Heritage preservation and reconstruction

[Empire]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

I think I've settled on "Samerrhoids".

"Austerrhoids" was a close second, but could be confused with "asteroids" too easily.

How ironic that a curb bump out is designed to provide an extra layer of safety for a pedestrian by diverting traffic further into oncoming traffic. The pedestrian hung out to dry in the middle of the street is now in a safe location? The pedestrian still has to cross now from the middle of the street amidst confused motorists. The concept needs a time out....

[OldDartmouthMark]

Back on topic again. Here's an article on the Halifax Armoury restoration. I think it gives a good impression on the challenges of restoring/reconstructing historic buildings, especially iconic ones such as this.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...runs-1.6221485

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I think it gives a good impression on the challenges of restoring/reconstructing historic buildings, especially iconic ones such as this.

Well, not just iconic, and subject to strict heritage preservation rules, but also required to be a fully functional modern building at the same time - and for some time to come.

Given that, and the materials involved, there's no wonder it's a complex and jeezly expensive building to rehabilitate.

I'm not qualified or well-enough informed to comment on whether the project has been handled badly (and it's more fun to read Keith's commentary on that sort of thing anyway) but I really can't say I'm surprised at the cost.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Back on topic again. Here's an article on the Halifax Armoury restoration. I think it gives a good impression on the challenges of restoring/reconstructing historic buildings, especially iconic ones such as this.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...runs-1.6221485

This is as close as we've come to a Quebec City style renovation. Well worth the investment!

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Empire

This is as close as we've come to a Quebec City style renovation. Well worth the investment!

This is another example of a Halifax landmark that would be considered a major heritage landmark in any city in Canada. In most of the developed world it would have been regularly maintained and never would have sat with wood around it for years to shield pedestrians from falling masonry. The current high budget is due to literally a century of deferred maintenance.

The residential buildings across from it on Agricola are poster children for bad/weird planning of the past. The media debates about them revolved around height but the buildings ended up being short and very ugly. Hopefully one day something nice will be built on the lot at North Park and C*********.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by someone123

In most of the developed world it would have been regularly maintained and never would have sat with wood around it for years to shield pedestrians from falling masonry. The current high budget is due to literally a century of deferred maintenance.

Doubtless some of its neglect had partly to do with it being a functioning military asset of DND as opposed to a national historic site under the care of Parks Canada. Different priorities.

Not looking to excuse that neglect, just to help understand it.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

Well, not just iconic, and subject to strict heritage preservation rules, but also required to be a fully functional modern building at the same time - and for some time to come.

Given that, and the materials involved, there's no wonder it's a complex and jeezly expensive building to rehabilitate.

I'm not qualified or well-enough informed to comment on whether the project has been handled badly (and it's more fun to read Keith's commentary on that sort of thing anyway) but I really can't say I'm surprised at the cost.

Agree.

Agree.

LOL. (re: KP comments that we are all eagerly awaiting)

[Empire]

The neighbours of the historic Armory are examples of quintessential Halifax lack of foresight. The link below shows two new structures that afford no architectural respect (keep the rain out) to their location or to the city they are in. The developer determines the aesthetic outcome of a building and HRM has no mechanism to assist in a quality outcome and is limited to governing height, setbacks, parking etc. Maybe remove the rough landscaping from the roundabout and replace it with an acceptable monument to compliment the Amoury's history,,,War Memorial?

Armoury Neighbours:
https://www.google.ca/maps/@44.65132...7i16384!8i8192

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Empire

This is as close as we've come to a Quebec City style renovation. Well worth the investment!

Yup. And with money from the feds (due to being a DND asset and a national treasure).

From the article:

Historian Allen B. Robertson says the armoury is "the last of its kind in Canada and not just a building sitting there, it actually still maintains a function, it is still in use."

I'm impressed that they are being careful on details (and proof that it can be done if the will - and budget - is there):

Finding the same Nova Scotia sandstone used during construction between 1895 and 1899 was one of the first hurdles.

The original quarry near Pugwash on the Northumberland Strait is long gone.

A replacement quarry nearby proved unsuitable. That forced supplier Atlantic Sandstone to find sandstone within the same geological seam six kilometres from the first site, buy the property and open another quarry.

[someone123]

Source

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by someone123

Source

Looks great! This restoration should almost guarantee that it will be around for another 100 years.

