General Updates and News

[Good Baklava]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I'm quite sure it isn't.

It is in part the result of wannabe planners like Mason and Austin acting like management staff and dictating what they wanted to see in the thing.

I thought Austin was a planner.

[Grav]

https://u.teknik.io/VJqUd.jpeg

Took this picture tonight, (too big to put in the post) the monochromatic blank walls and the simple line of windows is a composition only an architect could appreciate. My issue is not blank walls, it was the hostility of the buildings security to anyone passing. I understand there was sensitive information in the building criminals would love to get their hands on, but for someone like me who is not a criminal, I could care less. I would try to express how little I care but I will refrain out fear the forum would implode in on itself. Goodbye squeaky garage doors, goodbye self righteous cameras assuming every pedestrian minding their own business has criminal intent! Halifax won’t miss you!

Also, don’t mistake me as a supporter of the outrageous amount of luxury housing being built in the city. That’s a whole different problem

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Good Baklava

I thought Austin was a planner.

He gave up that job with the Feds. Unfortunately he seems to think he is now employed in the HRM PLanning Dept.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Grav

https://u.teknik.io/VJqUd.jpeg

Took this picture tonight, (too big to put in the post) the monochromatic blank walls and the simple line of windows is a composition only an architect could appreciate. My issue is not blank walls, it was the hostility of the buildings security to anyone passing. I understand there was sensitive information in the building criminals would love to get their hands on, but for someone like me who is not a criminal, I could care less. I would try to express how little I care but I will refrain out fear the forum would implode in on itself. Goodbye squeaky garage doors, goodbye self righteous cameras assuming every pedestrian minding their own business has criminal intent! Halifax won’t miss you!

Also, don’t mistake me as a supporter of the outrageous amount of luxury housing being built in the city. That’s a whole different problem

The planning dogma fails to appreciate that not every building can have street-level cafes and boutiques. Some actually have to serve their intended purpose.

As an aside, I would rather have luxury housing being built than gray concrete boxes owned by govt.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Blank walls and security cameras in general don't bother me (security cameras are in place to record events in case criminal activity occurs, not to assume all passers-by are criminals), but in this case, given its location and proximity to the Nova Centre and Argyle Street, it seems only natural that it should contain some restaurants/bars/shops to continue the vibe up one level and connect pizza corner to the NC area. I can't see how it could be perceived as a bad thing, to be honest.

And, IMHO, that Symcor bunker is butt-ugly and always has been. I'll be happy to see it go. (with the understanding that I'm not a planning expert or architect, just a guy-on-the-street with opinions about what he likes/dislikes... )

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Blank walls and security cameras in general don't bother me (security cameras are in place to record events in case criminal activity occurs, not to assume all passers-by are criminals)

I'm equally uncomfortable with being under video surveillance 24-7. It's hard to object to it on private property (like Symcor, in this case), but I'm really not happy about cameras installed by police or any government agency to monitor public spaces.

But I guess that's really not a discussion for this thread, so I'll just leave it at that.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Blank walls and security cameras in general don't bother me (security cameras are in place to record events in case criminal activity occurs, not to assume all passers-by are criminals), but in this case, given its location and proximity to the Nova Centre and Argyle Street, it seems only natural that it should contain some restaurants/bars/shops to continue the vibe up one level and connect pizza corner to the NC area. I can't see how it could be perceived as a bad thing, to be honest.

So by that logic, bank branches would be disallowed in that area since they do not provide the right kind of vibe. Same with medical clinics, dentists, optometrists, law offices... the list is endless. Clearly a huge gap in the much-vaunted HRM planning encyclopedia, which (thank Richard Florida!) eliminated any sort of automotive business activity in the subject area, but not those other sorts of no-vibe businesses. Clearly a major revision of the planning opus is required to bring it in line with the current dogma!

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

So by that logic, bank branches would be disallowed in that area since they do not provide the right kind of vibe. Same with ... the list is endless. Clearly a huge gap in the much-vaunted HRM planning encyclopedia, which (thank Richard Florida!) eliminated any sort of automotive business activity in the subject area, but not those other sorts of no-vibe businesses. Clearly a major revision of the planning opus is required to bring it in line with the current dogma!

Sarcasm (though appreciated) aside, I think there's merit and reason in what both of you are saying. It could but needn't necessarily be bars/restaurants/storefront consumer goods retail - it could be exactly the types of uses Keith mentioned (medical clinics, dentists, optometrists, law offices). The key is not necessarily duplicating the vibe of Pizza Corner or the bar district (if I can call it that), but simply making an attractive, hospitable pedestrian-scale streetscape as opposed to a hostile monolithic concrete cheque-clearing fortress.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

Sarcasm (though appreciated) aside, I think there's merit and reason in what both of you are saying. It could but needn't necessarily be bars/restaurants/storefront consumer goods retail - it could be exactly the types of uses Keith mentioned (medical clinics, dentists, optometrists, law offices). The key is not necessarily duplicating the vibe of Pizza Corner or the bar district (if I can call it that), but simply making an attractive, hospitable pedestrian-scale streetscape as opposed to a hostile monolithic concrete cheque-clearing fortress.

