[Dartmouth] Seagate Residences | 56, 54, 21 m | 15, 14, 7 fl | Proposed

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

I detect a bit of a change occurring in the Halifax area. The councillors seem to be more unified in their support of major developments. This one and the Nova Centre are two recent ones that come to mind.

Well it's like I said in the STV facebook - when you put forward the same old song from the HT on everything, it pushes them into a group where they aren't always taken seriously. The same with people like BD and his crowd.

Plus considering the city has passed 400,000 - perhaps people are looking at it in a different way?

[someone123]

I think the city is "waking up" a little when it comes to these issues. I'm not certain that they are doing everything in the best way but there is more of a focus on improving the core parts of the city, whereas 20 years ago the focus was on trying to promote sprawl because it was seen as a money generator (turns out it was only short-term gain at the cost of long-term messes like Bayers Lake). Nobody can deny for example that the Nova Centre and library are investments in the downtown and nothing like this happened for 20 years.

I am not sure how true it is but I would also like to think that public debate has shifted a little to the point where people are more accepting of change. This can happen very insidiously without anybody noticing -- we hear about STV and the Nova Centre but the obstructionists quietly ignore other projects because the public does not see them as controversial. I think we have made some progress since many of the infill projects now are seen as routine where they would not have been 10 years ago.

It's good news because I don't think we can have a very successful downtown when every developer is fighting a five year legal battle to be allowed to build. The only bad news is I think that downtown Halifax really lost out during the economically successful 2000-2010 period.

[resetcbu1]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

And to match Bedford Djs magic research skills I will use my magic copy and pasting skills!

Site Plan



The Wellington on Ochterloney







Floor Plan for the top floors of The Grand

are those full sized trees on roof top gardend on the tower? if so that is cool don't see much of that in halifax atleast not since I moved away , are there any other like it?

[Empire]

Originally Posted by resetcbu1

are those full sized trees on roof top gardend on the tower? if so that is cool don't see much of that in halifax atleast not since I moved away , are there any other like it?

Don't rely on anything in this rendering as being accurate. The green space is there as a smoke screen and the appearance of the building is very much suspect. This is one development where the DA needs to be tightened up and the cards laid on the table. Show us exactly what you intend to build and if you deviate from that there will be very little wiggle room in the DA. In other words if you don't build exactly what you say you will build then you won't receive an occupancy permit.....period!

[Jonovision]

I've been thinking a lot about this development lately. I wonder if there is any news to come soon? I'm very much looking forward to seeing some more detailed renderings for these buildings. They have the possibility of being great, but they could also be a huge blunder. I haven't looked at these plans in a while and I walk by the site all the time, so I have started to think more about the design and how it can really work for the site if done properly.

[wackypacky]

Can anyone provide an update on the status of this proposal

[halifaxboyns]

The case information on HRM's website seems to have been removed.

[Jringe01]

Anything new happening on this one?

[hoser111]

http://thechronicleherald.ca/busines...th-luxury-site

Public invited to session on project

Developer Darrell Dixon has reduced the height of the tallest building of a three-building residential project proposed for downtown Dartmouth. The initial plan called for it to be 22 storeys, but now it’s drawn up as an 18-storey building.
The public will get a chance to view a different multimillion-dollar residential development proposed for downtown Dartmouth than what was tabled more than two years ago.

Originally, developer Darrell Dixon had proposed a three-building, $60-million, mixed-use residential development on four parcels of land located on Irishtown Road, Queen Street and Ochterloney Street.

The plans for the Seagate Residences called for 300 units in a seven-storey building on Ochterloney Street beside the former Greenvale School, which Dexel Developments has turned into a complex of 36 loft-style apartments, a 14-storey tower on the corner of Queen Street and Irishtown Road (formerly the Pine Street extension) and a 22-storey building on a vacant lot behind the former school.

........

[Jstaleness]

22 to 18 isn't a huge loss. It will still be huge for that area. Another big gain for Downtown Dartmouth. Hopefully it actually starts next spring.

[someone123]

18 vs. 22 storeys doesn't really matter but I'm not a fan of the design of this development. A point tower type of design would be better than the big blocky towers, but then again they're trying to fit 300 units into 18 storeys now...

I'd like this to start in the spring too but I don't think I'm not sure I've ever seen an HRM development agreement awarded in time for a developer's optimistic predicted start date. Invariably there's some problem or delay and things get pushed back. If they're unlucky they end up with Jono or Jazz type delays. It really is too bad.

