[Bedford] Westway Park | U/C

[Dmajackson]

Just announced today, Armour Group will be constructing a new data centre for Bell Aliant at the former Blackberry office building in Bedford. This building is the first of seven proposed for what is dubbed "Eon Square", the largest office park of its kind east of Toronto.

"Armour Group Unveils $200M Plan to Redevelop Former Blackberry Property in Bedford" - TheChronicleHerald.ca (11/27/2014) (http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1253762-armour-group-unveils-200m-plan-to-redevelop-former-blackberry-property-in-bedford)

[kph06]

Some reports are saying that the downtown Bell Aliant staff will stay in the Maritime Centre.

For clarification of an above comment, it is Armco that got the CRA lease in Bayers Lake, not Armour. Armour has done quite a bit for the downton core over the last few decades. They also some suburban developments, which is smart, makes for a balanced portfolio - not everyone wants or can afford to be in the downtown core.

[Colin May]

Armour Group unveils $200M-plan to redevelop former BlackBerry property in Bedford

...Halifax-based Armour said construction of a second building at the campus is getting away now. The seven-storey structure, which will have 120,000 square feet, is slated to be finished by the end of 2015.

The developer said EON Square will eventually have six or seven new office buildings at the site, as well as a hotel, restaurant and retail space. The project will be the largest campus of its kind east of Toronto, Armour said.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1253762-armour-group-unveils-200m-plan-to-redevelop-former-blackberry-property-in-bedford

I don't know if this should go in 'Parks of West Bedford' or a new thread or what. I do remember this more or less being the plan for the area right from when the Blackberry building went in.
A kick in the teeth to DT Halifax or a sensible decision ?

[DigitalNinja]

I don't think a lot of tech businesses are in the downtown of many cities? I may be wrong about that though I think a lot of them prefer suburban "campuses". I am assuming this is going to cater to the tech industry and not just a regular office complex...

[Drybrain]

I don't think a lot of tech businesses are in the downtown of many cities? I may be wrong about that though I think a lot of them prefer suburban "campuses". I am assuming this is going to cater to the tech industry and not just a regular office complex...

A lot of tech companies are actually coming back to cities, and creating urban campuses, in response to workers

It's part of the reason why San Francisco is being invaded by techies--they don't want to be out in the Silicon Valley suburbs anymore. Likewise NYC's tech scene, second only to Silicon Valley in venture investment.

Even on a smaller scale, you see start-up incubators like Volta Labs here in Halifax in urban environments (Spring Garden Road in their case) because that's generally where the workers/tech folks live and want to be. So there's a bit of a sea change happening.

[curnhalio]

A lot of tech companies are actually coming back to cities, and creating urban campuses, in response to workers

It's part of the reason why San Francisco is being invaded by techies--they don't want to be out in the Silicon Valley suburbs anymore. Likewise NYC's tech scene, second only to Silicon Valley in venture investment.

Even on a smaller scale, you see start-up incubators like Volta Labs here in Halifax in urban environments (Spring Garden Road in their case) because that's generally where the workers/tech folks live and want to be. So there's a bit of a sea change happening.

So naturally, NS would be behind the curve and propose a Silicon Valley type project right as it's losing favour worldwide.

Or will West Bedford have a more urban feel once it's more substantially completed and all these workers will live near this park and still feel connected to the urban scene?

[Keith P.]

So naturally, NS would be behind the curve and propose a Silicon Valley type project right as it's losing favour worldwide.

This is a private investment. No govt involvement. Presumably the Armour Group thinks there is a profitable market for this.

Or will West Bedford have a more urban feel once it's more substantially completed and all these workers will live near this park and still feel connected to the urban scene?

Innovation Drive already has residential on it with more to come as West Bedford develops. It will likely not be "urban" but instead much like the Larry Uteck Drive area. Many people seem to like that type of development even though many here do not.

[Drybrain]

So naturally, NS would be behind the curve and propose a Silicon Valley type project right as it's losing favour worldwide.

Or will West Bedford have a more urban feel once it's more substantially completed and all these workers will live near this park and still feel connected to the urban scene?

Well, to be fair, it isn't just NS—there's still plenty of this stuff happening, and Apple is opening this massive "Spaceship" campus (http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/09/02/exclusive-new-aerial-videos-show-apples-spaceship-campus-2-taking-shape) next year out in the parking-lot wasteland that is Cupertino, outside of San Jose (itself waaay outside of San Francisco). On Google Maps it looks like this (http://goo.gl/maps/0NykE).

And in Ontario, Kitchener-Waterloo is still heavily suburban-campus style. But KW's tech dominance is being threatened because a LOT of new companies are setting up in downtown Toronto, despite the higher costs, largely because that's where their "knowledge industry" workers want to be. KW is trying to sell itself as an urban destination, and trying to improve their downtowns to make them more amenable to tech companies, but they've got a long way to go.

