Do you think that it's bad to mandate storefront type retail, or do you just dislike the planning dogma?

I agree that it is a bit of a dogma. However, I've also noticed that there seems to be a big payoff to having a lot of modern commercial spaces, and I've been surprised by how many of these spaces end up being filled by novel businesses. This article touches on it a bit: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfo...ifax-1.5033256

Having low commercial rents really seems to increase the economic vibrancy and diversity of an area. This is part of the reason why I'm not so keen on how readily the old 1950's-70's office buildings are getting torn down in downtown Halifax.

There is a cost to forcing developers to build in a certain kind of space instead of letting them do whatever they want but it seems to be pretty minimal. Ground floor condos and apartments are not very desirable. For downtown Dartmouth, I think the ideal situation is one where there's always a good variety of commercial spaces available that small businesses can afford.

I think low housing costs are similar but we have lost sight of this because of the temptation of using regulation to turn real estate into a ponzi type investment and source of retirement funding. We would be much much better off in Canada if you could buy a decent place to live for $100,000.

Very few people in our part of Canada buy a home as an 'investment'.
Our home is not our retirement account. We sell it and move to an apartment and that costs at least $18,000 a year. Or we stay here for $8,000 a year.
If you want an investment buy bank shares - BNS is paying a 4.82% dividend and the dividend increases every year. A home has carrying costs; shares do not.

It's just that they parrot that requirement every single time. I get it, and it makes sense in commercial areas and on retail streets. but in largely residential areas, how many c-stores can one handle? It just seems absurd, especially in an area like this where there is virtually no parking and no nearby bus service TMK, so the catchment area is just local residents from within a couple of blocks.

BTW even though development in DT Dartmouth has been slow to come along, right now I am avoiding patronizing any businesses there because for whatever reason, the parking situation is just awful these days.

I don't think street level retail would have been such a bad idea in this case. There used to be many more small businesses local to the area that served the nearby residents and provided viable business opportunities to the owners. Most of that disappeared with the proliferation of malls, but I think that is turning around. So in this case it would be a good thing IMHO.

The bus goes up and down Ochterloney.

How many developments in Halifax have ended up with public parking (free or not)? This seems to be something that happens with larger developments, and it's one good reason to encourage the development of at least one or two big new complexes in downtown Dartmouth rather than only small buildings.

How do you think commercial corridors start?

BTW It's 2019, you can patronize a business and never walk in the door of the establishment so it's a pretty weak reason.

That end of Ochterloney is never going to be a commercial corner. C'mon, man.

If a business is operating online they do not need to have a storefront. Those small retailers that do have a storefront rarely sell online.

Considering Ferguson's was there on that corner beforehand and the diverse commercial uses that already exist there, I'm going to have to disagree with you because it already was one.

C'mon man, try getting with the times before you act like some sort of authority. Uber-Eats and Skip the Dishes plus a few other platforms for food are available for everyone who worries about overblown parking issues. If you build a relationship with a particular driver they will grab anything for you, once trust is established. I had my buddy Sayid grab me things from Shoppers after having some drinks and not being able to drive Friday night. It's a brave new world out there.
:cheers:

Ferguson's worked because they carried ever obscure part and they also had a parking lot. They worked despite the location, not because of it.

Plus any paint attachment and colour you could think of.
They will be missed next time someone knicks my car.

Ochterloney used to have a Bowlerama on that corner until it was converted to condos by Innovative properties.
To me, a paint store, gas station, vet, bank, Tim Hortons (former), cafes, diners, spas, churches and office buildings are the hallmarks of a commercial corridor.
It's sad really, how the viewplanes from a private property have hollowed out what could have been more than a good place for fiends to get their fix. :hell:
It's obviously has been shifting since they tore down that old multi-unit at the beginning of Victoria Rd. and Kings Wharf has spurred a bit of a Renaissance for the businesses but there's still a long way to go for Downtown Dartmouth.

The property on Victoria Road behind Lotus Point is to be torn down and replaced by a parking lot for tenants. Goodbye to 5 units of good residential living at a reasonable price on a transit route and a short walk to all amenities. So much for 'progress'.

There are no trees in front of this building, and no trees on Ochterloney in front of the Freemason's building (TIBS). There were trees on the two north side blocks of Ochterloney that are east of Alderney Drive, but they've been cut down. I would have thought that planting trees would be a requirement of new developments (Trillium has them) Can't understand why trees are not required.

Torn down today. Lots of good old lumber including real 4x4 and larger dimensions.
Asphalt will be arriving soon.

I lived in that building for over a year... it was a great apartment with VERY quiet neighbours!

I wish this had have been addressed during construction with additional underground added instead of wiping out a property for a surface lot.

It's not an issue of changing the design due to conditions, it was changed to add more units; the original stepped design, while nice, meant fewer units. The current building is quite dreadful in comparison to what was originally planned. :(

PS, welcome to the forum. :tup: