Development Rumours

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

This might be a great example of what HbD conceived as a heritage addition - retaining the existing building and then using the remainder of the site to build on to. This is an example of such an addition - here in Calgary at the former King Edward school (a historic old sandstone school). It's a lovely building and I believe DJ had friends who lived right next to it.

Something very similar to that is planned for Trinity College in Toronto, too.

[counterfactual]

Originally Posted by someone123

I often wonder how much of the lack of tenants is due to a lack of a local market versus mismanagement (including underinvestment and poorly configured spaces) or other problems. It's strange that even Park Lane doesn't really have an anchor tenant and that the HMV space has been empty for so long.

One thing I've noticed is a huge difference in the level of success of different properties based on the landlords. One good example is Carsand-Mosher on Barrington, which was renovated and occupied by a nice mix of new tenants relatively quickly. Meanwhile, there are a couple of small buildings along Spring Garden Road that languish despite very high rents nearby. My guess is that there are just good and bad landlords, and that the bad ones don't invest in their properties or try to find tenants. This exists even in large, very expensive cities.

Today, I noticed some big banners in the window of the HMV shop, indicating that the space is for lease.

What a joke. Do they seriously think that they're going to find a top shelf tenant by advertising in the shop window? You know, H&M's CEO will be stopping by Pete's for a sandwich, and will notice the signs and be "Holy crap, the HMV space is up for grabs?!

Who owns that building? Is it Crombie Reit? Man, Sobeys should stick to groceries. I hope they sell of all these assets to people who have a bit of energy and vision to manage these spaces better.

[mcmcclassic]

Does anyone know what is going on with the land near the fairview container terminal? There is a large amount of land being cleared for something.

[ILoveHalifax]

Originally Posted by mcmcclassic

Does anyone know what is going on with the land near the fairview container terminal? There is a large amount of land being cleared for something.

Maybe we are restoring Africville?

[q12]

The terminal has been expanding I'm not sure if that's what your talking about.

Fairview Cove terminal set to expand

CBC News Posted: Apr 26, 2011 4:13 PM AT Last Updated: Apr 26, 2011 5:53 PM AT

The Port of Halifax is laying the groundwork for an expansion of the Fairview Cove Container Terminal.

The Halifax Port Authority and Fisheries and Oceans Canada filed notice of the development proposal with Environment Canada last week.

The project would add about 48,000 m2 of infill "in order to allow potential terminal expansion," according to the Canadian Environmental Assessment registry filing.

The Port sees the step as a regulatory placeholder that starts the development process.

"This is us getting our ducks in a row, so we are ready when business volumes return," said Hailfax Port Authority spokeswoman Michele Peveril.

"We are going to initiate an environmental assessment as part of our plans for the long term. This is the earliest stage in that process. We are looking out at what is required five, 10 years plus. We don't have any plans to expand that terminal right away."

Future expansion will be to the northeast of the existing operation towards the Africville site and the old City of Halifax dump.

The environmental assessment filing says according to current projections, approximately 350,000 m3 of fill material will be deposited below sea level with an infill area occupying approximately 48,000 m2.

The Port said the infill would be the sub-base for a future third container berth at Fairview Cove, but the volume of fill needed is underdetermined at this point.

Fairview Cove is one of two container terminals in the Port of Halifax. The other — Halterm — is undergoing a $35-million government-funded expansion that includes dredging and a pier extension.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...expansion.html

[mcmcclassic]

Originally Posted by q12

The terminal has been expanding I'm not sure if that's what your talking about.


http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...expansion.html

Yeah that would be it I assume. It's too bad they're expanding the terminal there because it seems like it would be a decent place for high rises.

[Dmajackson]

According to the Halifax grapevine the project at Coburg & Seymore and a new proposal for 6399 North (@ Oxford) will be coming soon for public consultation.

[someone123]

ANS published a rendering for the "Midnight Magic" proposal on Sackville Street tonight. It's quite nice -- the facade of the old building is preserved and there's an 11-storey residential tower set back slightly behind it. The developer wants to begin construction within 2 years.

If even half of the proposed buildings along Sackville Street are built it will look completely different. If they're all built then that would bring in a large number of new residents.

[teddifax]

Originally Posted by someone123

ANS published a rendering for the "Midnight Magic" proposal on Sackville Street tonight. It's quite nice -- the facade of the old building is preserved and there's an 11-storey residential tower set back slightly behind it. The developer wants to begin construction within 2 years.

If even half of the proposed buildings along Sackville Street are built it will look completely different. If they're all built then that would bring in a large number of new residents.

Were there any pictures or drawings with this?

[Dmajackson]

Not trying to correct you Someone123 but it should be noted the store is called "Night Magic Fashions" and is at 5268 Sackville (at Market Street directly across from the Nova Centre site).

