[Halifax] Theatre Lofts | ? m | 4 fl | Completed

[Jonovision]

I attended a fusion information session today regarding a new as of right development located on Gottingen street. It will be built on the lot west of the new Palukas Gym (sorry if I misspelled it). The developer is Atlantic Developments Inc. with Michael Napier as the architect. The website is not yet up so I don't have any renderings to show. But the plan calls for two retail spaces at street level with parking built in behind those. On top of the parking structure will be built a central courtyard flanked by two 3 storey structures on either side. There will be a total of 43 condo units of 1 and 2 bedrooms. The design looks like a cross between the feel of W Suites from the Street with some of the colour and possibly materials of Spice with the added amenity of the inner courtyard.

Right now they are constructing the sales centre/model unit on site. They hope to have everything done by summer 2010.

I really like the look of it. It's a good infill development and something we need more of all over the city.

[sdm]

Cool

was waiting to hear something on this one

[Keith P.]

Tough sell. That is a very bad area.

[someone123]

Great news. Halifax would be so much more of a city if everything up to North Street filled in a bit more and got busier. Already that has been happening at a much faster pace than I would have expected.

[someone123]

Looks like the website will be here: http://www.theatrelofts.ca/

[hfx_chris]

Speaking of theatres, are they doing anything with the old Vogue theatre building? I haven't been up Gottingen in months... actually, probably not since last winter. Wow. Anyway, I recall them doing some sort of work there, wondering if anything ever happened.

[Jonovision]

This is not the bad area that everyone makes it out to be. Gottingen has its faults, but its a very eclectic neighbourhood. It is also starting to be very gentrified. Some of the houses just up a block from here are selling for over 600K. Mind you, it is not for everyone. I like it though.

[Takeo]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

This is not the bad area that everyone makes it out to be. Gottingen has its faults, but its a very eclectic neighbourhood. It is also starting to be very gentrified. Some of the houses just up a block from here are selling for over 600K. Mind you, it is not for everyone. I like it though.

I agree. I'm tired of that old stereotype. I think it's a great area. I'd rather live there than the south end (for example). No character or sense of community. And the drunk students cause a lot more problems and property damage than the few addicts you have in the gottingen area.

So are there renderings anywhere?

[Jonovision]

The renderings are only on a select few computers at the moment.

[spaustin]

Originally Posted by Takeo

I agree. I'm tired of that old stereotype. I think it's a great area. I'd rather live there than the south end (for example). No character or sense of community. And the drunk students cause a lot more problems and property damage than the few addicts you have in the gottingen area.

So are there renderings anywhere?

The area is improving. I visited a friend in the area and I walked up Cornwallis to the Commons from Barrington. I was surprised by the amount of low-rise infill. It's really encouraging to have stuff happening on Gottingen again. Still, I wouldn't say the street has turned a corner when so much of it still looks bombed out.

[someone123]

It is a little weird how Gottingen is much worse looking than any of the side streets. It will look even stranger as new buildings go up next to ramshackle, semi-abandoned neighbours.

I have an old photo of the street from the 1950s or so and it looks like Spring Garden Road (buildings like Dugger's and Mills Brothers, lots of people walking). Another one shows a department store on Gottingen in the 1890s with multiple floors and an elaborate staircase.

Basically Gottingen should be roughly what Barrington is right now and Barrington should have a lot more major retailers.

[Jonovision]

I saw an add in the Coast for this project this week and checked the website which has now been updated.

Here are the renderings for you guys to enjoy.

Gottingen Facade






Inner courtyard (Notice the skyline in the background?!)




Cross section of the courtyard

[Dmajackson]

Other than the strange place for the parking garage entrance that looks great.

That archway in the middle is a very cool idea

Another good project for Gottigen Street!

Just two questions where exactly is this street-wise? I'm not familiar with Gottigen buildings....And is that a solar panel in the courtyard (the white triangle thing)?

[someone123]

Looks like a great addition to the street. I agree about the parking garage door. It's too bad they couldn't put it off of an alley or the street behind, but that configuration actually looks decent. There are retail spaces on either side, so there won't be a big blank wall.

Certainly this block will end up looking a whole lot better than it did a couple of years ago.

[JET]

It looks like it is located on the west side of Gottingen St, between Cornwallis and Falkland. In the second picture you can see the 'pink' building on the corner of Gott st and corwallis (Black Educator's building? ) Accross the street is the MacDonald Bldg (Community Services) The lofts will be across the street from the old menswear store (Vogue menswear?)
North on Gott st and on the east side of the street they are advertising condos for $300,000 ! in the building that used to have the pottery studio. It would be nice to get rid of the old Met.
JET

[sdm]

Hopefully the project is concrete construction and not wood.

[spryscraper]

Speaking of theatres, are they doing anything with the old Vogue theatre building? I haven't been up Gottingen in months... actually, probably not since last winter. Wow. Anyway, I recall them doing some sort of work there, wondering if anything ever happened.

I think that's been renovated into the new Palooka's.

[Jonovision]

It's located on the lot just beside Palookas Gym on the north side. If you drive by now it is fenced off and they have half of their model suite built.

The parking garage was one comment that everyone agreed on when we met with the developer. The issue is that this is the only street frontage for that property. So the garage entrance has to be there. People made a few suggestions as to making it a bit more attractive and I think the end product will be nice. I think someone might have even suggested making it out of glass.

I have a feeling the construction will be of the same type as Spice but I'm not 100% on that. During the presentation he did mention Spice a lot and comparing the use of colours and materials.

I'm not sure if that's a solar panel in the cross section or not, but that is the entrance into the courtyard. All of the units are reached through the courtyard. There are no interior hallways connecting them.

[spaustin]

Exciting times for Gottingen. It seems the street is on the verge of going over the tipping point. I went through there on Monday and was amazed at now only the new construction but also some of the sprucing up that has been done to some of the existing buildings.

[Dmajackson]

So if my mapping is correct this would be right next to 5505 Falkland? Or at least on the same block?