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  #61  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2008, 7:18 PM
sdm sdm is offline
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Originally Posted by Jonovision View Post
My understanding was that they were not able to maintain any of the facade and would have to dismantle it and rebuild it.
For the Roy Building, really?
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  #62  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2008, 7:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Jonovision View Post
My understanding was that they were not able to maintain any of the facade and would have to dismantle it and rebuild it.
Yep they're going to tear it down and rebuild it. I'm skeptical of how it'll end up looking. I suspect it'll end up looking like faux heritage. On the Granville side they're going to extend the rebuilt Roy Building facade right to the corner of Granville and Sackville where those two short older buildings now stand. That suggests to me that this is definitely more of a demolish and replicate operation. They'll have to use modern brick for at least that one section since the Roy Building doesn't extend that far right now... unless they're going to buy old brick to build it, but I just don't think that's very likely. I suspect that this will be a replica with new brick and much of the old will be gone.
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  #63  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2008, 7:54 PM
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Yep they're going to tear it down and rebuild it.
Well, since it is falling off in chunks onto the sidewalk (hence the arcade along Granville St) that seems a prudent move.
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  #64  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2008, 8:03 PM
worldlyhaligonian worldlyhaligonian is offline
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The language is not clear, but it would make sense for them to incorporate existing materials. I would hope that its not just going to be new brick to recreate the facade.

If they actually do this, it will totally come out as faux-heritage... these developers don't match the quality of the original developments due to the cost required.
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  #65  
Old Posted Sep 15, 2008, 11:39 PM
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Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian View Post
The language is not clear, but it would make sense for them to incorporate existing materials. I would hope that its not just going to be new brick to recreate the facade.

If they actually do this, it will totally come out as faux-heritage... these developers don't match the quality of the original developments due to the cost required.
Most new structures in Halifax constructed over the last decade or two are exactly that, because faux-heritage is all that was deemed acceptable for approval under our cockamamie development process. I strongly believe that in the Roy Building you have an unremarkably-designed structure whose facade has weathered and is failing. In most cases it would make sense to either tear it down entirely and start fresh or just keep the bones and design a brand-new facade. But we are saddled with this idiotic need to keep everything just because it is old regardless of merit, so what you get is faux-heritage by design. Don't blame the developers. They're just giving us what we say we want.
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  #66  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2008, 4:29 AM
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At the meeting my understanding was that they would take the existing building down and rebuild it with as much of the original brick as they could and for the rest they would use salvaged brick. Which would give it one leg up above the faux heritage crap with have, but not much better.

I'm torn on this one though. We have so few large older buildings downtown that it makes me inclined to want to preserve what we do have, but Keith P. has a good point. I just wish i could sort it out for myself.
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  #67  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2008, 10:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Jonovision View Post
At the meeting my understanding was that they would take the existing building down and rebuild it with as much of the original brick as they could and for the rest they would use salvaged brick. Which would give it one leg up above the faux heritage crap with have, but not much better.

I'm torn on this one though. We have so few large older buildings downtown that it makes me inclined to want to preserve what we do have, but Keith P. has a good point. I just wish i could sort it out for myself.
I believe it would next to impossible to save the original brick unless they left the facade standing while they constructed the new building. If they remove the facade there is no chance the original brick will be used. Mind you most the original brick is falling so new project or not it could be argued most of the original brick will be replaced regardless.

This project will be interesting to say the least. I always envisioned the Roy building be converted to Loft style appartments not office. Many of the plans for Barrington involved increasing the residential density above the ground floor in order to help support the retail merchants.
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  #68  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2008, 2:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith P. View Post
I strongly believe that in the Roy Building you have an unremarkably-designed structure whose facade has weathered and is failing. In most cases it would make sense to either tear it down entirely and start fresh or just keep the bones and design a brand-new facade. But we are saddled with this idiotic need to keep everything just because it is old regardless of merit, so what you get is faux-heritage by design.
In my opinion, saving the facade would be a definite plus. Sure it's not the most unique building in the world, but it is one of the few remaining buildings of its size and style in Halifax, the only other one that I can think of is the Green Lantern building right down the street. I know not every single old building is worth preserving, but put your standards too high and all we'll have left are Province House, City Hall, AGNS, and those two weird little Neo-classical buildings in the financial district.
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  #69  
Old Posted Sep 16, 2008, 7:45 PM
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The Roy Building has two important characteristics that make it worth preserving. The first is that it's unique in the city in terms of its combination of style, scale, and period, and the second is that it really helps to establish the overall feel of Barrington Street. Basically if it goes the street will be totally different and if it becomes a parking lot then it will be a huge disaster for Barrington. This project makes me fairly nervous as a result.

