[Halifax] Nova Scotia Power HQ | ? fl | ? m | Completed

[Jonovision]

I just noticed the thread title was never changed. Can someone change it to u/c ?

[ScovaNotian]

I think this hasn't been mentioned here: Nova Scotia Power has a website with project updates as well as historical images, artists' drawings, and demolition pictures at http://www.nspower.ca/community/lowerwaterstreet/ .

[someone123]

Great find. Here is the rendering. It looks like they do take advantage of the waterfront site - it's open to the boardwalk and will look much nicer than what is there currently:



This photo is interesting. It is dated 1982 and there is still a brick shed next to the power plant. Possibly it was used to house streetcars. Too bad it's no longer around, because it looks like it could have been converted like the Garrison Brewery building and others:



Look at the sea of parking lots! There are also the unsightly oil tanks. I hope that site gets developed sooner rather than later.

[Barrington south]

I'm very impressed with these renderings!...looks a lot better than what I had been expecting...I have only seen ghetto type sketches before and I wasn't exactly overwhelmed...but this!!...I like.. ...yes it does look open to the boardwalk, but it still a travesty of justice that there was no commercial allowed in the project... ...it would have been sweet with restaurants and cafes along there

[Dmajackson]

^WOW

That will look awesome. It's hard to see that come out of the concrete nightmare thats there now.

Looking at the old(er) photo I think Halifax has made a massive step in the right direction

[Dmajackson]

From the website posted above;

February 2009 Project Update

The interior demolition that began in January continues. Construction traffic will be steady between 7am and 5pm, with 25 workers onsite. Once the interior of the building has been cleared, work on the exterior will begin. This should begin in late spring 2009, as a portion of the north side exterior wall is removed. We will provide more information as this part of the project draws closer. The project site has regular security maintenance. A full-time security presence is posted at the north side of the building. In order to ensure our neighbours have the most up-to-date information, we have created this webpage to provide an overview of the project, including construction updates. The building has a unique history and our employees are excited about contributing to its future. We hope you will visit this website for information or to look at some of the photos of the building; past and present.

[phrenic]

More renderings from the Web Site:

[spaustin]

Now that looks good. I'm now much more optomistic about how this one will turn out (I was skeptical since what's there is so ugly).

[kph06]

I'm really excited about this one now, it will definately add a lot to the area. I read on their site that there is parking encorporated to the building, would this be the area the grey van is coming from in the above photo?

[Empire]

Originally Posted by Barrington south

...yes it does look open to the boardwalk, but it still a travesty of justice that there was no commercial allowed in the project... ...it would have been sweet with restaurants and cafes along there

It really is too bad that there isn't a retail/restaurant component along the boardwalk...maybe it will still happen.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by someone123

This photo is interesting. It is dated 1982 and there is still a brick shed next to the power plant. Possibly it was used to house streetcars. Too bad it's no longer around, because it looks like it could have been converted like the Garrison Brewery building and others:



Look at the sea of parking lots! There are also the unsightly oil tanks. I hope that site gets developed sooner rather than later.

That brick shed was standing until not that many years ago and was indeed a tramcar building. Seems to me there were still artifacts of the rails at the entrance. There was a legend designed into the brickwork over the doors that had the date it was built -- I believe it was from the time of WWI.

When you look at that picture you see that Maritime Center had not yet been extended -- that work was just about to begin. The condos (Waterfront Place) that were one of the first projects in the area that are across from what is now Bishop's Landing had yet to be constructed. Summit Place was still a decade or more away. Unless my memory is failing me, it appears that the old Crosby's molasses tank that was near the power plant had been taken down at least.

Quite a bit of progress -- but it took over a quarter-century.

[someone123]

I also see two little townhouses on Morris Street where there is now a red brick condo from the 80s (Renaissance Place it's called, or something similar..?). There are also a few buildings along Hollis Street near Salter that were demolished (current site of the Sheraton Four Points and MetroPark).

I always wonder what those demolished buildings were like. It's hard to find detailed street level pictures outside of the major commercial areas.

Something else that's interesting is just how much of the city dated to the Victorian era or earlier before modern infill began. The old South End went from being mostly a neighbourhood of houses to having a lot of large modern apartments and condos. In many other cities, there are lots of apartment buildings from the 1900-1930 era. The only one in Halifax that I can think of is the one on Morris Street.

[alps]

I knew there was a little park behind the Westin, but I never noticed the fountain. I wonder when it was paved over.

[Dmajackson]

Some pictures I snapped today;

[hfx_chris]

I'm probably going to be considered weird, because I know most people consider it an eyesore but... I've always liked large, concrete monolithic utilitarian structures. The renderings of the new NSPI offices look nice, but I'll be a bit sad to see the building in its current form gone...

[Jonovision]

I actually agree with you hfx_chris. I think there is something to be said about the grand concrete structure. It's somewhat of Halifax's own version of London's Battersea Station in London.
The new renderings do look amazing! however I wish they could have found a way to keep the monumentality of the structure that exists today.

And thanks Bedford_dj for the pics. It will be great to compare these to the finished product in 2 years time.

[someone123]

I've always thought the same thing.. this building has a certain stark appeal in its current form.

I will be a little sad to see it go, but then again I would much rather have a building in use than one that is derelict or semi-vacant.

I also think that there's relatively little modern looking architecture in the city and that this will be a bit of a showpiece since it is so prominent. If a couple of other new projects go up like the Centennial development, United Gulf, and International Place, the city will really take on a new look.

[hfx_chris]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

It's somewhat of Halifax's own version of London's Battersea Station in London.

I thought that as well. If the stacks were still standing, somebody should see about stringing a giant inflatible pig up between them...

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by hfx_chris

I'm probably going to be considered weird, because I know most people consider it an eyesore but... I've always liked large, concrete monolithic utilitarian structures. The renderings of the new NSPI offices look nice, but I'll be a bit sad to see the building in its current form gone...

This and now Fenwick.. there'll be nothing left for you if they ever fiddle with Dal's LSC and Physical Plant.

[Barrington south]

Ya, what a shame...Halifax will definitely lose some of it's derelict industrial street cred