New Discovery Centre on Lower Water Street

fenwick16 · #1 Posted **May 4, 2013, 1:38 PM**

I thought that I should start a thread for the future Discovery Centre that will be associated with the recently completed NS Power headquarters renovation.

(source: http://www.nspower.ca/en/home/commun...southwest.aspx ).

Here are links to some related stories - http://www.discoverycentre.ns.ca/sup...centre-project and http://www.nspower.ca/en/home/commun...e/default.aspx

There was a story in the allnovascotia on May 1st, 2013 - "Discovery Centre Gets $1 Million Dollar Donation" written by Judy Myrden. I hand-typed a short excerpt below.

Quote:

.
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The Discovery Centre selected a consortium in the fall to design the new facility.

It included Barrie & Langille Architects Ltd., the Halifax firm that designed the Nova Scotia Community College's waterfront campus, Moriyama & Teshima Architects, the Toronto firm that designed the Ontario Science Centre in the 1960's and Vancouver exhibit designer AldrichPears Associates.

The Discovery Centre is looking to raise $20 million to build the new facility on the waterfront and already has raised half that amount.

What got my attention is that half of $20 million has already been raised. Not only will this be an improved attraction for the city, hopefully the concrete, unfinished section of the NS Power headquarters will be clad in an acceptable exterior finish.

fenwick16 · #2 Posted **Oct 7, 2013, 1:36 AM**

Thanks for the information someone123. I wanted to re-post it in this section since there will probably be construction taking place in the next year or so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

Not sure if this has been posted before. Discovery Centre rendering:

Source

Existing NSP offices: http://goo.gl/maps/tlhh7

someone123 · #3 Posted **Oct 7, 2013, 1:44 AM**

I like the collection of attractions that is being developed along the waterfront. It makes a lot of sense from a tourism perspective; if you visit the city (in a cruise ship or otherwise), you can visit the area for multiple days and walk to the seaport stuff, Maritime museum, or soon the Discovery Centre.

Once the Cunard development goes in there will be a nicer contiguous block of new development running from the seaport to Bishop's Landing.

There have also been rumours of a new AGNS building to be constructed on the waterfront and a new building to house the HMCS Sackville.

Nilan8888 · #4 Posted **Oct 7, 2013, 2:32 PM**

Quote:

What got my attention is that half of $20 million has already been raised. Not only will this be an improved attraction for the city, hopefully the concrete, unfinished section of the NS Power headquarters will be clad in an acceptable exterior finish.

Here's the interesting thing about that one block of concrete -- it is essentially the LAST element of the industrial footprint that used to have a grip on the south downtown -- unless you want to count the grain elevator and the container pier itself (the latter of which ain't going anywhere).

If you look at old pictures of the city, the south downtown used to be immersed in concrete and rusting steel from factories and light industry, large land-based oil tanks, and from the structure in question itself. At one point that was just part and parcel of being a port city, but somewhere in the 70s it started to have an adverse effect, and was probably a large contributing factor in the south downtown being a problem area from then all the way up into the mid-90s.

It's taken a long time, but the area has finally come around. There's still improvements to be made, but all that unused industry is gone, as are, I think, most of if not all the seedier elements. I don't know if Hollis is free of the hooker stigma but it's been a LONG time since I heard the things said about it when I was in High School, and I'm thinking that activity moved uptown into the north end.

bluenoser · #5 Posted **Oct 7, 2013, 4:11 PM**

Looks cool. My initial thoughts are: the little gray building in front is unfortunate but maybe in the future it could be removed and provide expansion space, or an outdoor component, if that ever became necessary.

The other thing is the huge power line masts on the roof. If they're going to be there anyway, I think they could be addressed in an interesting way instead of hoping that they're ignored. At least some lighting, maybe add a little steampunk-ish rotating sign or machinery, I don't know... As if the Discovery Centre is generating electricity and sending it out to the city. It wouldn't have to look tacky, though this place is geared toward young people, after all.

