The Action Group for Better Architecture in Nova Scotia

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by Ziobrop

3 year is from date of application iirc. anyway, when the HCD passes, there is no 3 year demolition under the heritage act, so council can say no, and it stays no, unless there is a provision in the HCD policies to allow the Demo, or substantial alteration.

Provincial gov passed (or maybe is in the process of passing?) amendments to the Heritage Act that apply the same 3-year date to properties even if they are in an HCD.

[Ziobrop]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

Provincial gov passed (or maybe is in the process of passing?) amendments to the Heritage Act that apply the same 3-year date to properties even if they are in an HCD.

AGH! ill look into that.
thats worse!

Edit:
Here are the amendments received royal ascent in Dec http://nslegislature.ca/legc/bills/6..._read/b118.htm
it look like the Act online hasent yet been amended. http://nslegislature.ca/legc/statutes/heritage.htm

though what you said appears to be in an earlier version, I dont see in in the amendments as passed.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

This sort of treatment of heritage has become incredibly common in most cities, yet so hard for local developers to wrap their brains around.

Though there is the proposal to add a rear addition to the Benjamin Wier House, which has the right idea.

There have been some great heritage projects in Halifax, going back decades. I don't think the concept is foreign to the city, but local developers are a diverse group when it comes to their level of experience, background, and budgets.

Most of the good projects found locally and in other cities are larger public-sector or commercial projects, and most of the good projects come from developers with a track record of doing urban projects. Some of the bad ones are suburban developers that have been lured into urban projects and are used to building to much lower standards of design. Then again, some developers have turned around, hired good architects, and suddenly proposed dramatically improved designs. It is highly variable and it's up to the city to demand a good level of quality across the board. Some of the marginal projects probably just shouldn't be happening in the urban core, particularly when they are in heritage districts.

According to the publication that shall not be named, another small developer has purchased the Bearly's building. Yet another property that should be preserved but where there is room for sympathetic adaptive reuse. The potential is there for a great project, but the developer has to do more than throw up a concrete box with part of the old building plastered onto it.