[Halifax] St James Place l ? m | 10 fl l Completed

[Haliguy]

I'm not sure where the thread went for this development so I started another one.

I got pic of it yesterday. They have been working on it for the last few months mostly interior work, but some exterior work as well. Its looking better especially with the glass railings on the balconies.

[Haliguy]

Actually I could have took at a better angle I guess, but didn't feel like getting out of my car because it was cold out. This weather is retarded.

[Keith P.]

It looks like someone took one of the old VG Hospital buildings and grafted some balconies on it. The exterior finishes are really unfortunate -- very institutional-looking.

Do developers demand these kind of poor architectural designs, or do architects around here fail to propose anything better?

[Haliguy]

I agree...I am pretty disappointed by the the look of this building.

[skyscraper_1]

It looks somewhat ok....One thing that will be interesting is how this building and the new south st. bld. will change the feel of the area.

[Haliguy]

Its looking better. One thing I don't like about are the small windows and the fact its another brick building.

[worldlyhaligonian]

It looks ok, I kind of like the institutional look of it... urban at least. Looks like half of Armoury Square.

What I don't like is the blank spaces around the building and its overall finish. The black metal railings look good though.

[Commoner]

agree with other posters that it has an institutional feel to it, I suspect largely because the windows are too small. Looks like the worst of 20th century hospital architecture, rather than anything residential. Keith P, I have asked a similar question to yours, so far with no discussion answers. Don't any Halifax based architects lurk on this board, and, if you do, any of you willing to step up and answer the question? Do architects sign their name to some of the ugly stuff in this city?

[phrenic]

This is the one that was foreclosed on, right? Any idea who has taken it over?

[Halifax Hillbilly]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

What I don't like is the blank spaces around the building and its overall finish. The black metal railings look good though.

Yeah I agree it does look kind of wierd sitting there with so much blank space around it.

I don't find it too bad looking, just pretty bland. I wish it was a little closer to the street, the setback is kind of awkward.

Is the building set on top of a parking podium?

[someone456]

Originally Posted by phrenic

This is the one that was foreclosed on, right? Any idea who has taken it over?

The company that held the second mortgage, headed by a individual known in the development game to be "sharp". Basim is his first name. The same individual owns the Kearney Lake Rd. Quality Inn and the Airport Quality Inn.

No construcution experience at all, so what does he do - fires Aecon, (the second largest construction company in Canada) off the project and puts his son in charge. I don't know if I see logic in that move. Word on the street is that it won't be ready for the summer rental market, however stranger things have happened.

As for the exterior, I happen to like brick.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by someone456

The company that held the second mortgage, headed by a individual known in the development game to be "sharp". Basim is his first name. The same individual owns the Kearney Lake Rd. Quality Inn and the Airport Quality Inn.

No construcution experience at all, so what does he do - fires Aecon, (the second largest construction company in Canada) off the project and puts his son in charge. I don't know if I see logic in that move. Word on the street is that it won't be ready for the summer rental market, however stranger things have happened.

As for the exterior, I happen to like brick.

Between the first developer and now this the building is sure to have a lot of nightmares to come. A shame really, as the building looks really good in my opinion. Then again its easy to dress a 3 up as a 9.

[phrenic]

Originally Posted by someone456

No construcution experience at all, so what does he do - fires Aecon, (the second largest construction company in Canada) off the project and puts his son in charge.

Oh, well that's reassuring.

[someone123]

I also dislike how the building is situated on the lot, although part of the reason why the building looks strange is that it's in such a sparse area. Fenwick's base is ugly and there's a Dal-owned parking lot on South Street with a cemetery across the street and a few other ugly 60s/70s buildings.

I agree that the fenestration is a little weird, as are the proportions of the bottom and top precast parts compared to the brick centre.

Some of the problems can be blamed on area residents. Originally this was a 19 storey proposal that was only built after years of negotiating.

[Keith P.]

This project is now complere with a "now renting" sign posted, and some of the units are occupied. Unfortunately the podium on which it sits which has a faux-stone facing abutting the sidewalk has already been vandalized with several grafitti tags, making the place look like a dump already.

[miesh111]

This building was recently purchased by "Killam Properties", Atlantic Canada's Largest Landlord.

It has also been renamed "The James".

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by someone123

I also dislike how the building is situated on the lot, although part of the reason why the building looks strange is that it's in such a sparse area. Fenwick's base is ugly and there's a Dal-owned parking lot on South Street with a cemetery across the street and a few other ugly 60s/70s buildings.

I agree that the fenestration is a little weird, as are the proportions of the bottom and top precast parts compared to the brick centre.

Some of the problems can be blamed on area residents. Originally this was a 19 storey proposal that was only built after years of negotiating.

It is my hope that the small building next to this will be replaced with a small tower as well.