So I don't know if we're lagging on this. But we're not leading either, let's put it that way.

[someone123]

So naturally, NS would be behind the curve and propose a Silicon Valley type project right as it's losing favour worldwide.

Yup. I work in the tech industry and know lots of people who work in a variety of companies here in Vancouver and in the Bay Area. The location of companies like Google in Mountain View is frequently (generally?) seen as a kind of drawback you have to put up with if you want to work for them. They ended up having to set up their infamous shuttles to the city to mitigate this. The urban offices of companies like Twitter are more desirable even when they are not in the nicest neighbourhoods and are becoming more common. Even Microsoft ended up locating their office in downtown Vancouver because they found that few employees wanted to commute to the suburbs.

This shift isn't something just happening now, it's been going on for about 10 years and it has been in full swing for about 5 years. When you look at the location of startups and even larger tech companies like Amazon here in Vancouver they are all downtown, in Gastown, Yaletown, etc. EA is an exception way out in Burnaby (which is maybe analogous to being in Clayton Park in Halifax); they are there because the current campus was built maybe a decade ago or longer.

It's not like you can't have a suburban tech company office, but on balance it's a negative whereas being located somewhere like downtown Halifax or even the North End would potentially be seen as an advantage by a lot of potential employees. The relatively affordable urban setting is probably Halifax's #1 advantage compared to other North American cities.

Another more general planning problem with these suburban office campuses in that there is no realistic plan for people to get to them in any way other than driving, and traffic around Bedford is already pretty bad. That's another potential advantage of Halifax that is being squandered; it could be the land of 10 minute commutes, but it isn't because of terrible planning.

[Drybrain]

It's not like you can't have a suburban tech company office, but on balance it's a negative whereas being located somewhere like downtown Halifax or even the North End would potentially be seen as an advantage by a lot of potential employees. The relatively affordable urban setting is probably Halifax's #1 advantage compared to other North American cities.



It's a good case of Halifax's intrinsic advantages being bizarrely overlooked by those in the position to take advantage of them.

Hell, as far as the North End goes, there's so much prime land occupied by low-intensity uses (like autobody shops and whatnot), that a company with the resources and wherewithal could easily find the space to build a from-scratch urban campus. Including plenty of parking for people commuting from suburban areas.

[halifaxboyns]

I'm struggling this one and it seems a few others are too. I don't think we are at a point that prime land in the Regional Centre has been used up - so I lean to this being something more appropriate for a Regional Centre site (like Agricola or perhaps Kempt Road).

That said, as Keith points out, this is a private development, so if they've purchased the land - they do have the right to apply for development. I just think a more urban site is better.

That said, it adds to my on-going concern about transit in HRM. It might create an interesting anchor from a future transit hub at the redevelopment at Moirs Pond. I can't remember the name of that cove! D'oh! But the point is that any future high speed ferry and LRT would likely have a station there - then connect to this area - but there may be a need to extend an LRT out there. It might be a good thing, but it creates a further need to think about in the future...

[curnhalio]

Innovation Drive already has residential on it with more to come as West Bedford develops. It will likely not be "urban" but instead much like the Larry Uteck Drive area. Many people seem to like that type of development even though many here do not.

I have noticed that whole area is growing quite rapidly with residential and mostly retail commercial so it makes some sense to have some significant, well-paying tech/related industry jobs nearby as an attempt to stem future harm on our traffic situation. Perhaps it's possible to combine the "city in the country" pitch with a short, comparably quick commute to work whichever mode you choose. If we aren't going to fix the traffic bottlenecks that are getting more congested over time, then perhaps we need to think about almost creating another city dynamic within the West Bedford master plan.

That said, it adds to my on-going concern about transit in HRM. It might create an interesting anchor from a future transit hub at the redevelopment at Moirs Pond. I can't remember the name of that cove! D'oh! But the point is that any future high speed ferry and LRT would likely have a station there - then connect to this area - but there may be a need to extend an LRT out there. It might be a good thing, but it creates a further need to think about in the future...

I think you're referring to Mill Cove. A very key node if the goal is to get people from West Bedford to downtown on a daily basis. With every transit model for Bedford that I've seen, they talk of a terminal at BMO Centre, or on an adjacent parcel of land. For the purposes of getting people to the peninsula, it's a terrible spot with shuttles ultimately required from there to Mill Cove to connect to the higher order services to begin with. In order for that to succeed, rail has to be the ultimate option with an LRT extension up somewhere in the vicinity of Hammonds Plains Rd where the grade is not so steep, and then through this complex and on to the rest of West Bedford. It's as if you build a proper LRT system from the outside in.

For the purposes of a central hub near the "business core" the BMO centre is an almost perfect location. A largely self contained transit network is ripe with potential to be created, using this complex as a main trip generator. Perhaps any future terminal should be within this complex if it truly takes off. It may even only require a few routes, but with good potential for ridership if it proves to be consistent and reliable. That's a lot easier to plan for when building from scratch, as opposed to force feeding it into an existing rigid built environment. There would still be connections to the main Halifax system, but ideally more of an express nature for those who still travel to the city.

