[Halifax] The Craigmore | 46 m | 16 fl | Complete

[spaustin]

Ouch heated discussion. You have to remember that when it comes to property, there is a lot at stake, both economically and emotionally. We're taking people's homes here; the place where they live and the largest investment most people ever make! It's understandable and natural that people will react with fear and worry when something like this is proposed for their neighbourhood let alone their street. It doesn't make them against treating people with addictions. It's quite possible to be in favour of something in general and against it when it's planned for your backyard. It may be somewhat inconsistent, but it's human nature. If I lived on the street I would be concerned. The people directly across from the site are going to see their property values decline or at least not increase as much as they would otherwise. That's not really because of the IWK facility, but because their quiet side street is going to be filled in with a large residential tower.

As for social services, they really need to be located throughout the community. Dumping everything on Gottingen hasn't worked out at all! Once these types of facilities are established they rarely cause problems. I have just bought a house on Tulip Street over in Dartmouth and there is a facility right at the end of my street at the corner with Victoria Road. I didn't even know it was there when I was buying and it certainly didn't hurt the market price that the sellers received! (bidding war). The corrections centre on College is another example. We're at way more danger when these vital support systems are unavailable to those that need it! No neighbourhood should be able to veto these facilities outright as a result.

In short, social services need to go somewhere and it's better that they be integrated into the community, but we shouldn't be too hard on the residents who live in the immediate area. Most of us would react in a similiar manner.

[fenwick16]

There is a question as to whether a large residential tower would decrease real estate prices. In the Toronto area the highest real estate prices tend to be close to the downtown core where there are many highrise buildings. Why should a highrise decrease real estate values? It will bring more people to that neighbourhood. It would only decrease values if it is a very low quality tower. For example, I don't think that the Trillium will decrease real estate values in its neighbourhood.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

There is a question as to whether a large residential tower would decrease real estate prices. In the Toronto area the highest real estate prices tend to be close to the downtown core where there are many highrise buildings. Why should a highrise decrease real estate values? It will bring more people to that neighbourhood. It would only decrease values if it is a very low quality tower. For example, I don't think that the Trillium will decrease real estate values in its neighbourhood.

Good point... alot of people in Halifax don't understand this.

I lived in Toronto and couldn't even afford rent in alot of the high rises that were in primarily low rise neighborhoods.

The units in a building like this will likely be so expensive it will bring money into the neighorhood, and not the other way around.

Look at the Trillium... whoever buys the penthouse will likely be the richest person in that area.

[someone123]

The highest land values in Halifax are undeniably in central areas. You can even look at land values on Barrington, a supposedly run-down street - people pay millions of dollars per acre there. It's more valuable than residential areas. The houses next to the Trillium or other projects will be worth a small fortune. You can pay a lot for a couple of acres if you are going to put 100 units on them.

As for the other stuff, at least part of the opposition comes from a sense of betrayal over the supposed infringements on rights that were never really promised in the first place. When you buy real estate, nobody gives you a guarantee that it will increase in value. Furthermore, you own what you own, not the property next to yours. Sometimes I think people lose sight of these very simple facts.

[spaustin]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

There is a question as to whether a large residential tower would decrease real estate prices. In the Toronto area the highest real estate prices tend to be close to the downtown core where there are many highrise buildings. Why should a highrise decrease real estate values? It will bring more people to that neighbourhood. It would only decrease values if it is a very low quality tower. For example, I don't think that the Trillium will decrease real estate values in its neighbourhood.

It depends on the location, the property in question and the proposed development. There is a big difference between building something like the Trillium and building a tower on a side street, abutting small houses in a more suburban location. The street in question links onto a busy road, but right now it's a side street with a lowrise office building at the foot of it, a big parking lot and approximatley a dozen single unit dwellings. The value of the small houses may go up if they became attractive to developers (unlikely given the street and zoning, except for maybe the ones right out on Joe Howe) or it'll go down because to the average homebuyer, a house with a tower directly across from it is less attractive then one surrounded by other houses and buildings at the same scale. That brick condo that was put up at the corner of South and Wellington certainly knocked the value off the small house next door. It was listed for peanuts compared to what it would otherwise have gone for.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by spaustin

It depends on the location, the property in question and the proposed development. There is a big difference between building something like the Trillium and building a tower on a side street, abutting small houses in a more suburban location. The street in question links onto a busy road, but right now it's a side street with a lowrise office building at the foot of it, a big parking lot and approximatley a dozen single unit dwellings. The value of the small houses may go up if they became attractive to developers (unlikely given the street and zoning, except for maybe the ones right out on Joe Howe) or it'll go down because to the average homebuyer, a house with a tower directly across from it is less attractive then one surrounded by other houses and buildings at the same scale. That brick condo that was put up at the corner of South and Wellington certainly knocked the value off the small house next door. It was listed for peanuts compared to what it would otherwise have gone for.

