[Halifax] Macara Presidio (5510 Macara) | 26 m | 8 fl | U/C

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

NRTH Condos has cleaned up this site and is no longer using it as a laydown yard.

The Grade-Alteration Permit was approved for this last week.

If you have an approved development plan with appropriate grade drawings, why would you need to apply for a separate grade alteration permit? Is this a prime example of HRM Planning red tape?

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

If you have an approved development plan with appropriate grade drawings, why would you need to apply for a separate grade alteration permit? Is this a prime example of HRM Planning red tape?

Often they're tied together as part of the full construction permitting package, but for big projects developers will apply for the grade alteration permit on its own so that they can start on excavation while they're getting full building permits etc.

[Dmajackson]

Housing Accelerator Fund proposed changes for this site;

• This property is consolidated with parcels on Gottingen Street that carry a COR Zone with a proposed height of 7 storeys, but the site currently has split zoning between the COR Zone and the ER-3 Zone.
• Staff recommend rezoning to COR to aid with the development of the site, and further recommend extending the COR Zone to the entirety of 5511 Bilby Street which is abutting the site and also currently has split zoning between ER-3 and COR.

Regional Centre Development Requests

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Residential Building Permit - New Building - Application Incomplete - 5518 MACARA STREET, HALIFAX - $12'000'000 - Dwelling - Multiple Units - 60 Units - 7 Floors - new apartment building

Now issued with some changes

7 Floors | 72 Units | Mixed-Use | $12 M | 5510 Macara Street, Halifax | Unknown

[OldDartmouthMark]

A question for those in the know, to satisfy my own curiosity:

If zoning was changed to allow 15 or 20 floors, with increased FAR to allow up to 200 units, would that substantially delay construction?

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

A question for those in the know, to satisfy my own curiosity:

If zoning was changed to allow 15 or 20 floors, with increased FAR to allow up to 200 units, would that substantially delay construction?

Likely. At a minimum you're looking at redoing all the structural designs. With that many extra units you're also probably needing major changes to elevators. I wouldn't be surprised if it essentially meant a full new building design.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

Likely. At a minimum you're looking at redoing all the structural designs. With that many extra units you're also probably needing major changes to elevators. I wouldn't be surprised if it essentially meant a full new building design.

Thanks! That info kind of reframes my expectations on building height increases for existing projects that haven't quite started yet.

Appreciate the info!

[Jreeb]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

Likely. At a minimum you're looking at redoing all the structural designs. With that many extra units you're also probably needing major changes to elevators. I wouldn't be surprised if it essentially meant a full new building design.

Especially if you are going from just a mid-rise 5-7 storey building to being able to build a podium + tower. From what I understand, the redesign would take a bit longer as it would have to incorporate the setbacks involved with the tower.

Hopefully, if something is already a podium + tower change like the 15 to 20 storeys, the redesign phase is much quicker and does not require a long approval process.

[kijoma]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

A question for those in the know, to satisfy my own curiosity:

If zoning was changed to allow 15 or 20 floors, with increased FAR to allow up to 200 units, would that substantially delay construction?

They also probably wouldn't have the available funds to undertake a larger project or it would take time to organize that even if they could. Plus, the larger the construction, the longer it tends to take to complete it as well.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by kijoma

They also probably wouldn't have the available funds to undertake a larger project or it would take time to organize that even if they could. Plus, the larger the construction, the longer it tends to take to complete it as well.

Great point. I hadn't considered that, for some reason.

[Dmajackson]

This is under construction now.


HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

This is under construction now.


[SIZE="1"]HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)[/SZE]

LOL - the sidewalk on that block of Gottingen will have been closed for a loooong time by the time this one is complete.