I've always found it a bit unfortunate that Halifax doesn't have more mid-sized early 20th century commercial buildings, but that is the period when the city wasn't doing very well. Basically Halifax was a mid-sized or "major" city up until the 1880s or 1890s and then stalled until 1930 or so. In the 1940s and 50s it was one of the fastest growing cities in Canada, which explains why we got things like Scotia Square and the bank towers, highways, etc.
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  #70  
Old Posted Sep 17, 2008, 4:32 AM
worldlyhaligonian worldlyhaligonian is offline
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Hmm... until I know more fact, I'm undecided.

This project and Waterside Centre don't really do it for me like some of the other proposals. Is it ignorant to believe that these proposals could be merely restorations and allow the other, more fresh and modern, approved buildings fill our downtown office/residential needs?
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  #71  
Old Posted Mar 20, 2009, 1:21 AM
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Some pictures of the site taken by me today;



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  #72  
Old Posted Apr 1, 2009, 12:33 PM
miesh111 miesh111 is offline
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This project was approved last night, according to the herald:

Four projects approved
HRM council gives go-ahead to developments at Morris Street, City Centre Atlantic, Roy Building and Discovery Centre
By JEFFREY SIMPSON and DAVENE JEFFREY Staff Reporters
Wed. Apr 1 - 5:36 AM
Four downtown Halifax developments have been given approval while council continues to ponder the HRM by Design strategy.

Councillors agreed Tuesday evening with a staff recommendation to grandfather four projects that follow the rules of the city’s existing Municipal Planning Strategy.

Louis Lawen of Dexel Developments Ltd. spoke during the afternoon sitting of committee of the whole about wanting to proceed with two downtown projects — an $18-million addition to City Centre Atlantic over Pete’s Frootique on Dresden Row, and a $16-million, 10-storey commercial-residential structure on the site of the old Victoria Suites apartment building at Morris and Hollis streets.

Reducing the height of his buildings would make them less economically viable, he said.

"None of these projects are affecting any view planes," he said.

Council agreed that all four projects must be completed within three years after they are started.

"Our intention is to go full speed ahead," Louis Resnick, who is working on the Roy Building on Barrington Street, told committee of the whole.

Frank Medjuck defended his $30-million development of the Discovery Centre on Barrington Street, pointing out that council was letting the downtown stagnate while the Bayers Lake shopping area on the outskirts of the city is sprawling out of control.

Councillors also agreed that HRM by Design should include the site of the proposed new World Trade and Convention Centre, a couple of city blocks including the former Halifax Herald Ltd. property and the Midtown Tavern site.

The first reading of HRM by Design will take place during next Tuesday’s regular council meeting.

Council also agreed in principle that two heritage conservation districts — Barrington Street South and Historic Properties and Granville Mall — become part of HRM by Design.

Council has scheduled three days, May 5-7, for public hearings on HRM by Design.

( jsimpson@herald.ca)

( djeffrey@herald.ca)

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  #73  
Old Posted Apr 2, 2009, 12:55 AM
eastcoastal eastcoastal is offline
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The project itself was not approved. Council's decision only dealt with the way the project will be assessed. The current MPS will be used, and the current development agreement process will be followed.

I'm surprised it was even discussed at council. I would have assumed it would have been a complete legal no-go to suggest that developers would have had to follow rules that weren't even in place when the applications were submitted to the municipality (the rules don't even exist today - HRMbyDesign has to go through public hearing and then a decision of Council first)
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  #74  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2009, 10:45 AM
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Here are two renderings taken from the architect's website [DSRA | Envision] showing views from both side. I don't know if these were the same ones released months ago - I don't remember them being this polished.

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  #75  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2009, 11:29 AM
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Yeah, I believe these are a little different from the older ones. I really like this proposal, it's sort of a compromise between old and new. It would be nice if the new was a little newer looking though, and the old a little older.
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  #76  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2009, 12:17 PM
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Originally Posted by planarchy View Post
Here are two renderings taken from the architect's website [DSRA | Envision] showing views from both side. I don't know if these were the same ones released months ago - I don't remember them being this polished.

I rather see all glass, but its scale is out of wack in my opinion. Less tower and total glass would be better.

The upgrades to the roy building facade and street level are impressive.
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  #77  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2009, 12:18 PM
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  #78  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2009, 12:42 PM
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It should be all glass. The front of the tower looks like some kind of 1970s hospital.
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  #79  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2009, 3:14 PM
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Those renderings do make it look a bit better. Especially the bottom half of the Granville Facade. That looks awesome! I'm with you SDM I think the scale of the project is bad. It is too tall for that base.

On another note. I found this on their website.

It has no label. I don't know if its just a generic rendering or not. But I would love to see this project in the city.
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  #80  
Old Posted Jul 30, 2009, 3:21 PM
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I like the rendering for the most part but the front does look a bit hospital-like. A change of brick there would go along way for it to match Barrington Street.
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