[hokus83]

Does this have anything to do with the DDI investment of wanting to expend a Tech industry here.

[kph06]

Website is up and running. (http://www.eonsquare.com)

It features the below rendering which shows the building will be built on a parking garage podium:
http://static.squarespace.com/static/5473c809e4b0d6847ee4860c/t/5474cd30e4b06c4c0d3d635e/1416940849242/?format=500w
Source (http://www.eonsquare.com/#right-to-light)

I drove through the RIM lot over the weekend and I can't see any signs of a construction start.

[kph06]

Site work is well underway and a crane was getting assembled as I drove by tonight.

[kph06]

This crane is up now. It's a new to Halifax flat top crane. I couldn't make out the sign on it, maybe it's a new formwork company as the local ones all seem to be flat out.

[Dmajackson]

http://40.media.tumblr.com/ed6ee5941ce1cec4a791812cf39064a2/tumblr_o26roqsANM1tvjdq8o1_1280.jpg
Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson) (http://urbanhalifax.tumblr.com/)

[fenwick16]

You certainly get around Dmajackson.

Have you considering doing an Alexander tumblr section? It would be greatly appreciated :tup:

[Dmajackson]

http://41.media.tumblr.com/455be450dbebcca5177763cbd486ed21/tumblr_o6iamxEp0q1tvjdq8o1_1280.jpg
Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson) (http://urbanhalifax.tumblr.com/)

[HFX]

I work in the building next door, here's what the newest addition to the campus looks like from the fourth floor, as well as the amenities building being built (center). Those two buildings are connected via above ground pedway, and apparently the third building they build will be connected to the ammenities building in the same fashion. Sadly, I don't believe my building will get connected as per the rumours.

It genuinely isn't bad working in this area in terms of commute to and from the city. We often get executives from Toronto who just go on and on about the 360 degree view we have. Out in the distance is the harbour and the bridges, and then past Bedford it's nature for miles. Business is booming here as well, tenants are fighting for the new space and more businesses are looking for space.

https://i.gyazo.com/7e7a81495d77adf4ae712635cdd5bcf5.jpg

Closer:

https://i.gyazo.com/c3520e8f456286354eb91b84e1e45788.jpg

[OldDartmouthMark]

Thanks for the shots. That's a really nice view you have there. For my tastes, I would prefer this working environment to the more crowded downtown office area. To each his own, but that is a really attractive area and close to major routes to get to/from work. I can see why they are building there.

[Dmajackson]

I finally remembered to turn off the street to snap a photo of this building. :)

http://78.media.tumblr.com/a7d6fac2a05dd3be57c19ff57108bbe1/tumblr_oxkw8wi2UT1tvjdq8o1_1280.jpg
Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson) (http://urbanhalifax.tumblr.com/)

[hoser111]

Armour Group to expand Westway Park

The Armour Group Ltd. has ambitious plans for the former Blackberry property in Bedford it acquired in 2014, and it’s not wasting any time getting started.

Armour Group bought the property and about 20 hectares in 2014 for an undisclosed sum and renamed it EON Square, but on Monday the Halifax real estate investment company announced it’s changing the name of the property again — this time to Westway Park — and it has also acquired nearly five additional hectares of land.

The Westway Park name captures the forward momentum of the property location, according to the company, and better represents “the future of the property as a comprehensive park with urban offerings in a suburban setting.”

http://thechronicleherald.ca/business/1530644-armour-group-to-expand-westway-park

[Jreeb]

Does anyone have an update on the development of the Westway III?

[Dmajackson]

https://66.media.tumblr.com/5387fcf6a92274bf7bb4fd54edfdb6c3/tumblr_pzp80gjTVu1tvjdq8o1_1280.jpg
Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson) (https://urbanhalifax.tumblr.com/)

[Dmajackson]

Construction permit has been issued for an additional building on this site. It's listed as 79'125 sq ft and 7 floors.

[DigitalNinja]

Construction permit has been issued for an additional building on this site. It's listed as 79'125 sq ft and 7 floors.

Surprising they are proceeding with this now considering the current environment and the shift away from office space by many companies and tech companies in particular.

My company seems like after the pandemic it will shift everyone to a blend of working from home and working in the office cutting office space by ~50% while maintaining & growing new employees.

[RoshanMcG]

http://i.imgur.com/PjIhLFDh.jpg (https://imgur.com/PjIhLFD)

[Dmajackson]

https://64.media.tumblr.com/117798fcc5e2c4a564412e2a0366dc7c/c87af8d06a3a1959-1c/s540x810/7c6dd8a4a711e316200db45c7fe8cd7f40a20859.jpg
Halifax Developments Blog (Photo by David Jackson) (https://urbanhalifax.tumblr.com/)