[Halifax] Waterfront Arts District | ? m | ? fl | On hold

[someone123]

Originally Posted by PortaPetee

This model makes me love it even more. And the appearance of the water interface seems much more reasonable than some of the drawings made it appear. Part of it already exists (the boardwalk that goes out around the shoreline instead of over land.) The add-ons further out into the water are not so large and messy after all. I want to see this thing built!

Yes, perhaps some of the drama added to the renderings detracted from the appeal of the proposal by making it look less realistic. With this model it is clear how it fits in with the surroundings.

I know a lot of people aren't a fan of the Cunard proposal but I think the trio of current waterfront developments is going to completely transform the area if they're all built. There will still be many areas to improve, but there won't be any big dead zones left.

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by PortaPetee

Of course the Barrington St. Superstore doesn't help, nor does the inability to cross from Inglis / Barrington to the piers without going around the Westin. I hope "they" can figure out how to knit those pieces back together.

There's a tunnel under the tracks that goes between the Seafarer's Mission and the very end of Barrington, if you don't turn up the hill to Inglis.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by someone123

... That Halifax-waterfront-specific theme could have been carried through in a big way in a project like this. A solid-looking masonry wall or form, maybe along Lower Water, would have made me like the proposals a lot more...

In this aspect, DIALOG's proposal has the facade that is most solid on Lower Water - it's one of the concerns I have with the proposal though - not the most welcoming for a building that is supposed to move beyond a container for art and become more about supporting social connections, community gatherings, and be more of an active participant to public life in the city.

Originally Posted by someone123

... The north elevation of Bishop's [Landing] is basically treated like an alley and is basically a 100 m+ long blank wall...

Yes. It seems the instruction to reserve the southern portion of the site for future development seems to have resulted in difficulty in meaningfully connecting to Bishop's Landing.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by someone123

Reminds me of this:



I think it's just meant to be an abstract massing type diagram. But wow does that ever change the appearance of that area by defining the square properly and making Barrington more consistently built up. It is mostly a nice neighbourhood with a good scale, with one particularly bad planning mistake. Halifax is full of "almost great" areas. In many cities the streets sloping up from the Westin would have been turned into a heritage conservation district long ago.

Absolutely. This addresses what is potentially one of the biggest detractions of the neighbourhood (the suburban model Superstore with massive parking lot right at the street).

[bluenoser]

The winning design has been selected:

KPMB ARCHITECTS WITH OMAR GANDHI ARCHITECT, JORDAN BENNETT STUDIO, ELDER LORRAINE WHITMAN (NWAC), PUBLIC WORK AND TRANSSOLAR ---



https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/ne...rfront-521729/

[Good Baklava]

Originally Posted by bluenoser

The winning design has been selected:

KPMB ARCHITECTS WITH OMAR GANDHI ARCHITECT, JORDAN BENNETT STUDIO, ELDER LORRAINE WHITMAN (NWAC), PUBLIC WORK AND TRANSSOLAR ---



https://www.thechronicleherald.ca/ne...rfront-521729/

Great news! I was hoping this one would come out on top.

[Keith P.]

Now they just need to figure out how to pay for it. This strikes me as another Designer Library (TM Regd.) only several times more expensive.

[Summerville]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Now they just need to figure out how to pay for it. This strikes me as another Designer Library (TM Regd.) only several times more expensive.

I’m willing to start a gofundme effort in order to have a room named after you Keith!

[MonctonRad]

Good stuff! This was my preferred choice.

This should be a good fit for this part of the waterfront and should fit in very well with the surrounding neighbourhood.

So, which room in this building should we name after Keith? Maybe the cloakroom????

[someone123]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

This should be a good fit for this part of the waterfront and should fit in very well with the surrounding neighbourhood.

The boardwalk is okay around this area but it will be much nicer with the gallery and this empty site is one of a handful that really feel like open wounds and are compromising a whole little district of a few surrounding blocks.

There are some gems nearby like the brewery and the Bishop's Landing area has become vibrant (even if the architecture is a little dated). But that area will never feel like a seamless extension of the city when it's half parking lots.

[JHikka]

Great proposal. Excited to see how this one fleshes out.

[Jethro Bodine]

I personally think that the design should include some sort of space for concerts, if it doesn't, it will be very disappointing. The present space is a world class location for concerts, festivals, etc... due to the combination of being on the waterfront and having such great views of the downtown skyline.

However, I have my doubts that this will be built anytime soon due to the present pandemic situation. Even if there are effective vaccines coming out soon (we all hope) it will take years for the cruise industry to get back to where it was, including tourism as a whole. Without it this could be the proverbial definition of a white elephant and a very expensive one at that.

Jethro

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Jethro Bodine

Even if there are effective vaccines coming out soon (we all hope) it will take years for the cruise industry to get back to where it was, including tourism as a whole. Without it this could be the proverbial definition of a white elephant and a very expensive one at that.

Presumably the AGNS mostly exists to benefit residents of NS, not cruise ship passengers.

The budget of this one is not really that grandiose and they've already secured a few different sources of funding including from donors.

[Good Baklava]

Originally Posted by Jethro Bodine

I personally think that the design should include some sort of space for concerts, if it doesn't, it will be very disappointing. The present space is a world class location for concerts, festivals, etc... due to the combination of being on the waterfront and having such great views of the downtown skyline.

However, I have my doubts that this will be built anytime soon due to the present pandemic situation. Even if there are effective vaccines coming out soon (we all hope) it will take years for the cruise industry to get back to where it was, including tourism as a whole. Without it this could be the proverbial definition of a white elephant and a very expensive one at that.

Jethro

I have to agree with someone123 on who this is for: it’s not your average tourist trap and will be a good home for local talent and admirers. Not to mention a better venue for bringing in travelling exhibits from the world for our local maritimers to admire.

About the concerts, I think adding such a space would only cannibalize demand for other venues in the DT area. The public space already included would be nice for small street shows.

[Colin May]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Now they just need to figure out how to pay for it. This strikes me as another Designer Library (TM Regd.) only several times more expensive.

Read this Keith; you will enjoy the stupidity described by the author :
https://quillette.com/2020/11/17/wor...a-luxury-good/

And sounds somewhat Pythonesque

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Colin May

Read this Keith; you will enjoy the stupidity described by the author :
https://quillette.com/2020/11/17/wor...a-luxury-good/

And sounds somewhat Pythonesque

It is simply insanity. The Oberlin College story is tragic.

Getting back to this, it will almost certainly be a $200 million project by the time it is ready to open its doors and at that point the federal money will have dried up and the province will be left to deal with the cost overruns. And despite the pandering this represents, it will do nothing to improve the relationship between the indigenous groups and govts, though it may make a number of woke bureaucrats sleep better at night (not that they usually need much help with that given how much they doze during the workday).

[FuzzyWuz]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Now they just need to figure out how to pay for it. This strikes me as another Designer Library (TM Regd.) only several times more expensive.

Dammit Hobbs you broke another set of lights!

[Temperance]

Originally Posted by Good Baklava

Great news! I was hoping this one would come out on top.

It looks fantastic. Congratulations Halifax!

[Aegon123]

There is action on this site. I saw a foundation underway for the Amos building to be moved over to the parking lot opposite the proposed site. I asked a worker when they are to move and she said sometime early 2022, so construction should begin sometime in early 2022.

With this, Cunard, Cogswell, the Governor, and the Press Block going on, downtown will look very different in a few years and for the better!

[Aegon123]

Update: the Amos building is being lifted off the site and is being moved over to the adjacent parking lot. Construction is due to start this spring so I hope it is starting very soon. 😊