Nifta · #6 Posted **Oct 7, 2013, 6:19 PM**

Anybody know if there'll be access / an entrance from the harbor boardwalk side? I can imagine lots of passing tourists missing this if the only entrance is from lower water street. It doesn't get a lot of footfall at that part of the street.

teddifax · #7 Posted **Oct 7, 2013, 9:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nifta

Anybody know if there'll be access / an entrance from the harbor boardwalk side? I can imagine lots of passing tourists missing this if the only entrance is from lower water street. It doesn't get a lot of footfall at that part of the street.

I am sure there will be lots of signage to show directions and explanations for this! Tourists will be a key market for them.

fenwick16 · #8 Posted **Nov 29, 2013, 4:06 AM**

According to a story in the allnovascotia.com (Ian Wison is doing Fundraising by Example, by Amy Pugsley Fraser, Thurs. Nov 28, 2013), the Discovery Centre has raised $15 million dollars of $20 million required. The latest contribution is for $500,000 by Wilson Fuel Company.

The story states that the plan is to start construction in the spring with a planned completion date of spring 2015.

Maybe as plans firm up for the new Discovery Centre we will start seeing more concrete plans for the 1595 Barrington Street location where a high rise has already been approved.

xanaxanax · #9 Posted **Nov 29, 2013, 5:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenwick16

According to a story in the allnovascotia.com (Ian Wison is doing Fundraising by Example, by Amy Pugsley Fraser, Thurs. Nov 28, 2013), the Discovery Centre has raised $15 million dollars of $20 million required. The latest contribution is for $500,000 by Wilson Fuel Company.

The story states that the plan is to start construction in the spring with a planned completion date of spring 2015.

Maybe as plans firm up for the new Discovery Centre we will start seeing more concrete plans for the 1595 Barrington Street location where a high rise has already been approved.

Has it really been pushed back to 2015. I thought it was set to open summer or Fall of 2014, What construction is l left to be done for completion

fenwick16 · #10 Posted **Nov 29, 2013, 11:07 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by xanaxanax

Has it really been pushed back to 2015. I thought it was set to open summer or Fall of 2014, What construction is l left to be done for completion

I don't think any work has been done at this point. Based on the stories that I have read they plan to raise the necessary funds prior to starting work on it. It is great to hear that they have $15 million raised from private sources as opposed to most of it coming from government sources (I wish that something similar could be done to build a stadium).

The Discovery Centre website shows some very conceptual sketches of what they envision the new centre to be - http://www.rediscoverscience.ca/our-new-hive/. The description states that there will be four floors of exhibits. I believe all four floors will have to be built within the unfinished shell of the old Electropolis studios (I don't think it currently has more than one level). I took the following rendering from the video on the website.

There are also nine conceptual images including the one below.

xanaxanax · #11 Posted **Nov 29, 2013, 7:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenwick16

I don't think any work has been done at this point. Based on the stories that I have read they plan to raise the necessary funds prior to starting work on it. It is great to hear that they have $15 million raised from private sources as opposed to most of it coming from government sources (I wish that something similar could be done to build a stadium).

The Discovery Centre website shows some very conceptual sketches of what they envision the new centre to be - http://www.rediscoverscience.ca/our-new-hive/. The description states that there will be four floors of exhibits. I believe all four floors will have to be built within the unfinished shell of the old Electropolis studios (I don't think it currently has more than one level). I took the following rendering from the video on the website.

but but all of the construction as far as I know is done and the only thing left is the signage and fill it with exhibits thats only a few months work at most

Aya_Akai · #12 Posted **Nov 30, 2013, 4:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenwick16

You had me at "highwire interactive bike"

bluenoser · #13 Posted **Jan 20, 2014, 9:08 PM**

Discovery Centre scores $9M in government money
Ottawa kicks in $3 million; province adds $6M
CBC News Posted: Jan 20, 2014 1:34 PM AT Last Updated: Jan 20, 2014 1:38 PM AT