I didn't see the renderings but the basic planning principles sound like its a good idea.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by someone123

ANS published a rendering for the "Midnight Magic" proposal on Sackville Street tonight. It's quite nice -- the facade of the old building is preserved and there's an 11-storey residential tower set back slightly behind it. The developer wants to begin construction within 2 years.

If even half of the proposed buildings along Sackville Street are built it will look completely different. If they're all built then that would bring in a large number of new residents.

I think the proposal shown in allnovascotia.com looks good. It appears to be a couple storeys higher than the 28 meter post-bonus height limit set by HRM_by_Design.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Not trying to correct you Someone123 but it should be noted the store is called "Night Magic Fashions"

I'm guessing they will pick a different name for the development.

[fenwick16]

deleted

[Drybrain]

Okay, excuse my ignorance, but could someone explain the height issue to me as it pertains here? (Use small words, as if explaining to a child, 'cause I obviously haven't been following development issues in town long enough to understand this.)

The tower portion, if set back slightly as shown, will just skirt the viewplane over this block. All good, then. But, it does exceed the post-bonus maximum--which seems to indicate that the project as planned is doomed before it even begins, so why didn't the developer just propose eight or nine storeys instead? The last thing we need is another pissing match over the merits of height limits.

But then, Nova Centre, one block over, will also exceed the maximum, and by a lot more. My understanding was that council actually cannot approve a development that exceeds the designated maximums. So how come Nova Centre will be so much taller, and what does that mean here?

Somewhat confused.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Okay, excuse my ignorance, but could someone explain the height issue to me as it pertains here? (Use small words, as if explaining to a child, 'cause I obviously haven't been following development issues in town long enough to understand this.)

The tower portion, if set back slightly as shown, will just skirt the viewplane over this block. All good, then. But, it does exceed the post-bonus maximum--which seems to indicate that the project as planned is doomed before it even begins, so why didn't the developer just propose eight or nine storeys instead? The last thing we need is another pissing match over the merits of height limits.

But then, Nova Centre, one block over, will also exceed the maximum, and by a lot more. My understanding was that council actually cannot approve a development that exceeds the designated maximums. So how come Nova Centre will be so much taller, and what does that mean here?

Somewhat confused.

The Nova Centre can only exceed the 28 meters post-bonus limit if it contains a publicly sponsored convention centre. Since this is a clause that is written into the Halifax Downtown Land Use Bylaw it does not exceed the maximum height limits. It is clause 15A - http://www.halifax.ca/planning/docum...alifax_LUB.pdf

So the Council voted to approve the Halifax Downtown Land Use By-Law (HRM_by_Design) and then later on voted to partially fund the publicly sponsored convention centre (if it hadn't been funded then Joe Ramia had a shorter plan B with no convention centre that would have had to abide by the 28 meter limit).

[RyeJay]

It's a fight, just to be allowed to build to the Citadel ramparts, while dodging viewplanes.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

The Nova Centre can only exceed the 28 meters post-bonus limit if it contains a publicly sponsored convention centre. Since this is a clause that is written into the Halifax Downtown Land Use Bylaw it does not exceed the maximum height limits. It is clause 15A - http://www.halifax.ca/planning/docum...alifax_LUB.pdf

So the Council voted to approve the Halifax Downtown Land Use By-Law (HRM_by_Design) and then later on voted to partially fund the publicly sponsored convention centre (if it hadn't been funded then Joe Ramia had a shorter plan B with no convention centre that would have had to abide by the 28 meter limit).

I see. So this proposal seems like a no-go at the current height, unless council makes an exception, and then opens themselves up to everyone else seeking an exception forever and ever after. Or am I missing something?

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

I see. So this proposal seems like a no-go at the current height, unless council makes an exception, and then opens themselves up to everyone else seeking an exception forever and ever after. Or am I missing something?

It seems so. I don't think you are missing anything. If they want an exception then it will be a very long and likely futile process.

Since we are on a new page, this is the rendering for 5268 Sackville Street that we are referring to:



I think it looks good though.

[Drybrain]

Yeah, it looks great. Nice massing, good new street-facing construction where that shed-like building is now, and retention of the existing facade (even though I don't generally like facadism, this is a pretty decent example of it, with the tower set back to prevent that stapled-on effect).

Regardless of the merits/demerits of the current height limits, them's the brakes--I do wish everyone could just agree to play by the rules and get stuff built, because this is too important a location to get held up for years over a couple of storeys. And this is a really nice proposal, otherwise.

[Dmajackson]

What exactly is the post-bonus height allowed on this site? (PS I tried looking it up by the documents are no longer on the HbD webiste)