Halifax Central Library | 27 m | 6 fl | Completed

[Barrington south]

Originally Posted by planarchy

includes 7000 square feet of ground floor retail space.

+ A number of office levels, to be determined.

NICE!!! was this always on the ajenda?....
I was under the impression the there was

NO retail...No office....

this just made my day....well that and the cute blond that gave me a cheeky\sexy smile this morning..

[Jonovision]

That is great news! I was unaware of those additions as well. Hopefully we'll get a good one!

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Barrington south

NICE!!! was this always on the ajenda?....
I was under the impression the there was

NO retail...No office....

this just made my day....well that and the cute blond that gave me a cheeky\sexy smile this morning..

The offices are likely for the library itself, so don't get too excited there. Queen Judith likely wants the corner overlooking SGR and Queen.

As for the retail they have always had this odd desire for a cafe/gift/bookshop in the place. Unfortunately it is unlikely to take advantage of this location to the max.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

I don't know if they can. It has been explained to me that the current building is a war memorial. As such, it is protected.... and I doubt making it a Chapters would be acceptable. though, I'm not sure how the addition was deemed acceptable. Perhaps only the facade counts?

That designation is bestowed only by the city and can be easily rescinded. I don't see why it would even need to be changed if the building were largely reused with only the interior redeveloped.

[hfx_chris]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

The offices are likely for the library itself, so don't get too excited there. Queen Judith likely wants the corner overlooking SGR and Queen.

"Queen Judith's" office is at Alderney Gate. As far as I'm aware, there are no plans to move the administrative offices for the library system out of Alderney, and the amount of office space required for the SGR branch itself would not require "a number of office levels".

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

"Queen Judith's" office is at Alderney Gate. As far as I'm aware, there are no plans to move the administrative offices for the library system out of Alderney, and the amount of office space required for the SGR branch itself would not require "a number of office levels".

Don't discount the huge increase in staff that this new edifice will require, hence more admin and management people in Judith's empire. Could well require a number of office levels to handle them all.

[alps]

There will be administrative offices:

The Regional Services offices include the Library’s senior management who are responsible for the overall management of the Halifax Public Libraries system. A Board Room for use by the Library Board and other community groups will be adjacent to this area. The area for each of the offices is based upon the standards used by HRM.

http://halifaxcentrallibrary.ca/building-model.html

[hfx_chris]

Interesting. I wonder what will become of all of the existing administrative space at Alderney Gate.

[Doggard]

I nearly had a job working in the offices at Alderney Gate. It was a dark place. Even though there were lots of windows, the sun never seemed to make it past the shadows the building cast on itself.

[hfx_chris]

Originally Posted by Doggard

I nearly had a job working in the offices at Alderney Gate. It was a dark place. Even though there were lots of windows, the sun never seemed to make it past the shadows the building cast on itself.

I did have a job there, the administrative floor is all cut-up, not very open, so you don't get a lot of natural light into the interior areas.

[spaustin]

Well weather like this week probably illustrates best that we need a new library. The Spring Garden Branch has closed every afternoon all week. Very annoying when you have holds to pick up, but have a job!

[Keith P.]

I can't find confirmation online, but allnovascotia.com is reporting that the feds coughed up $54 million for the new library project, contingent upon matching funding from the province and HRM. When did this become a $108 million project? Did Judith Hare get her gold-plated bathrooms approved?

[someone123]

To be honest I think $108M is just the normal cost of a major, high-quality building in a mid-sized city. I am also of the opinion that this is a good place to consolidate a few extra services that right now barely even exist downtown. It's a good spot for an indoor public auditorium, some meeting rooms for community events, a large indoor lobby where people can hang out when it's cold outside, etc., in addition to all of the normal library things. This is not a needless extravagance for a city that hasn't really built any notable public buildings in decades.

I bet that the expense that went into many old public buildings downtown was proportionately much higher than $108M is today.

[hfx_chris]

Keith just believes a library should be a simple no frills structure with a few books and that's it. Maybe space for a table and chair.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

Keith just believes a library should be a simple no frills structure with a few books and that's it. Maybe space for a table and chair.

No, it's that I have no faith that what Judith Hare is proposing is anything more than a monument to her ego.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I can't find confirmation online, but allnovascotia.com is reporting that the feds coughed up $54 million for the new library project, contingent upon matching funding from the province and HRM. When did this become a $108 million project? Did Judith Hare get her gold-plated bathrooms approved?

I hope that they will take it. At this price they can really build an impressive building. Projects like this that will help Halifax to attract more people to the city.

[Barrington south]

Originally Posted by someone123

To be honest I think $108M is just the normal cost of a major, high-quality building in a mid-sized city. I am also of the opinion that this is a good place to consolidate a few extra services that right now barely even exist downtown. It's a good spot for an indoor public auditorium, some meeting rooms for community events, a large indoor lobby where people can hang out when it's cold outside, etc., in addition to all of the normal library things. This is not a needless extravagance for a city that hasn't really built any notable public buildings in decades.

I bet that the expense that went into many old public buildings downtown was proportionately much higher than $108M is today.

always a wise voice

[Barrington south]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

When did this become a $108 million project?

I'm sure sure if we widened some roads with the money, that would be a much bigger improvement to the people on the peninsula, right?

I believe a project like this is "go big or go home" and with the feds/prov potentially providing 2/3 of funding, I think your letting your hate on for Judith cloud you vision.....just sayin

to just build a bare bones library on this massive lot would the pinnacle of counter logic


this is awsome news......man, so much is happing in hali right now, even with out UG or IP

[fenwick16]

The following was in The Chronicle Herald.

$18m expected for library
A new chapter for Halifax readers?
By PATRICIA BROOKS ARENBURG Staff Reporter
Sat. Oct 17 - 4:46 AM

[Sources say a federal government event is planned at Halifax’s main library on Spring Garden Road and an announcement is coming, likely Monday. (Peter Parsons / Staff)</p>]

Sources say a federal government event is planned at Halifax’s main library on Spring Garden Road and an announcement is coming, likely Monday. (Peter Parsons / Staff)

It may be the beginning of a new chapter for the Halifax library.

A source told The Chronicle Herald on Friday night that there is a federal government event planned at the Spring Garden Road branch and an announcement is coming.

Allnovascotia.com also reported Friday that the office of MP John Baird, minister of transport and infrastructure, is behind an announcement expected in Halifax on Monday to announce an $18-million injection from the Building Canada Fund as a one-third contribution to the cost of the library project, which will be equally shared by the federal, provincial and municipal governments.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Barrington south

to just build a bare bones library on this massive lot would the pinnacle of counter logic

To plunk down a massive library on the best retail corner in Eastern Canada is the pinnacle of such clouded thinking, IMO. I know of at least one retailer that made a significant pitch for this corner. We are talking serious dollars. They could not even budge the city's thinking.

Oh, but wait... the library does have retail. A cafe.

My, how innovative!!!