Old Halifax

[OldDartmouthMark]

Here's one from the Halifax Municipal Archives showing a fire near Barrington and Duke in 1974. It affords a rare view of what was there before the CIBC and TD buildings dominated the block.



Here is the same view from Google streetside (circa 2019): https://goo.gl/maps/2UL9YZ4RKM9g5dtD9

It's an unfortunate side effect of these developments that this has pretty much become a dead zone for pedestrians - basically a block to walk past in order to go somewhere else.

[someone123]

Interesting find.

The dead zones tend to compound and there are so many deadening buildings around there. I think TD would be okay if it were the only office tower on that block, and it has a lot of entrances and storefronts. But CIBC has lots of ugly/blank walls and then there's Scotia Square, Cogswell, the Press Block site with its parking lot, and on and on.

The Grand Parade wall and City Hall look nicer but they contribute to the "blank wall" feeling around there too. CIBC is probably the worst, with a prominent corner that is hermetically sealed office space. Hopefully it will be redeveloped soon.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by someone123

CIBC is probably the worst, with a prominent corner that is hermetically sealed office space. Hopefully it will be redeveloped soon.

Sigh...the nostalgia. Anyone else here old enough to remember when that corner was occupied by Gus's lunch bar? I think it was actually called Gus's Corner, but my memory could be messing with me - it's ornery that way.

[teddifax]

There used to be a bowling alley in the base of the building at Barrington and Duke. I bowled there as a kid.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by someone123

Interesting find.

The dead zones tend to compound and there are so many deadening buildings around there. I think TD would be okay if it were the only office tower on that block, and it has a lot of entrances and storefronts. But CIBC has lots of ugly/blank walls and then there's Scotia Square, Cogswell, the Press Block site with its parking lot, and on and on.

The Grand Parade wall and City Hall look nicer but they contribute to the "blank wall" feeling around there too. CIBC is probably the worst, with a prominent corner that is hermetically sealed office space. Hopefully it will be redeveloped soon.

CIBC has a retail banking branch on the Duke/Barrington corner. TD has the same on George/Barrington but not much else. Both have small retail on the Granville side in back but not much in either case. DT retail largely exists only to service those who work in the office towers. Look at the multi-decade failure of Barrighton Place Mall across Duke St. as an example.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

CIBC has a retail banking branch on the Duke/Barrington corner. TD has the same on George/Barrington but not much else. Both have small retail on the Granville side in back but not much in either case. DT retail largely exists only to service those who work in the office towers. Look at the multi-decade failure of Barrighton Place Mall across Duke St. as an example.

I think both of those buildings harken back to a time when it was decided that downtown would be the almost exclusive territory of the business community, and the city pretty much greenlighted any business tower without much resistance, IIRC (there wasn't even any effort to do an archaeological dig before excavation, in the most historic area of the city - all the artifacts were loaded on dump trucks and hauled away to the landfill). It was good for the economy of the city to have large regional office buildings located here. A great business move, but not without its costs.

Looking back with 20/20 hindsight, the problem we're left with are a couple of somewhat ugly buildings dominating the block, right next to the historic City Hall, the Grand Parade, and St. Paul's church, which was built in 1750. While it was perfectly reasonable to have business towers in that location, from today's perspective it would have been nice for them to perhaps have left some of the better structures on that block and incorporated them into the buildings' footprints, or at least have left room for something other than blank walls.

Of course it would be unreasonable to have expected city planners of 50 years ago to look into the future and see how much residential is being built downtown, thereby transforming the area somewhat, but that in itself doesn't shut down the discussion on how it could have been made better.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

Sigh...the nostalgia. Anyone else here old enough to remember when that corner was occupied by Gus's lunch bar? I think it was actually called Gus's Corner, but my memory could be messing with me - it's ornery that way.

I don't remember that, but I didn't start to go across the harbour much on my own until the early-mid 1980s, and even then it was mostly to go to school, or to the bars... What is the approximate time frame?

As mentioned, pre-bank-building/hotel pics of the east side Barrington on either side of Duke seem to be few and far-between. It would be nice to have a few good quality pics turn up someday.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

CIBC has a retail banking branch on the Duke/Barrington corner. TD has the same on George/Barrington but not much else. Both have small retail on the Granville side in back but not much in either case. DT retail largely exists only to service those who work in the office towers. Look at the multi-decade failure of Barrighton Place Mall across Duke St. as an example.