I donno... I looked at this on bing maps birds eye and it is a good distance from any of the houses across the street or in behind... unless that buffer area of trees to the north and west has a house somewhere underneath it.

Edit: I checked on Google streetview and there is tons of room between the tower site and houses... with a tree buffer behind the tower.

Also, I would only consider one of the houses farther up the street to be anything that nice... and it looks like its new construction.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

I donno... I looked at this on bing maps birds eye and it is a good distance from any of the houses across the street or in behind... unless that buffer area of trees to the north and west has a house somewhere underneath it.

Could you provide a link to the location? I am not too sure where this is going.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Could you provide a link to the location? I am not too sure where this is going.

Just google craigmore dr, halifax

its where the parking lot is...

[spaustin]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

I donno... I looked at this on bing maps birds eye and it is a good distance from any of the houses across the street or in behind... unless that buffer area of trees to the north and west has a house somewhere underneath it.

Edit: I checked on Google streetview and there is tons of room between the tower site and houses... with a tree buffer behind the tower.

Also, I would only consider one of the houses farther up the street to be anything that nice... and it looks like its new construction.

Not really. There are at least 4 houses on Rockwood Avenue that back right onto the parking lot which will become the tower. On Craigmore there is one house directly across the street (the brown one) and four others in very close proximity. This project will have a direct impact on them. There will be more traffic on their street, nosie during construction, more shadows, less privacy, potentially more wind and some might lose their view. That's not to say it shouldn't happen, it's privately owned land after all. But to pretend the residents next door won't be impacted and therefore their opposition/concerns are baseless isn't fair. Planning decisions always have pluses and minuses. It helps to keep that in mind instead of villifying opponents, which seemed to be where things were going when this thread got ugly a while back.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by spaustin

Not really. There are at least 4 houses on Rockwood Avenue that back right onto the parking lot which will become the tower. On Craigmore there is one house directly across the street (the brown one) and four others in very close proximity. This project will have a direct impact on them. There will be more traffic on their street, nosie during construction, more shadows, less privacy, potentially more wind and some might lose their view. That's not to say it shouldn't happen, it's privately owned land after all. But to pretend the residents next door won't be impacted and therefore their opposition/concerns are baseless isn't fair. Planning decisions always have pluses and minuses. It helps to keep that in mind instead of villifying opponents, which seemed to be where things were going when this thread got ugly a while back.

For sure, but I'm just trying to say its not as bad as its being reported.

I reserve my official judgement until I see renderings.

[Dmajackson]

Not surprisingly the neighbours have organized and found a small problem with the existing building on the lot so a variance was approved and subsequently appealled for a small steback issue on of the corners;

http://www.halifax.ca/commcoun/ccc/d...0607CCC821.pdf

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Not surprisingly the neighbours have organized and found a small problem with the existing building on the lot so a variance was approved and subsequently appealled for a small steback issue on of the corners;

http://www.halifax.ca/commcoun/ccc/d...0607CCC821.pdf

No surprise there, although I had to laugh: I know both the author and the person who signed the report lol.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Still no renderings eh? They were supposed to come out like 2 weeks ago...

[bb7100]

Some photos.

[Dmajackson]

^Looks decent. Its hard to tell from just one rendering but it appears to have plenty of glass and it will be well setback from the existing neighbourhood.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by bb7100

Some photos.

Thanks for the photos bb7100. This tower looks good to me.

[halifaxboyns]

Doesn't look bad at all.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by bb7100

Some photos.

Huge post! Thanks. That's number 1 too, congrats!

This tower looks great...

[-Harlington-]

took a while to get the rendering out
but it looks great, lookin forward to it

[Jonovision]

It looks alright. I was hoping for something with a bit more glass. It's hard to tell what the main part of the tower will be clad with. It looks like it could be brick or precast.