Close to half of the Discovery Centre's construction costs will be covered by government funding when it moves into its new home on the Halifax waterfront
...
It's expected to be finished towards the end of 2015.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...oney-1.2503469

counterfactual · #14 Posted **Jan 21, 2014, 1:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluenoser

Discovery Centre scores $9M in government money
Ottawa kicks in $3 million; province adds $6M
CBC News Posted: Jan 20, 2014 1:34 PM AT Last Updated: Jan 20, 2014 1:38 PM AT

Close to half of the Discovery Centre's construction costs will be covered by government funding when it moves into its new home on the Halifax waterfront
...
It's expected to be finished towards the end of 2015.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...oney-1.2503469

Wow. I'm impressed that the new Liberal Government are so on top of this.

Presumably if the NDP government had scored this money, we would have heard about it before the last election...

Perhaps Liberals are keen to solidify gains in HRM against the NDP who, IMHO, really neglected Halifax, especially downtown, beyond kicking in funds for two projects: the library and the Nova Centre.

fenwick16 · #15 Posted **Jan 21, 2014, 2:58 AM**

It is great to see the provincial Liberals and federal Conservatives contributing to the Discovery Centre project.

According to the allnovascotia.com (January 21, 2014 edition, Taxpayers Chip in $9M for Discovery Centre by Amanda Fraser), construction of the new 15 storey tower at 1593 Barrington must start by July 10, 2014 according to the HRM development agreement. The lease for the current Discovery Centre expires on April 30th 2014. Nassim Ghosn (the owner and developer of 1593 Barrington Street) is working with the Discovery Centre to provide space (possibly at a different location) until the new Discovery Centre is completed.

teddifax · #16 Posted **Jan 21, 2014, 4:48 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fenwick16

It is great to see the provincial Liberals and federal Conservatives contributing to the Discovery Centre project.

According to the allnovascotia.com (January 21, 2014 edition, Taxpayers Chip in $9M for Discovery Centre by Amanda Fraser), construction of the new 15 storey tower at 1593 Barrington must start by July 10, 2014 according to the HRM development agreement. The lease for the current Discovery Centre expires on April 30th 2014. Nassim Ghosn (the owner and developer of 1593 Barrington Street) is working with the Discovery Centre to provide space (possibly at a different location) until the new Discovery Centre is completed.

Please let this happen!

JET · #17 Posted **Jan 21, 2014, 3:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by counterfactual

Wow. I'm impressed that the new Liberal Government are so on top of this.

Presumably if the NDP government had scored this money, we would have heard about it before the last election...

Perhaps Liberals are keen to solidify gains in HRM against the NDP who, IMHO, really neglected Halifax, especially downtown, beyond kicking in funds for two projects: the library and the Nova Centre.

The new government definitely seems keen to spend money; good to hear that there is a new source of money to be spent, it's not like it will have to be borrowed or anything.

scooby074 · #18 Posted **Jan 21, 2014, 4:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JET

The new government definitely seems keen to spend money; good to hear that there is a new source of money to be spent, it's not like it will have to be borrowed or anything.

Havent you heard, the Liberals have obviously found the long lost money fountain that has alluded so many.

ILoveHalifax · #19 Posted **Jan 21, 2014, 5:41 PM**

Since the Liberals are not buying up thousands of square miles of woodland from Irving and others and are not giving thousands to Irving for ??? I suppose they can find a little for some sensible projects.

JET · #20 Posted **Jan 21, 2014, 6:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Since the Liberals are not buying up thousands of square miles of woodland from Irving and others and are not giving thousands to Irving for ??? I suppose they can find a little for some sensible projects.

I'm guessing if you 'love Halifax', you can't also love protected woodland?
I sort of like the Discovery centre, but six million dollars, wow
who's next in line for a handout?