The banking branch occupies the space inside the building behind the wall at the corner but from the perspective of a passing pedestrian the corners of the building are dead space. CIBC has very little going on at street level and then on top of that there's the pedway so it does not even generate much foot traffic from the entrances it does have.

[Keith P.]

The biggest problem with the CIBC and TD buildings are that they are built right to the sidewalk and that no space was reserved for a wider ROW for Barrington in that block. A setback for both would have helped that block tremendously, and a wider ROW would have allowed that corner to be navigated more easily.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I don't remember that, but I didn't start to go across the harbour much on my own until the early-mid 1980s, and even then it was mostly to go to school, or to the bars... What is the approximate time frame?

Early 70s when it disappeared.

Sounds as if I started frequenting DT Halifax on my own much younger than you. I musta been one of those delinquents...

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

Early 70s when it disappeared.

Sounds as if I started frequenting DT Halifax on my own much younger than you. I musta been one of those delinquents...

I was just starting elementary school around that time, so my memories of DT Halifax would have been more about going on shopping excursions via ferry (like Zellers, etc) with my mom and aunts around then, or maybe going to Scotia Square on the weekends by car with my family. Most of our shopping was done at the Dartmouth Shopping Centre, or dowtown Dartmouth at the time, though.

So, unfortunately I wasn't able to enjoy most of the old-style taverns and lunch bars, etc., from the era.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

So, unfortunately I wasn't able to enjoy most of the old-style taverns and lunch bars, etc., from the era.

Well, just to be clear - I was nowhere near tavern age at that time either. I mean, I'll admit I'm old, but not that old.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

Well, just to be clear - I was nowhere near tavern age at that time either. I mean, I'll admit I'm old, but not that old.

That wasn't the idea I was meaning to convey, but bonus points to me for achieving it nonetheless!

I was attempting to say that I don't have personal memories of old Halifax's numerous landmarks (that I see whenever I view the archive photos), including the one which you describe, and others that you didn't...

[OldDartmouthMark]

A couple of years ago I had stumbled upon this photo of a few buildings on Buckingham Street, just up from Barrington, taken in 1967. These were torn down to build Scotia Square, and I recall thinking what a shame that a couple of them hadn't been located elsewhere so that they may have survived (though, given the mindset of the time there is a good chance that they wouldn't still be standing anyhow).



Source (Retrieval Code 102-16N-0016.38).

This week I discovered that the Municipal Archives had scanned a couple more photos this past May, showing the IOOF building in colour and in detail:




(I resized these photos and uploaded to imgur as the originals are too large to post directly to this board - go to the source link below if you want to see original size with more detail)

Source.

I was impressed by the detail and craftsmanship displayed in the masonry work, and was reminded again why the "recreated" facade on the Roy building is such a disappointment.

Seeing these pics made me curious about the IOOF (Independent Order of Odd Fellows) and how they were able to build such an elegant building in 1891. Here's the Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indepe...of_Odd_Fellows.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a non-political and non-sectarian international fraternal order of Odd Fellowship. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Evolving from the Order of Odd Fellows founded in England during the 1700s, the IOOF was originally chartered by the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity in England but has operated as an independent organization since 1842, although it maintains an inter-fraternal relationship with the English Order.[5] The order is also known as the Triple Link Fraternity, referring to the order's "Triple Links" symbol, alluding to its motto "Friendship, Love and Truth".

The Triple Links (and F, L, T) are displayed prominently in the signage and the links are visible in carved stone above the date at the entrance.

Also, from the Wikipedia link:

Canada

Oddfellows' Hall in Streetsville, Mississauga, built in 1867. The building was sold in 1972.

Two lodges under the Manchester Unity of Independent Order of Odd Fellows known as Royal Wellington Lodge no.1 and Loyal Bon Accorde Lodge no.2 existed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as early as 1815.[citation needed] The IOOF in Canada has 7 Grand Lodges, namely: Grand Lodge of Alberta, Grand Lodge of Atlantic Provinces, Grand Lodge of British Columbia, Grand Lodge of Manitoba, Grand Lodge of Ontario, Grand Lodge of Quebec and Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan.

I guess it's of another time, but I never really understood these fraternity organizations. It seems like their objectives are noble, but I can't help thinking of the stereotype of a bunch of rich guys sitting around and congratulating themselves for their success...

Regardless, it was an interesting building, and IMHO yet another nice piece of architecture lost to the slum clearance mindset of the 1950s - 1970s.

