General Updates and News - Page 495

someone123 · #**9881** Posted **Sep 13, 2020, 6:33 PM**

Hopefully this will be a nice looking mixed-use building with some commercial space that complements the growing cluster of new-ish businesses along Gottingen Street.

One day I hope the Staples gets torn down too. It really sticks out now as an inappropriate development.

I posted this recently in the Canada section. It still has some holes but Gottingen is looking more and more like an evenly built up medium density area. North Park also stands out a bit; the Armoury facade will be a big improvement when the scaffolding comes down. If it were to become a heritage streetscape with a sympathetic infill building just south of the armoury building and then renos to the vinyl-clad houses it would be pretty impressive. I don't think it is one yet but Falkland-Maynard (bounded by Cogswell and North Park) should be a heritage district like Schmidtville.

Source

Drybrain · #**9882** Posted **Sep 13, 2020, 9:55 PM**

The new developments along Gottingen in the past few years have been pretty good, and a huge step up from the Theatre Lofts-type stuff built not long ago.

A lot of the new buildings seem to fly under the radar because they're small, but the street is all the better for that scale. Developers don't seem to be assembling big parcels for tear-downs and rebuilds, and the result is that the eclectic and varied nature of the street is being retained even as the density is being built up. e.g., the building that replaced the Forbes building, or the two under construction visible here.

And yes, that Staples needs to go. A building that meets the corner really well would be a great entree into the North End (I know, I know, not really the North End...).

teddifax · #**9883** Posted **Sep 13, 2020, 11:03 PM**

Yesterday's paper had the regular City offerings and one was that the 12 storey development on Joseph Howe Drive to replace the Pink low rise building, was approved.

j.graham · #**9884** Posted **Sep 14, 2020, 6:27 PM**

Southwest Properties owns the Staples lot and they plan to "eventually redevelop the site".

someone123 · #**9885** Posted **Sep 14, 2020, 6:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by j.graham

Southwest Properties owns the Staples lot and they plan to "eventually redevelop the site".

Interesting. It seems like local developers like to maintain a pipeline of projects that starts with land acquisition and then moves on to project approval and construction. This makes sense since it can take years to complete a project and availability of land varies.

Southwest worked on the Maple and then Curve/Pavilion and now it looks like their next major project will be Cunard.

I wonder if Staples could be after Cunard or if they have other plans before then? Has a developer been chosen for the Ralston site?

DigitalNinja · #**9886** Posted **Sep 14, 2020, 9:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

Interesting. It seems like local developers like to maintain a pipeline of projects that starts with land acquisition and then moves on to project approval and construction. This makes sense since it can take years to complete a project and availability of land varies.

Southwest worked on the Maple and then Curve/Pavilion and now it looks like their next major project will be Cunard.

I wonder if Staples could be after Cunard or if they have other plans before then? Has a developer been chosen for the Ralston site?

South West also has the huge Sutton Ridge development that they haven't really started on yet.

pblaauw · #**9887** Posted **Sep 17, 2020, 5:37 AM**

I think Cogswell/Gottingen is where the new Mi'kmaq Friendship Centre is being built.

JonHiseler · #**9888** Posted **Sep 17, 2020, 10:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pblaauw

I think Cogswell/Gottingen is where the new Mi'kmaq Friendship Centre is being built.

Mi'kmaq Friendship Centre is going across the street from the police station

MonctonRad · #**9889** Posted **Sep 17, 2020, 11:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonHiseler

Mi'kmaq Friendship Centre is going across the street from the police station

That should create some interesting...…...synergy.

Hali87 · #**9890** Posted **Sep 18, 2020, 5:57 AM**

The old BMO tower seems to be getting a rebrand:

Untitled by Hali87, on Flickr

Keith P. · #**9891** Posted **Sep 18, 2020, 11:24 AM**

Makes sense since BMO relocated to the Nova Centre a couple of years ago. Too bad; I really liked the old main branch much better.

atbw · #**9892** Posted **Sep 18, 2020, 3:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hali87

The old BMO tower seems to be getting a rebrand:

Untitled by Hali87, on Flickr

Was there other work set to take place on this? It’s nice to see them lean into the Art Deco styling.

mleblanc · #**9893** Posted **Sep 18, 2020, 8:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atbw

Was there other work set to take place on this? It’s nice to see them lean into the Art Deco styling.

There was originally a podium planned as well as upper building lighting. It looks like the podium was scrapped?

Jonovision · #**9894** Posted **Sep 19, 2020, 12:37 AM**

All of the windows and spandrel panels in between are slowly being replaced. All of the ones in the pic are new. They still have the Hollis and midblock facades to finish.

Still hoping there is lighting embedded in these new panels that will get turned on once its done.

Dmajackson · #**9895** Posted **Sep 21, 2020, 12:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Demolition permit has been issued for 5515-5527 Cogswell Street. These are the two brick commercial buildings on the Northwest corner of Cogswell and Gottingen formerly home to Family SOS and radio stations.

I haven't heard of any plans for redevelopment of the site. Whatever gets built there will be under CEN-2 zoning with a maximum F.A.R. of 7.5 so it will be substantial and on a prominent corner site at the edge of downtown.

For future reference this is how 5515 Cogswell currently looks.

Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson)

Keith P. · #**9896** Posted **Sep 21, 2020, 11:33 AM**

The nearest thing to a flatiron-style building we have; will be a bit sorry to see it go. It still looks good for what it is and being 70 years old.

teddifax · #**9897** Posted **Sep 21, 2020, 4:12 PM**

What does a F.A.R. of 7.5 mean exactly... Please explain like I don't understand... which is what it is... ha, ha...

Phalanx · #**9898** Posted **Sep 21, 2020, 4:37 PM**

Here's a good explanation of FAR with diagrams:
https://www.shapeyourcityhalifax.ca/...ocuments/15253

Basically if the building takes up its entire site and all floors are equal, then it can be 7.5 stories high. If it takes up less area, then it can be taller (up to a point). In all likelihood, only the podium would use close to the maximum plot area, so it could be several stories taller.

teddifax · #**9899** Posted **Sep 21, 2020, 5:06 PM**

Thank you so much... reading this now.

Jonovision · #**9900** Posted **Sep 26, 2020, 5:11 PM**

Saw this in the Toronto Thread:

https://canada.constructconnect.com/...NT-mainweb.jpg

It's the new bridge for the large Port Lands development. It is being fabricated and painted here in Woodside and then shipped to Toronto.