[Halifax] Imagine Bloomfield | ? | ? | Vision

[JET]

A picture of the now demolished Bloomfield school and an old tram map
https://northandagricola.com/2010/03/

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Nor'easter

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...ntre-1.3619834

I'm curious as to what that would mean for the older buildings built in 1919 and 1929.

https://www.halifax.ca/property/BCMP...value_2006.pdf

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I'm curious as to what that would mean for the older buildings built in 1919 and 1929.

https://www.halifax.ca/property/BCMP...value_2006.pdf

[OldDartmouthMark]

Har-de-har. You're breaking me up, Keith. Keep the hilarity coming.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Har-de-har. You're breaking me up, Keith. Keep the hilarity coming.

Actually I only posted that because I was astounded at the suggestion that it be used again as a school site. It is a remarkable change of direction after years and years of work and lobbying to turn it into whatever Imagine Bloomfield... imagined. You know that if it does become a school again there will be no place for those old buildings given the direction current school construction takes. A concrete box, perhaps with a few red bricks and aluminum trim, with gun-slot windows, and some sonotube columns for decoration.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Actually I only posted that because I was astounded at the suggestion that it be used again as a school site. It is a remarkable change of direction after years and years of work and lobbying to turn it into whatever Imagine Bloomfield... imagined. You know that if it does become a school again there will be no place for those old buildings given the direction current school construction takes. A concrete box, perhaps with a few red bricks and aluminum trim, with gun-slot windows, and some sonotube columns for decoration.

Thanks for the explanation.

Yes, I was taken aback as well. It looked like finally something new and interesting was going to be built there, and now seemingly out of left field comes a school proposal.

I'll admit I'm of two minds concerning this site. On the one hand is the possibility of something really interesting and useful (housing) to the community, possibly using the historic schools as part of the development. Personally, I find this option to be the most attractive.

On the other hand, it had been a school site for many decades before the decision was made that it wasn't needed, so maybe a school is the best use for the property? But as you say, this will likely mean as far as the structure goes, that we will be left with a generic utilitarian structure for decades to come. Also, I thought I read or heard somewhere that it wasn't considered the most desirable site for a new school, but it just happens to be available.

[Drybrain]

Well, the proposal is to tear down Bloomfield Centre to build the new school. Bloomfield Centre is the by far the biggest, newest, least architecturally valuable building on the site, and was always intended to come down.

So this doesn't mean the older buildings will be demolished, though it does upend the whole Boomfield plan, which in principle anyway called for the retention of the older buildings. So this throws the future of the whole site into question, though I guess it's been that way for years, really.

This part of the North End is so lacking in substantial architecture or anything with historic value over two storeys, that I think it'd be crazy to tear down the old schools. It could certainly happen, of course.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Well, the proposal is to tear down Bloomfield Centre to build the new school. Bloomfield Centre is the by far the biggest, newest, least architecturally valuable building on the site, and was always intended to come down.

So this doesn't mean the older buildings will be demolished, though it does upend the whole Boomfield plan, which in principle anyway called for the retention of the older buildings. So this throws the future of the whole site into question, though I guess it's been that way for years, really.

This part of the North End is so lacking in substantial architecture or anything with historic value over two storeys, that I think it'd be crazy to tear down the old schools. It could certainly happen, of course.

Bloomfield Centre is the part of the complex that was built as a junior high school in 1971. I expect that it would be torn down regardless of future-use, as it would make available the largest section of land that could be developed on the site. Plus, it is the least-interesting piece of architecture (frankly, quite unattractive in its current form) on the site, so no loss there, really.

If it becomes a school site again, I would think the old schools would no longer be considered viable and thus the most budget-conscious action would be to tear them down. Utility would likely trump architecture/historical significance in this case.

Hopefully some imaginative thinking would go into play, but our provincial and municipal governments haven't shown a lot of that lately, nor have the expressed the desire to go against the status quo...

[Keith P.]

I find it odd that the suggestion is to build a new school on Bloomfield and close the Oxford St schools.The kids that currently go to Oxford St from streets like Allen and Oak don't strike me as particularly close to the north end. Will they end up getting bused?

[Jonovision]

There is no reason a new school could not be incorporated into an overall development plan. Would be nice to have an actual urban format school, with residential space above, like most other cities do.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

There is no reason a new school could not be incorporated into an overall development plan. Would be nice to have an actual urban format school, with residential space above, like most other cities do.

I'll admit this idea is a new one to me. Can you share any good examples? I'd love to see them.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I'll admit this idea is a new one to me. Can you share any good examples? I'd love to see them.

I googled the phrase and found this. But this is only a proposal, and I can't off the top of my head recall ever seeing anything like this anywhere else I've lived in Canada, from coast to coast, except for the downtown alternative school in Toronto, which is very unique in that city. I'm pretty sure it's not a thing "most other cities" have, especially in Canada.

[stevencourchene]

I love the idea and sounds of an urban format school.

I think it would be the best use of land and we just build up and use this open air space we have that Halifax doesn't utilize.

take citadel high for example. what a long narrow waste of land that we could of build it half the size with double the floors and had just a good of school and to add living on to that would be great!!!

[Keith P.]

Who would want to live above a school, especially an elementary school? The kid noise would be pretty awful.

[Jonovision]

This is the prime example that comes to mind.

Right in lower manhattan under an iconic Frank Ghery skyscraper.





Or even just finding ways to mesh the two uses together.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Interesting case, Jonovision, but while I can see it working in an ultra-urban setting such as Manhattan, I'm not sure it would be as successful in north end Halifax.

And, maybe I'm getting old, but living above a building full of screeching elementary school students or high-school hangouts seems a little unappealing to me, given that there are many other options available in the city.

[JET]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Bloomfield Centre is the part of the complex that was built as a junior high school in 1971. I expect that it would be torn down regardless of future-use, as it would make available the largest section of land that could be developed on the site. Plus, it is the least-interesting piece of architecture (frankly, quite unattractive in its current form) on the site, so no loss there, really.

If it becomes a school site again, I would think the old schools would no longer be considered viable and thus the most budget-conscious action would be to tear them down. Utility would likely trump architecture/historical significance in this case.

Hopefully some imaginative thinking would go into play, but our provincial and municipal governments haven't shown a lot of that lately, nor have the expressed the desire to go against the status quo...

Given how the Halifax Grammar School utilized the old Tower Road School, there is an argument for renovating old solid schools for school use, and the Greenvale is a good example of renovating for residential use.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by JET

Given how the Halifax Grammar School utilized the old Tower Road School, there is an argument for renovating old solid schools for school use, and the Greenvale is a good example of renovating for residential use.

I agree, but was trying to look at it from the perspective of the budget-conscious school board, keeping in mind recent projects like Citadel High School. While my personal preference would be a residential development that incorporates both old schools, my thinking is that in building a school they would probably want to start fresh, rather than try to upgrade the old schools to current building codes.

It would be a loss of two very interesting old buildings.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

While my personal preference would be a residential development that incorporates both old schools...

Hugely agree.

The Bloomfield Common School looks like it's still in decent shape (though the south-facing entrance has basically collapsed).

The other is, I'm sure, salvageable, but it's really in rotten exterior shape.

[someone123]

Project page: http://www.uplandstudio.ca/bloomfiel...redevelopment/