I have fond if somewhat blurry memories from my DT bar-hopping days of using the armored car bays along Grafton St as rain/snow shelters late at night while waiting for a ride, and also of chatting up the young ladies who worked clearing cheques when they popped out for a smoke/coffee break. That was a good vibe for me.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I have fond if somewhat blurry memories from my DT bar-hopping days of using the armored car bays along Grafton St as rain/snow shelters late at night while waiting for a ride, and also of chatting up the young ladies who worked clearing cheques when they popped out for a smoke/coffee break. That was a good vibe for me.

"Hey sugar, looking to get your cheque cleared tonight?"

"No thanks, ma'am - there's a hold on it for now..."

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

"Hey sugar, looking to get your cheque cleared tonight?"

"No thanks, ma'am - there's a hold on it for now..."

Well, there's a picture that won't soon leave my head.

Why not Rub ya belly Guvna.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

I'm equally uncomfortable with being under video surveillance 24-7. It's hard to object to it on private property (like Symcor, in this case), but I'm really not happy about cameras installed by police or any government agency to monitor public spaces.

But I guess that's really not a discussion for this thread, so I'll just leave it at that.

I'm not happy with any of it, but find it hard to get excited over security cameras that a company has spent money on to protect their property/employees when you consider what else is out there.

Having had the experience (as have you) of living in a time before cell phones and the internet, I've grown to detest how we as a society have willingly given up our sense of privacy in exchange for a few novel gadgets. Now that "we" have embraced using such devices in combination with the internet for bullying, shaming, cancelling, using out of context, etc., the idea of a simple security camera being used to protect a business seems kind of quaint in comparison.

Not to mention AI driven identity cameras that can be used for all kinds of nefarious or just capitalistic purposes. On top of that, other types of cameras (dashcams, small "spy" cams, etc.) also add to the saturation of visual/audio recording devices to the point that it's hard to believe I once chuckled at Orwell's 1984 as something that wouldn't/couldn't happen. In reality his prediction was just a little late.

In the end you pretty much have to accept that whenever you are in public there is a good chance you will be in somebody's video - but there's no point in driving yourself crazy over it. The tech industry had already sold out our sense of privacy a long time ago when we weren't really paying attention, and there's nothing that any of us can really do about it (unless you want to do the hermit in the woods thing while wearing your tinfoil hat...).

Anyhow, my apologies for the major derail... I suppose this was the 'not really a discussion for this thread' part?

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

So by that logic, bank branches would be disallowed in that area since they do not provide the right kind of vibe. Same with medical clinics, dentists, optometrists, law offices... the list is endless. Clearly a huge gap in the much-vaunted HRM planning encyclopedia, which (thank Richard Florida!) eliminated any sort of automotive business activity in the subject area, but not those other sorts of no-vibe businesses. Clearly a major revision of the planning opus is required to bring it in line with the current dogma!

"Should contain some" is very far from "disallowing anything that isn't".

If there is a need for those types of businesses in this location, it seems reasonable that they should be able to open there. Heck, there are already several bank branches in the area which would prove your assertion to be correct (not to mention the BMO regional office in the NC).

I'm only saying that, as an average guy on the street, and not a pusher of planning dogma, I would like to see bars and restaurants there (because ). Nobody listens to, or cares about, what I have to say, so no need to get your knickers in a knot over it...

[mleblanc]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

"Should contain some" is very far from "disallowing anything that isn't".

If there is a need for those types of businesses in this location, it seems reasonable that they should be able to open there. Heck, there are already several bank branches in the area which would prove your assertion to be correct (not to mention the BMO regional office in the NC).

I'm only saying that, as an average guy on the street, and not a pusher of planning dogma, I would like to see bars and restaurants there (because ). Nobody listens to, or cares about, what I have to say, so no need to get your knickers in a knot over it...

A lot of folks on this forum have this mentality I find, and you worded this very well. It's an obvious location where retail/hospitality would thrive; saying I advocate for it doesn't mean I would be pitchforks up about anything else.

My general attitude is that I really do love this city, and investment in human scale developments that improve the peoples lives that live in the area is a good thing and should not be thwarted as much as it happens here, by dated planning laws, attitudes, etc. The Centre Plan is a good first attempt at streamlining this process but falls incredibly short of what our potential could be IMO.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by mleblanc

The Centre Plan is a good first attempt at streamlining this process but falls incredibly short of what our potential could be IMO.

I find that the Centre Plan takes a bland prescriptive tack on many issues and is obsessed with height and density to a degree that's out of scale with the true importance of those factors on quality of life of the city. I believe that in general developers and architects are better at making decisions about new developments than planners who try to predict what will be best 5-30 years into the future, and so it is good to delay decision making or leave room for creativity and flexibility whenever possible. Hopefully the Centre Plan will be a living document and will allow developers to push the envelope in the future, not set development norms of circa 2008 in stone forever.

