[Halifax] Spring Garden West | 90 m | 2x30 fl | Proposed

[Dmajackson]

Sounds like some details have been ironed out for Dexel's Spring Garden West proposal and they are going to submit plans to the city in the near future.

Dexel pitches pair of residential towers for Spring Garden Road
JAMES RISDON
Published September 6, 2016 - 7:42pm

Company consults with public for months before sending proposal to city planning department


A rendering of the proposed SGW development. The building is viewed as if you were facing south standing on Robie Street.

In 1972, Jack Lawen rented out the ground floor of a two-storey house at 5986 Spring Garden Rd. and opened up The Little General Shop.

It’s gone now and that space is now home to Efes Turkish Cuisine, a restaurant known locally for its heaping portions of great Mediterranean food.

But the Lawen family’s ties to the neighbourhood live on. It was, after all, on that block that the family bought their first commercial building.

And it’s there that they’re now planning to build their roughly $100-million Spring Garden West development after turning convention on its head by consulting extensively with the neighbourhood for six months prior to, rather than after, submitting their application to the city’s planning department last week.

...

Read More at thechronicleherald.ca

[portapetey]

Fingers crossed. I don't have a whole lot of hope for anything 30 stories in Halifax, but it would be great if it happened!

[someone123]

Originally Posted by portapetey

Fingers crossed. I don't have a whole lot of hope for anything 30 stories in Halifax, but it would be great if it happened!

One good argument for buildings of this height in areas like this is that people also want a lot of residential areas to be preserved. They don't want even medium-density development in areas with single family dwellings or rowhouses, and much of downtown is off limits for one reason or another. The peninsula will need some higher density buildings if it's to attain more than low population densities in neighbourhoods like this one, the densities that are required to support a useful level of commercial activity and public amenities.

Unfortunately some people are still of the mindset that new development can be stopped everywhere and they can have low taxes, great public buildings, interesting local shops, neighbourhood schools within walking distance, etc. Hopefully they will eventually accept that density in some parts of the city is a good compromise. Maybe the public consultations are promoting that message.

[portapetey]

Originally Posted by someone123

One good argument for buildings of this height in areas like this is that people also want a lot of residential areas to be preserved. They don't want even medium-density development in areas with single family dwellings or rowhouses, and much of downtown is off limits for one reason or another. The peninsula will need some higher density buildings if it's to attain more than low population densities in neighbourhoods like this one, the densities that are required to support a useful level of commercial activity and public amenities.

Unfortunately some people are still of the mindset that new development can be stopped everywhere and they can have low taxes, great public buildings, interesting local shops, neighbourhood schools within walking distance, etc. Hopefully they will eventually accept that density in some parts of the city is a good compromise. Maybe the public consultations are promoting that message.

Hear hear. Let's hope the perspective is starting to shift.

[JustinFromMontebello]

When can we expect to hear news on this?

[Jonovision]

Originally Posted by JustinFromMontebello

When can we expect to hear news on this?

Council will be getting a report sometime in the next few months on how to proceed with this and the other developments that were presented at the Atlantica.

[bluenoser]

Not sure if these have been posted elsewhere, but here are a few more views of this proposal:



Public atrium








Source (and more renderings): http://www.form-media.ca/spring-ga

[JustinFromMontebello]

Originally Posted by bluenoser

Not sure if these have been posted elsewhere, but here are a few more views of this proposal:
....

Source (and more renderings): http://www.form-media.ca/spring-ga

This looks great - one of my favourite potential projects at the moment.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Best proposal in years, I'd say.

Good public engagement / spaces on this one too. Much needed density.

[Keith P.]

That probably means it will get sawed off to no more than 6 floors.

[JET]

That woman with the red bag needs to get off the cell phone, but she sure does get around.

[portapetey]

Originally Posted by JET

That woman with the red bag needs to get off the cell phone, but she sure does get around.

Ha! Yup, there are a couple of them that are in practically every rendering.

[Corker]

Here's an article on the committee approval of this project last month:

https://www.thestar.com/halifax/2018...velopment.html

[hoser111]

Halifax council endorses 4 apartment buildings for busy city block

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...burg-1.5213119

Developer's plans include a public atrium, public park, underground wiring and affordable housing units.
Halifax regional council has endorsed two separate development proposals involving four apartment towers for a busy city block.

The proposed towers would be built at Robie Street and Coburg Road and could be between 20 and 29 storeys.

Dexel Developments wants to redevelop the north side of the block, while a development company run by the Rouvalis family has plans for the south side.

There are 14 existing residential and commercial properties on each redevelopment site, which total 1.4 hectares.

Dexel's proposal had included a 30-storey building, but municipal planners recommended changes that would create a maximum height of 90 metres, or 26 to 28 storeys for both properties.......

[someone123]

https://twitter.com/DexelHFX/status/1386684552920326146

[kph06]

Originally Posted by someone123

https://twitter.com/DexelHFX/status/1386684552920326146

I think this relates to the Mumford site, West 22. The background mapping shows the Olivet Cemetery.

However, now that the George is starting to move residents in, I'd be curious what is next on Dexel's list. I think it is likely the Dennis Building.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by kph06

I think this relates to the Mumford site, West 22. The background mapping shows the Olivet Cemetery.

However, now that the George is starting to move residents in, I'd be curious what is next on Dexel's list. I think it is likely the Dennis Building.

I see! That makes sense too. It's a cryptic tweet.

It seems odd how long it's been with no news about Spring Garden West. I looked at the public consultation material and it was from 2016.

[Saul Goode]

The Dexel website only shows this, which it calls "April 2021 Update":

"The Lawen Group is pleased to announce that Dexel is currently in the designing stages with MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects for Spring Garden West.

Spring Garden West will feature two 30-story towers on a shared podium and include several heritage properties along Carlton St that will be restored."

That puzzles me - I thought the project at the Carlton end of the block was the Rouvalis one, Promenade Robie South...I must be losing it.

[kph06]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

The Dexel website only shows this, which it calls "April 2021 Update":

"The Lawen Group is pleased to announce that Dexel is currently in the designing stages with MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects for Spring Garden West.

Spring Garden West will feature two 30-story towers on a shared podium and include several heritage properties along Carlton St that will be restored."

In other words, nothing we didn't already know.

That's the first I heard MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects were on it?

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by kph06

That's the first I heard MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects were on it?

It took a minute for the name of the architects to sink in with me; when I read the blurb on the website I was more focused on just finding out if this thing was actually going ahead. Anyway, 30-storey towers (which is another topic; I thought Dexel had already cut them down a bit a few years ago) are not exactly MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple's typical gig. Presumably their involvement would be with the "heritage properties along Carlton St that will be restored", while Fathom Studio handles the towers. But, I'm just speculating.

I don't think I'd been aware until now (not that my memory is, um, perfect) that the Lawen/Dexel parcel included properties on Carlton. It now seems that between them, Lawen/Dexel and Rouvalis probably own all of the properties on the west side of Carlton.

I fully appreciate that private entities are entitled to keep information close to the vest, but a little more would certainly be helpful. Does anyone here have the current dope on these projects?