[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]

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]

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
http://www.theatrelofts.ca/gallery/ext_1_full.jpg

http://www.theatrelofts.ca/gallery/ext_4_full.jpg

http://www.theatrelofts.ca/gallery/ext_5_full.jpg

Inner courtyard (Notice the skyline in the background?!)
http://www.theatrelofts.ca/gallery/ext_3_full.jpg

http://www.theatrelofts.ca/gallery/ext_2_full.jpg

Cross section of the courtyard
http://www.theatrelofts.ca/gallery/ext_6_full.jpg

[Bedford_DJ]

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.

[Bedford_DJ]

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

[Jonovision]

No, it's on the other side of the block. On the opposite side of Palookas gym. If you look in the renderings, the pink building shown along the street is on the corner of Gottingen and Cornwallis.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Looks ok.

I'm suprised by the amount of development in the North End, Quinpool is dying for some kind of tower... I think the Ben's bakery site including the rest of the block including the Maritime Business College would be great.

[Keith P.]

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

It is some distance north of Falkland. If you are heading from north to south on Gottingen, you cross Cornwalllis. On your left is the large red brick office building (MacDonald?) constructed in the late 80s. On the right at the corner you have the Victorian-repro Black Educators Assoc., then the former Glubes furniture store which has been used as a used goods store and storage facility for a number of years, then an empty lot. That empty lot is where this is going.

[spaustin]

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

Yes. It seems that regeneration has started at that end is spreading North.

[Takeo]

I don't know... that arch thing in the middle looks really awkward and tacky to me. I love the raised courtyard idea... very cool... but the execution is awkward and too traditional for my liking... big arch with a fake classical keystone. Yuck. And the garage door in the front is a shame. Not bad overall though.

[Takeo]

I think if they just killed the window / frame / proscenium thing in the middle... they'd have a winner. Upper story looks like corrugated metal. Lower levels look like cementitious claps I'm guessing (like on Spice).

[hfx_chris]

The units look very.. small. Very crowded.

[Bedford_DJ]

So has anything happened to this site lately? I never get up Gottigen so I'm interested to know how some of the projects are doing.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Instead of that embarassing keystone section, it should be left open at the top and a black metal railing should be across the start of the second floor.

[phrenic]

Inner courtyard (Notice the skyline in the background?!)
http://www.theatrelofts.ca/gallery/ext_3_full.jpg

I think that's the Toronto waterfront.

[Bedford_DJ]

^ I don't know about it being t-dot but is defenitely not Halifax's skyline.

[someone123]

Yeah, it's Toronto for sure. Those are the 70s waterfront condos in front of BCE Place or so. I'd definitely prefer that they remain in Toronto...

[hfx_chris]

^ I don't know about it being t-dot but is defenitely not Halifax's skyline.
Or Dartmouth!

[phrenic]

The Westin hotel (the building with the circular part at the top) gave it away.

[Bedford_DJ]

Or Dartmouth!

LOL

If only Dartmouth looked like that. All you see now when you look across the Harbour is green in the summer and a dirty white in the winter. :haha:

[Bedford_DJ]

Photos by me today;

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2427/3664391166_1ac87b57e8_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3299/3664393978_2f3ed11a19_b.jpg

[someone123]

Heard that a decent number of these are sold and that construction is expected to begin in the next couple of weeks.

I wonder what Gottingen will look like in 5-10 years..? Certainly seems like it is on a very different trajectory from the 80s and 90s.

[Jonovision]

I think this one is about to start construction. They moved the model suite this week. It's now located across the street.

Also, the building down the street from this near Menz is finally being worked on. The one that had a fire a while back and was full of plywood. They are adding a very very interesting cladding to it.

[Bedford_DJ]

I drove by this today and they have excavators on site.

Construction has begun :)

[Bedford_DJ]

They've added a few more machines to this site. And the site is now barriered off.

[Bedford_DJ]

There is now a chainlink fence up and they appear to be tearing out the foundation of whatever building used to be there.

[Bedford_DJ]

From today;

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2488/4231745781_f23314d7ab_b.jpg

[Jonovision]

The forms for the first foundations are now in place.

[Bedford_DJ]

The forms for the first foundations are now in place.

Already? They weren't even that deep down a couple of weeks ago ...

[kwajo]

Wow, I just walked past last Sunday and I don't recall seeing it close to that stage yet, but I guess they must have worked like madmen this week

[Halifax Hillbilly]

Already? They weren't even that deep down a couple of weeks ago ...

Can't be too deep to bedrock.

[Bedford_DJ]

Jonovision was correct. There is some frame work underway in the back-right corner. They don't appear to have space for underground parking though;

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4047/4313606579_8d8bc8a3ec_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2715/4313608545_b9f1c75628_b.jpg

[Jonovision]

I believe there will be some parking on the first floor. The retail will be on the street with a garage door that leads in behind where there will be some parking for the residents who all live on top of the parking and retail.

[Bedford_DJ]

http://i45.tinypic.com/2ng8nf7.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2678/4354255149_5317e1b308_b.jpg

[Bedford_DJ]

From today;

http://i41.tinypic.com/1zbevwj.jpg

[Jonovision]

You can also see the work being done on the high rise apartment in behind. Does anyone know exactly what is being done? Is the building going to get new cladding similar to the buildings on the corner of North and Gottingen?

[eastcoastal]

You can also see the work being done on the high rise apartment in behind. Does anyone know exactly what is being done? Is the building going to get new cladding similar to the buildings on the corner of North and Gottingen? I don't know what it is for sure, but it definitely looks like that type of aluminum composite panel system that is on the Northwood buildings at the corner of North and Gottingen