[someone123]

Hopefully the restoration on that side will soon be wrapped up if it isn't already. Looks like some of that metal (and the horizontal strip) will be removed and the lower granite blocks have not been cleaned. I'm curious to see what the main entrance will look like. The door was nondescript before the restoration work, judging from Google.

The municipality should work to turn this into the highest quality heritage area possible:


Source

It's not far off yet when you look at the details, there are a lot of small holes, historic buildings with ugly do-overs, or instances where cheap vinyl siding and windows were used. Heritage preservation rules combined with a relatively modest budget (perhaps just a fraction of what this area delivers in relative additional tax burden compared to many suburbs) would turn it into a remarkable area.

There are so many almost-great streetscapes in Halifax where 80% of the buildings are historic and have amazing character and 20% are poorly maintained or had weird renovations/redevelopments.

[Keith P.]

That neighborhood seems to gentrifying on its own quite well. I can't see HRM making it any better by getting involved. Their most recent effort of putting a homeless encampment across the street has already caused some outrage among the residents who have restored their properties at considerable expense.

[someone123]

The involvement would be wider registration-style protections and tax breaks for restoration, with incentives to replace e.g. vinyl siding with wood. The rules should be set up such that it is most profitable for landlords to keep their historic properties in good shape and there's no development possible except for sympathetic adaptive reuse that completely fits the area. It should also be easy to fill in empty lots and property owners should be encouraged to maintain period style fences and the like. The city should consider burying utilities. Modernist style renovations in heritage areas should not be permitted.

There are so many parts of Halifax that are almost great but look dumpy because of in many cases probably a single landlord doing minimal maintenance. One example I can think of is the light blue vinyl rowhouses around North Park and Cogswell. There's another similar situation in Schmidtville with the vinyl along Morris Street.

If you look at a lot of even the nice streetscapes, many of the houses are not registered and could be torn down at any moment or given an ugly Home Depot bargain bin style renovation.

The initiatives I am proposing would be a tiny fraction of what's done in many other cities around the Northeast of the continent. Halifax and Nova Scotia are out there in terms of what is allowed relative to the heritage that exists.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by someone123

If you look at a lot of even the nice streetscapes, many of the houses are not registered and could be torn down at any moment or given an ugly Home Depot bargain bin style renovation.

This exact thing happened to a Victorian on South Street a couple of years ago--ornate gingerbread covered by grey vinyl (if not ripped off altogether), Scottish dormers squared off off and filled with some cheapo windows, etc. I saw it on MLS a few months, with the sale listing boasting about "new siding."

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

This exact thing happened to a Victorian on South Street a couple of years ago--ornate gingerbread covered by grey vinyl (if not ripped off altogether), Scottish dormers squared off off and filled with some cheapo windows, etc. I saw it on MLS a few months, with the sale listing boasting about "new siding."

It is not permitted in many comparable neighbourhoods of comparable cities around the developed world. It's not allowed in a lot of newer suburban areas either. HRM has elaborate rules governing what you can do with your bungalow in Clayton Park. They don't have rules banning vinyl siding renos on South Street, but they could.

I feel like this is one of those areas where people in Halifax just think it's normal on abstract philosophical grounds yet it's actually unusual and harmful while not providing any benefit. The rents are probably lower than they'd be if these areas looked good, and these historic buildings are a negligible part of the metro housing stock. The height limits are far far more impactful on housing than allowing vinyl siding. If Halifax had more infill and better heritage preservation it would just be a much better city.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

The little quicky-mart with rental above on the south east corner of Agricola and West is getting a make-over. This old building has suffered vinyl siding and too-small windows since as long as I've been in Halifax. Fingers crossed that it gets a 'sensitive' reno.

20221202_140813_HDR by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

A few buildings south of May St. on Agricola St. is this cute adaptive use of an old family home as a bookstore on the main level.

20221202_135835_HDR by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr

20221202_135905_HDR by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr

20221202_135849_HDR by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Arrdeeharharharbour

A few buildings south of May St. on Agricola St. is this cute adaptive use of an old family home as a bookstore on the main level.

Nice looking little shop. Also, it's refreshing to see an actual neighbourhood book store these days.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Nice looking little shop. Also, it's refreshing to see an actual neighbourhood book store these days.

In the North End there seems to be a good mix of local businesses developing along with all the construction happening.