Suburban & Rural Developments & Discussion Thread

[Dmajackson]

The rumors have begun for Sunnyside renovations in the post-Canadian Tire era;

- Canadian Tire is closing effective April 1st (moving to Bedford Commons)
- Lawtons is closing soon afterwards
- Shoppers is moving into the CT spot temporairily until Lawtons moves out at which time they will take over Lawton's location permnamently.
- Nubody's is moving into CT's warehouse (mezzanine level)

This is just my personal thoughts of what is happening;

- Lawton's is closing because of new locations on Cobequid Road and Mill Cove that have over supplied the Bedford pharmapheutical market.
- Shopper's is currently doing okay in Bedford Place but over the years the mall has gone downhill while Sunnyside has stayed strong prompting them to find a new location they can renovate to meet the current demand.
- Nubody's is likely moving to expand and cave into the pressure from Pete Luckett. More likely than not Pete's will expand into the Nubody's location in the near future.
- The new Nubody's will probably have an exterior entrance near the auto repair bay and a second entrance into the mall mezzanine near the nothern stairwell

[Dmajackson]

Here's a conceptual plan for a new subdivison off of Hines Road in Eatern Passage;

Conceptual Site Plan

[Jonovision]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

Here's a conceptual plan for a new subdivison off of Hines Road in Eatern Passage;

Conceptual Site Plan

An awful lot of parking if you ask me. But some good density for the site.

[kph06]

Here's a photo I pieced together taken by me yesterday looking towards the Larry Uteck Interchange. The 102 is towards the back by the tree line with the interchage to the right. The large expanse to the left will house a future Sobey's amoung other stores. The excavator is sitting on the future Larry Uteck Boulevard. The second photo is a close up of the bridge and the thrid is an earlier shot of the structure (from a about a month ago).

[Dmajackson]

^Nice photos kph06 You may want to post them in the projects thread too though.

Here's some shots I took over the weekend;

John Gorham Lane, Bfd:



Vetcetera, Bfd:



The Trio, Bfd:



Legacy Court, Sackville:









Walker Avenue, Sackville:

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

Just to provide an update the entire building is now gone.

[Dmajackson]

The presentation of the final draft for the Bedford Waterfront Phase II development project will be held on June 16th at the Basinview Drive School here in Bedford.

I am defenitely going to be attending the meeting and I encourage others to attend as well.

[Dmajackson]

Here's a photo of the new vetcetera building on the Bedford Highway near Sullivan's Hill and there is apparently a new residential building starting construction on Rutledge strret (no photo sorry);

[Wishblade]

Public to hear final proposal for waterfront
Plans include boardwalk, public building and park


Bedford residents get their first look at the future next month, as the final recommendations are unveiled for ensuring the waterfront is the heart of their community.

"This is a master development plan to guide the development of the area over the next 30 years. It’s not like suddenly a year from now we’re going to see condos for two or three thousand people or this sort of thing," said Tim Outhit, who represents the area on Halifax Regional Council.

For the past four years, a committee has worked on a vision for the 16 hectares of land being created by the Waterfront Development Corp., in an area that stretches from Sobeys at the foot of Hammonds Plains Road as far as the Clearwater Seafoods property on the Bedford Highway. To date, about 10 hectares of land has been infilled, Outhit said.

Last year, Vision HRM — Bedford Waterfront asked for public input into three options for the land. They heard the community wants a library, places to play, live and enjoy the area. And with those comments in mind, the committee and its consulting company Ekistics has made a "hybrid" of those plans into one recommendation.

That plan will be presented June 16 at 7 p.m. at the Basinview Drive Community School cafeteria.

"This is the final recommendation, still subject to going to council and public input through that," Outhit said.

He said the plan will include a mixture of things: boardwalks, green spaces, residential development, small commercial development, parking and a public building that could be used as a new public library and a terminal for fast ferry or commuter rail service. The latter is especially important because there is a "desperate" need for additional public transit, he said.

A boardwalk in the area as part of the first phase of development has already attracted lots more people to the waterfront, but there are no restaurants or cafes where someone could have lunch or dinner, he said.

While the development plan addresses those issues, Outhit said he already knows there will be concerns.

"People are excited about being able to walk and play on the waterfront. They’re excited about being able to eat on the waterfront, perhaps live on the waterfront. But there will be concerns about the height of the developments and traffic and I agree with (those). That’s what we’re working through," he said, adding the proposal does call for a second access road into the area.

"The main thing is this recommendation is being led by the people and . . . ultimately it will have to go to council," he said. "But this is an exciting opportunity because we really don’t take advantage of our waterfront and we’re going to do what we can to protect public view planes."

[fenwick16]

"People are excited about being able to walk and play on the waterfront. They’re excited about being able to eat on the waterfront, perhaps live on the waterfront. But there will be concerns about the height of the developments and traffic and I agree with (those). That’s what we’re working through," he said, adding the proposal does call for a second access road into the area.

I keep seeing surveys that indicate that most people are not against tall buildings. Maybe it is different if it is in one's backyard, but a few nicely designed tall buildings would look great on the Bedford waterfront. If they have a certain population density in mind for that area, then a few tall buildings might be better than several short ones.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

I keep seeing surveys that indicate that most people are not against tall buildings. Maybe it is different if it is in one's backyard, but a few nicely designed tall buildings would look great on the Bedford waterfront. If they have a certain population density in mind for that area, then a few tall buildings might be better than several short ones.