If you think of the kind of developments that have really made great spaces in the city or in other cities, they were generally far outside of the norm of their day, and a lot of that is verboten under the style of planning rules being developed for Halifax. Imagine the Citadel being built in a town of 20,000 people or the Dominion Building going up next to a bunch of 3-4 storey structures or the Dingle rising above the trees around there. Could the Macdonald bridge even be built today? Even Richmond Yards is sort of pushing the envelope and it's about the same height as the tallest Halifax building circa 1970, going up in a semi-industrial area by a planned major transit node.

[Citizen_Bane]

Brewery Park 3 by Citizen Bane, on Flickr

Brewery Park 2 by Citizen Bane, on Flickr

Brewery Park 1 photo by Citizen Bane, on Flickr

The house just to the north of Brewery Park on Agricola St. has come down. IIRC there is to be a second phase of this project to be built. Perhaps the second phase will be built sooner than later. The view down Bilby St. provides a bit context...so much happening in this area.

[someone123]

Nice pictures. Does anyone have a rendering of Brewery Park that includes phase 2? I only see the first part on the website. I recall an illustration with a larger row of buildings when the website first went up but I am not sure if that was meant as an accurate rendering and I cannot find it now.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by someone123

Nice pictures. Does anyone have a rendering of Brewery Park that includes phase 2? I only see the first part on the website. I recall an illustration with a larger row of buildings when the website first went up but I am not sure if that was meant as an accurate rendering and I cannot find it now.

i remember that rendering too. It was on the original website which now redirects to brewerypark.ca which doesn't have it. No luck on their social media either.

I'm happy to see this project expand especially with the quality of the existing building. More retail and short-term accommodations are welcome additions to Agricola Street. In the next decade I think Agricola will become mostly commercial oriented from Cunard to Young. Some residential only buildings will remain and there will be gaps (Olands Brewery and Bloomfield School). Nice thing is the developments along the street are small-scale infill projects. The big projects that bring the density are nearby but none are directly impacting the streetscape. I like to imagine a vibrant retail strip connecting The Commons to The Hydrostone.

[Citizen_Bane]

Halifax ‘running out of land’ for development

Stephen Adams, executive director of Urban Development Institute of Nova Scotia, says some developers are moving outside of Halifax to take advantage of developable land
about 23 hours ago By: Chris Stoodley

2710 SCENE construction DR128
(Dan Riedlhuber/St. Albert Gazette)

While Halifax has recently seen a development boom, a local developer says the city is running out of available land to meet the demand.
“The development that’s occurring now is moving along well, but the development and the proposals and the applications that are in the queue — we’re patiently waiting to get those approved,” Stephen Adams, executive director of Urban Development Institute of Nova Scotia, says. “And we’re running out of (developable) land. There’s running out of opportunities, and I know some developers are moving outside of HRM to take advantage of that land.”

Adams told NEWS 95.7's The Rick Howe Show the boom is mostly affecting residential properties.


Despite a global pandemic, buying property in Halifax has been difficult for many homebuyers — and developers can't seem to keep up.


“The developers and the builders and everyone associated with development are chomping at the bit to get more approvals," Adams, who was a Halifax councillor for nearly three decades, says. "We see the demand. There are houses that are selling in excess of $100,000 over asking — sight unseen — and need work.

“That’s unheard of.”

As an example, Adams says someone he occasionally works with saw a property listed for $450,000, submitted an offer of $525,000 and was only the fourth highest offer.

Purchasing a property in Halifax has been competitive. In 2018, properties would be on the market for an average of 34 days; that number dropped to an average of 10 days in 2020.

But Adams says Urban Development Institute of Nova Scotia isn't looking for more land to be available for development.


Instead, he says the way money is distributed through the government is a barrier.

“When the federal government gives monies to the municipality and they have to give them to not-for-profits, that encumbers what the builders and developers can do,” he says.

In December 2020, the federal and provincial governments announced a combined investment of $10.5 million into creating 52 affordable housing units in Halifax.

The North End Community Health Association was to receive $1.2 million to create 10 units, but Adams says that's "not the way to do things."

He says a request for proposal (RFP) with specific standards and requirements should be created putting the money into the private sector. Then, the terms can be handed over to the not-for-profits to run the buildings.

At the end of last year, Halifax launched an online system meant to hasten the speed affordable housing applications are approved. However, Adams says there have been some concerns that the system isn't properly working.

When Halifax reviews its budget, Adams says he'll ask the municipality to create a four-person team to review affordable housing applications.

"That does two things," he said. "It gets the affordable housing to the market quickly and it takes the pressure off the other processes and those other streams so those that aren't under the affordable housing program will have a little more speed with their approval process, too."


Author: Chris Stoodley HalifaxToday

By 'Halifax' I assume it is meant the Halifax peninsula. If this so, then where to next?

[someone123]

I think they are talking about all of HRM, since they refer to "outside HRM". I am not sure exactly how this works but some HRM reports give the impression of a concept of urban land reserve and that council effectively doles out new sites (i.e. withhold or grant development approval on private land).

I've been seeing some large developments in areas like Hants County. This is near Mount Uniacke:


http://forestlakescountryclub.ca

If the Halifax regional council puts too many restrictions in place there will be leap frog sprawl extending into other counties. The net result may be negative.