_Design design requirements? The proposal is wider than permissible by HRM_by_Design but I thought that the Design Review Committee was allowed some latitude in permitting such changes. Or is it because they want to build to the post-bonus height?

Maybe Councillor Waye Mason has an answer?

(source: http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/business/1150688-tower-project-to-start-with-bang)

Tower project to start with bang
August 29, 2013 - 7:50pm REMO ZACCAGNA BUSINESS REPORTER


Bank building to be demolished

The Bank of Canada building in Halifax will be torn down in a matter of weeks to make room for a proposed mixed-use residential building.
.
.
.
Jim Spatz, the company’s chief executive officer, said the project is still at the planning-approval stage.

“We think we will have a public meeting, which is required by the process, in the latter part of September,” he said Thursday.

The matter will come before Halifax regional council sometime after that, but whether approval is received or not, demolition of the five-storey, 60-year-old Bank of Canada building is happening at the beginning of October.

[Waye Mason]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

I have a question regarding the Chronicle Herald story that was previously posted by Northend Guy: why is a public hearing required? I don't think that it is a requirement of HRM_by_Design. Is it because the building doesn't follow the HRM_by_Design design requirements? The proposal is wider than permissible by HRM_by_Design but I thought that the Design Review Committee was allowed some latitude in permitting such changes. Or is it because they want to build to the post-bonus height?

Maybe Councillor Waye Mason has an answer?

(source: http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/business/1150688-tower-project-to-start-with-bang)

I'm not sure. Southwest is asking for a major variance, but that approval is through the Design Review Committee. I think that is what Mr. Spatz means, or he was misquoted by the Herald, which you know does happen.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by scooby074

Shame they are tearing it down. I always kinda liked the look of it. Too bad they couldnt have worked with the existing facade in some way.

If you ever REALLY miss it, you could always visit its twin in Saint John...

[scooby074]

Originally Posted by Hali87

If you ever REALLY miss it, you could always visit its twin in Saint John...

Neat! Albeit not quite as nice as Hali. Black Granite is better on the Halifax version, plus I think Halifax's is larger.

[scooby074]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I always wondered what the original rationale was for the large 2-bay garage next to it. It seems very odd to have something like that downtown.

Perhaps it was to act as a place for Armoured Cars to discharge or load money in private?

I believe that Customs uses those garages to keep their large work vans (not typical van, built on a medium duty chassis) that they use at the container docks. Ive seen them coming out of those doors a couple times.

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by scooby074

Perhaps it was to act as a place for Armoured Cars to discharge or load money in private?

I had always assumed that too, although in retrospect I don't know if I have any basis for that except it being called "Bank of Canada". Not sure if an office building like that even handled hard currency from the Mint. It's possible seeing the building and an armoured delivery there as a kid, and being fascinated with it. Equally plausible was that perhaps I did not see an armoured car there but my young mind made up the fantasy. Just can't remember. Getting old sucks. LOL

[Jonovision]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

I have a question regarding the Chronicle Herald story that was previously posted by Northend Guy: why is a public hearing required? I don't think that it is a requirement of HRM_by_Design. Is it because the building doesn't follow the HRM_by_Design design requirements? The proposal is wider than permissible by HRM_by_Design but I thought that the Design Review Committee was allowed some latitude in permitting such changes. Or is it because they want to build to the post-bonus height?

Maybe Councillor Waye Mason has an answer?

(source: http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/business/1150688-tower-project-to-start-with-bang)

HRM By Design requires a public meeting to be held to inform nearby residents of the developers intentions and to take any feedback that might come. It is different from a public hearing. What is required is simply an information session. Has nothing to do with council.

[kwajo]

Originally Posted by scooby074

Neat! Albeit not quite as nice as Hali. Black Granite is better on the Halifax version, plus I think Halifax's is larger.

Halifax's is a bit taller, the SJ one is a little wider, still a lot of granite too Link to a better view of its Twin

[someone123]

I also think it's too bad the building will be demolished. There aren't many good buildings of this style in the city -- this one's probably the best surviving example. The current parkade and empty lot on the corner are terrible though, so if the new building goes up as planned it will be an improvement.