[fenwick16]

Here is the Google Maps link - http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=queen+s...gl=ca&t=h&z=18

From the halifax.ca website:
Site Plan - http://www.halifax.ca/planning/docum...49SitePlan.pdf
new Renderings - http://www.halifax.ca/planning/docum...rspectives.pdf

If the Dartmouth Cove plan and Seagate Residences all get built along with King's Wharf then Dartmouth will have quite a skyline. It makes me wonder why these projects aren't happening on the Halifax side.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

It makes me wonder why these projects aren't happening on the Halifax side.

There's not a whole lot of underdeveloped land like this on the Halifax side, and most of it's either publicly owned and/or under viewplanes and other development restrictions. Other sites for the most part already have active proposals.

I'd say the North End around Young Street is more like downtown Dartmouth and we have seen some larger scale developments (Gladstone Ridge) and proposals there.

[JET]

my concern with this has been how tight it is to Greenvale. The buildings are right up to the property lines. The Wallace seems much too wide for that very narrow space. There are historic beech trees that would be affected. Be interesting to see what staff say about this. Also interesting that the google view shows the renovated Greenvale, but the street view shows it pre-renovation.

[Northend Guy]

Originally Posted by JET

my concern with this has been how tight it is to Greenvale. The buildings are right up to the property lines. The Wallace seems much too wide for that very narrow space. There are historic beech trees that would be affected. Be interesting to see what staff say about this. Also interesting that the google view shows the renovated Greenvale, but the street view shows it pre-renovation.

I am with you on that. I have to say, I am a big fan of what was done with Greenvale. This development sure does encroach on it, and really overpowers it. I am all for development, and certainly I like the scale of it from a density point of view, but I am concerned that it the way it looks on the renderings, it's almost like a big goon breathing down the neck of some poor school kid. It sort of detaches Greenvale from the block. If there was a bit more setback from Greenvale, and the proposed Buildings were either not attached, or at least the scale of the 'connector' were a bit shorter, I would feel a lot better about this.

[halifaxboyns]

I don't know if I agree with Jet on this proposal over powering the school - I don't get that impression, but that's just me. The reduction in height is not a big deal but it does speak volumes to the fact that this area is seeing remarkable interest by developers. That just goes to show the remarkable interest in this area, which has occured in just a short period of time.

But I do have to agree with Someone123, most of the 'easy' plots of land on the peninsula are quickly disappearing and being developed. We're now going to start getting into the more difficult (if you can call it that) type proposals where someone might take 5 years to assemble all the land to undertake an application. That's likely occuring right now along Agricola or Quinpool in anticipation of the Regional Centre Plan.

[JET]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

I don't know if I agree with Jet on this proposal over powering the school - I don't get that impression, but that's just me. The reduction in height is not a big deal but it does speak volumes to the fact that this area is seeing remarkable interest by developers. That just goes to show the remarkable interest in this area, which has occured in just a short period of time.

But I do have to agree with Someone123, most of the 'easy' plots of land on the peninsula are quickly disappearing and being developed. We're now going to start getting into the more difficult (if you can call it that) type proposals where someone might take 5 years to assemble all the land to undertake an application. That's likely occuring right now along Agricola or Quinpool in anticipation of the Regional Centre Plan.

my point of view is based on living 1/2 block from there for 20 years. I don't mind if there is a 22 story narrow building; but I have often stood on Ochterloney st and looked at the site, and I worry about what might be proposed for there. My hope is that since development staff had in the 2010 report pointed out the historical significance of Greenvale, they will be kind in their recommendations about the footprint of nearby buildings. .

[pchipman]

Any idea if the daylighting of the canal is still going to happen? Saw some plans in the preliminary renderings, but the new ones seem to lack it. Would be a shame to lose that part of the proposal.

[JET]

Originally Posted by pchipman

Any idea if the daylighting of the canal is still going to happen? Saw some plans in the preliminary renderings, but the new ones seem to lack it. Would be a shame to lose that part of the proposal.

I'm hoping that there will be more detail on that at the public meeting. Some 3d models would also be helpful.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

That just goes to show the remarkable interest in this area, which has occured in just a short period of time.

It is kind of insane. On that same block there's a 4 storey "Clayton Park Special" apartment building or condo built only a few years ago. It was a real disappointment for such an interesting site, but now it's being followed up by a development that's probably got four or five times as many units. The North End has similarly changed dramatically -- nothing happened there for years and now it's hot. I think it's great.

Does the developer of this site own the canal itself, or would the daylighting be a public component? It seems totally reasonable to include daylighting as part of a project of this scale.

The canal is one of Dartmouth's most interesting and historic features and right now it's mostly wasted. The park along Prince Albert Road is a dud too. It should be so much more than a field with a path on it.