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

A couple of years ago I had stumbled upon this photo of a few buildings on Buckingham Street, just up from Barrington, taken in 1967. These were torn down to build Scotia Square, and I recall thinking what a shame that a couple of them hadn't been located elsewhere so that they may have survived (though, given the mindset of the time there is a good chance that they wouldn't still be standing anyhow).



Source.

This week I discovered that the Municipal Archives had scanned a couple more photos this past May, showing the IOOF building in colour and in detail:




(I resized these photos and uploaded to imgur as the originals are too large to post directly to this board - go to the source link below if you want to see original size with more detail)

Source.

I was impressed by the detail and craftsmanship displayed in the masonry work, and was reminded again why the "recreated" facade on the Roy building is such a disappointment.

Seeing these pics made me curious about the IOOF (Independent Order of Odd Fellows) and how they were able to build such an elegant building in 1891. Here's the Wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indepe...of_Odd_Fellows.



The Triple Links (and F, L, T) are displayed prominently in the signage and the links are visible in carved stone above the date at the entrance.

Also, from the Wikipedia link:


I guess it's of another time, but I never really understood these fraternity organizations. It seems like their objectives are noble, but I can't help thinking of the stereotype of a bunch of rich guys sitting around and congratulating themselves for their success...

Regardless, it was an interesting building, and IMHO yet another nice piece of architecture lost to the slum clearance mindset of the 1950s - 1970s.

I wonder if the IOOF was meant as a counterbalance to Organizations such as the Masons or Knights of Columbus. Speaking of old rich guys .

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Dartguard

I wonder if the IOOF was meant as a counterbalance to Organizations such as the Masons or Knights of Columbus. Speaking of old rich guys .

Interesting point. I have to say that these organizations, especially the Masons, have always been a mystery to me. I feel that they are of another time and place, where the classes were more defined and networking was more difficult.

That said, it sounds like they did some work on self-improvement for its members, as well as some philanthropic endeavours. Either way, I like the style and craftsmanship shown on their building. We will never see anything like that again, I suspect.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Some time ago I recall posting this pic, from the Halifax Municipal Archives, of an interesting building that was located on the corner of North and Barrington, looks to be late 1950s to early 1960s, by the year models of the included taxis (1958s).



Source (Retrieval Code 102-39-1-244).

Recently I found another pic in colour, apparently from sometime in the 1960s - probably from just before it was torn down, by its appearance.



Source.

I don't know anything about the history of the building... when it was built, when it was torn down, what was its original purpose (presumably a store), etc., but it has a unique appearance, and is also interesting in how it was built to accommodate it's lot shape and grade.

Wondering if any forumers know anything more about it.

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I don't know anything about the history of the building... when it was built, when it was torn down, what was its original purpose (presumably a store), etc., but it has a unique appearance, and is also interesting in how it was built to accommodate it's lot shape and grade.

Wondering if any forumers know anything more about it.

Thanks for sharing that great image, Mark. I’m afraid I can’t shed any light on the building’s history, but I remember it well. It always caught my eye when my dad would drive me across the bridge when I was a kid. I knew nothing about buildings then but it always stood out to me as unique and interesting. Or maybe it was more about the colourful signs that covered it. I can recall the Coke signs and the neon Star Weekly sign. (It was always a great day when the Star Weekly arrived at the door with its thick colour comics section.)

In another time and place perhaps it would be a structure that deserved preservation. Alas, it’s just another ghost from old Halifax.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I don't know anything about the history of the building... when it was built, when it was torn down, what was its original purpose (presumably a store), etc., but it has a unique appearance, and is also interesting in how it was built to accommodate it's lot shape and grade.

Wondering if any forumers know anything more about it.

I wouldn't say I actually "know" anything about it, but I certainly remember seeing it from the backseat of my dad's Olds on trips to Halifax. My memory is strikingly similar to ns_kid's: that Star Weekly sign is the feature that figures most prominently in my memory (and I too fondly recall those color funnies - and does anyone else remember Nipper?). And I seem to remember it as an operating business, as opposed to a derelict building.

I'm pretty sure it was gone by the late 60s. That color photo from the Municipal Archives dates to 1965 at the earliest - see the maple leaf flag in the background at the right; the flag was introduced in Feb '65.

Keep digging up those great shots!

[OldDartmouthMark]

Thanks for the remembrances. Sounds like it was taken down when I was very, very young, so I don't have any direct memories of it.

I know I have seen another photo of it, in colour, perhaps taken from the bridge in the late 1960s. I'll have to see if I can find it again.