The problem is there are small groups that cry foul everytime something taller than 6 stories is proposed and these people are unwaivering in their negativity.

Tim is smart to think this in advance and I hope that he is able to explain the benefits of planning height into the future. Wouldn't suprise me if we hear something about "viewplanes" that don't actually exist.

[halifaxboyns]

I would hate to see Halifax become a city of viewplanes - I mean this whole thing with protecting the view of the arm - that's just getting silly.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

I would hate to see Halifax become a city of viewplanes - I mean this whole thing with protecting the view of the arm - that's just getting silly.

A Dartmouth councilor wants to introduce more viewplanes in Dartmouth. What is it with highrises in the Halifax area - why so much opposition?

[DigitalNinja]

Highrise buildings cause cancer, viewplains are the cure.

[Jonovision]

A new crane went up today in Dartmouth. It's located in the Main Street Area on Admiral Street I believe. I had heard something about a 100 unit building going up in this area. So it might be this one. I will try and find out more and go and see if I can get some pics over the weekend.

[Jonovision]

Here are some pics of that new crane in Dartmouth.
I drove by the site and the sign said is was to be a long term care facility.

[Dmajackson]

The brand new Saint Benedict's Church on Radcliffe Drive (near Dunbrack Street);

[Jonovision]

Another shot I grabbed from Grahams Grove the other day.

[Jonovision]

Ambitious plan, mixed reviews

Bedford residents urge more green space, less concrete in waterfront development


By PATRICIA BROOKS ARENBURG

Staff Reporter

It may take more than 20 years to build and it could change the Bedford Basin shoreline forev er.

The city’s plans for the Bed ford waterfront got mixed re views at the unveiling Tuesday night at Basinview Elementary School.

Some were impressed with the vision of the waterfront’s future, but the most applause came when people complained about a lack of green space in the plans.

Bedford resident Jennifer Ramsay told the crowd of about 250 people that the concept had little to offer her young family.

“It’s disappointing. It really is," she told The Chronicle Herald. “I was hoping to go away really excited about it, but it’s horrible.

“This is an eyesore. It’s not going to be finished for 20 years or whatever. This is going to create a wall, a barrier to the water. The kids aren’t going to be able to play in buildings."

The massive project would run along the water side of the Bed ford Highway from the Clear water Seafoods property to the Boutilier boatyard on Shore Drive. It would include contin ued infilling of Bedford Basin to create an island and canal area and a lengthy boardwalk.

The plans also include a li brary, performance spaces, restaurants, ferry terminals and bus access, similar to Alderney Landing in Dartmouth.

There would also be rows of mixed residential and commer cial buildings of four to eight storeys, plus a 12-storey tower on the island, combining to accommodate upwards of 6,500 people, the crowd heard.

There are plans for more access bridges, pedestrian walk ways, underground and above ground parking, space for a potential commuter rail station, plazas, public boat access and private water access to those living in the canal area. The project also calls for creation of a park and walking trail around Moirs Pond and an area for winter skating.

“The majority of all this work that you’re seeing here is going to be financed by the private sector," Ross Cantwell of the Halifax office of real estate con sulting firm Colliers Internation al told the crowd.

The public sector, through the Waterfront Development Corp., would be responsible for infill ing the basin, building roads and bridges and providing ser vices like water and sewer. The land would then be leased to developers for construction.

“And the revenue from that will retire the debt that Water front Development takes on, so it’s all self-financing," Cantwell said. “Part of our mandate is to make sure that this does not cost the taxpayer any money."

In addition, the crowd heard that developers carrying out the infilling would pay a tipping fee. “That’s actually generating cash," Cantwell said. “So the creation of the land isn’t costing anything and the public infra structure will be recovered by the revenue generated from developers."

Paul Morgan, a planner with Halifax Regional Municipality and co-manager of the project, said the municipality would likely cost-share construction of the boardwalk as it did with Bishop’s Landing in Halifax and would also be expected to pay for the main public building housing the library and ferry terminal.

Many hurdles remain, in cluding negotiations with devel opers and property owners, including Sobeys. The grocery chain’s Bedford store would have to be moved to the nearby Lawtons strip mall to allow for a clear sightline from Hammonds Plains Road to the water.

Bosko Loncarevic, a Bedford town councillor from 1973 to 1986, was on council when DeWolfe Park was created and he told the crowd that Bedford residents insisted on a large public space.

“If this is all free land, why don’t we have all that as a par kland?" Loncarevic asked to silence.

“It’s not free land," said pro ject co-manager Terry Drisdelle, “because the revenues being generated are . . . also going towards building the infra structure that’s required to sup port the development — the roads, the services, the under ground wiring." “We wouldn’t need those if it was all parkland," Loncarevic replied to a burst of applause.

The plan can be viewed at www.halifax.ca. People have until July 7 to submit their views in writing to mor ganp@ halifax.ca.

(pbrooks@herald.ca)

[halifaxboyns]

That's sad that there isn't more parkland - this is the shoreline, there should always be parks and boardwalks!