https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4753/...8a8a1406_b.jpg20180221_131331_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/798/3...60ff6bbd_b.jpg20180314_143728 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

The fact that this is shoehorned into a smaller site makes it look like something from a bigger city (where space is at more of a premium). There is such a difference between walking around a neighbourhood where sites like this are filled with midrises and one where there is the odd empty lot. The narrowness of the street, the curve, and the hill all add a bit of charm too. Hopefully the finishes are nice.

The quirky 6 storey infill on Dresden Row is similar. I'm not sure there is any other Canadian city that has areas with that sort of feel. Modern medium density infill is rare in Canada, as are medium density neighbourhoods in general.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/805/2...e6d64cf5_b.jpg20180316_181608 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/806/3...028d3f74_b.jpg20180413_101243_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/829/3...b632d9ea_b.jpg20180423_201126 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/976/4...35a5fee7_b.jpg20180423_195205_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

Some fresh renderings up on the construction hoarding around the site.
Looks like a combination of aluminium panels and the ceramic panels that we keep seeing on new projects.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/957/4...39aec751_b.jpg20180504_180729 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/980/4...fb101fb2_b.jpg20180504_180607 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/948/4...f66af2cf_b.jpg20180505_112235 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

Great pics! This one is really coming along.

Wow! I'm surprised by the amount of progress on this one!

Visible behind the former library:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/953/41...12682465_h.jpg
Source

Wouldn't the library look good as a podium with a glass tower on top (or however many storeys are permitted by the viewplanes/ramparts bylaw)?

That would be interesting, at least you could get a few more stories, but there wouldn't be any underground parking for it.

I can only imagine the outrage from the usual suspects. :lynchmob:

This one appears to be topped out.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/905/4...625ce0cc_b.jpg20180512_144503 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/971/2...0b5c264f_b.jpg20180512_160102 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/956/4...880abd90_b.jpg20180512_144548 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

Great pics. This one seems to be progressing nicely. I'm betting their neighbors are missing the view already!

Be interesting to know how it is at the south end of that building, it was/is a huge wall of glass, I wonder how much of it is windows, now looking on a brick wall?

I don't know the particulars of that building, but I imagine that's the case. As it has been stated here many times, you don't own the view and anybody can build anything they like next to your building as long as it goes through the process (or, apparently, has good reviews on twitter)...

You could reframe the question and ask, if the views are so important, why the original builder did not leave extra space on their own land that they paid for to assure views in the future. This is possible in principle, and arguably fairer since the person who wants the view is the one paying for it.

The other reality in this case is that the existing building is a small 20 year old office building. A lot more people will benefit from the construction of the new building, and if the office tenants don't like the loss of views in the old one they can move out. In the long run, people and businesses in the city will end up with much nicer spaces if more construction is allowed. The city also has a bunch of nearly guaranteed views that front onto streets and parks.

It wouldn't actually be a loss to the city if that building was replaced with something nicer, but you have to have a certain degree of empathy for those who work there being left staring out at a brick wall. If you don't like it, you could quit your job, I suppose.

It looks like the original builders added that concave glass wall as a major feature of the building likely not thinking anything of equal or greater height would ever be built next to it, which was probably reasonable in the old Halifax.

View from Google maps 3D

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/951/4...d5496ae8_b.jpg20180515_201809 by Jonovision23, on Flickr