General Updates and News

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by HaliStreaks

Agreeeeeed.. walking along that stretch of Brunswick is so bleak. Once this goes up, with the tie-in of the new hotels & apartments on the old Citadel Hotel site, and hopefully something will happen with the old trinity corner sooner than later.. AND the cogswell/gottingen staples site redvelopment in the future. It's good to see larger buildings spreading out, and downtown starting to actually meet with the surroundings in that area, hopefully this can be a bit of a "spark" for the "reunification" of the neighbourhoods!

It's also great to see the development occurring in the logical, under-used areas just adjacent to downtown, rather than redeveloping the same already-built up properties and losing the existing building stock. I just hope that whatever eventually comes here meets Brunswick in an appropriately urban way to extend the main street quality (i.e., mid-sized storefronts suitable to a diversity of businesses) rather than a big wall with one front foor.

[scooby074]

The Dartmouth Refinery is closing. 400 more jobs gone and likely higher gas prices for us Nova Scotians. Not unexpected, but not great either. I had hoped that the talk of a new eastward crude pipeline would have kept it going.

Im sure many on here will be like "great, that eyesore is gone", but it generated lots of jobs and kept a lot of spinoff businesses going. More people to go work in Alberta I guess. The exodus continues.

And Ill miss the flare!

http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/bus...orage-facility

[ILoveHalifax]

I suppose we can start building in that wonderful view plane from Citadel Hill if we don't have a refinery to look at any more.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

I suppose we can start building in that wonderful view plane from Citadel Hill if we don't have a refinery to look at any more.

The irony about that viewplane is that it's actually supposed to protect the view to George's Island - the refinery 'happened' to end up behind it. Ironic...?

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

It's also great to see the development occurring in the logical, under-used areas just adjacent to downtown, rather than redeveloping the same already-built up properties and losing the existing building stock.

The rebuilding has been happening in Halifax for hundreds of years. The Bank of NS block for example on Hollis used to be a bunch of 4-6 storey stone buildings from the 1860's or so. All of the bank towers were pre-dated by older stone buildings. Projects like the Roy redevelopment are similar.

I think city planning policy encourages this indirectly by throwing up so many roadblocks in front of higher-density or more commercial construction outside of the old downtown core, which also happens to be where most of the heritage buildings are. Downtown Dartmouth is bad for this too.

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by scooby074

And Ill miss the flare!

I'll miss the 4pm Thursday fire drill that sounds like an air raid siren, and the confused looks of tourists - and locals - who wonder what's going on.

[Aya_Akai]

Originally Posted by pblaauw

I'll miss the 4pm Thursday fire drill that sounds like an air raid siren, and the confused looks of tourists - and locals - who wonder what's going on.

Funny story.. about a month ago they didn't do the drill, as I was standing opposite to the refinery on Pleasant Street, as I wanted to get an audio recording of the siren going off to share with my american tornado siren enthusiasts.. I guess my presence was enough to keep them spooked enough that they didn't do the drill for whatever reason, and had security come talk to me

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by HaliStreaks

Funny story.. about a month ago they didn't do the drill, as I was standing opposite to the refinery on Pleasant Street, as I wanted to get an audio recording of the siren going off to share with my american tornado siren enthusiasts.. I guess my presence was enough to keep them spooked enough that they didn't do the drill for whatever reason, and had security come talk to me

They should have just made it extra obnoxious.

Were you accosted by Men In Black?

[Aya_Akai]

Originally Posted by pblaauw

They should have just made it extra obnoxious.

Were you accosted by Men In Black?

lol more like subcontracted security guard in dirty coveralls and hard hat driving a beat up pickup truck... but I guess for whatever reason the felt that someone pointing a camera at the refinery posed some sort of security "threat"......

[pblaauw]

The area around the escalators and food court in Park Lane is being extensively renovated. Is this ALL an expansion of GoodLife?

And, Treats is now located at the back of the main floor, where Liquid used to be. It looks much more like a cafe now, and not at all like a food-court shop.

Photo of PL renos.

[Phalanx]

Prime property up for grabs in downtown Halifax
June 25, 2013 - 7:05pm REMO ZACCAGNA Business Reporter
Developer asking $3m for lots on Spring Garden, South Park

A prime piece of downtown real estate is now on the block.

Gregory Arab, head of Gremar Investments Ltd., owns properties at 5688 Spring Garden Rd. and 1485 South Park St., in Halifax and is asking $3 million for the two empty lots.

The Spring Garden property previously housed a commercial building that was destroyed in a fire in April 2008...

Continued at theChronicleHerald.ca

[Keith P.]

Alan Ruffman opposes every development proposal in peninsular Halifax, it seems. When was the last time he did not try to obstruct? He is a convicted tax evader and professional complainer who should be ignored.

[someone123]

Previously the owners had talked about developing that lot themselves.

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out since it's an unusual site in such a prominent location.

[teddifax]

Originally Posted by someone123

Previously the owners had talked about developing that lot themselves.

It will be interesting to see how this one plays out since it's an unusual site in such a prominent location.

I think the entire corner, including the Eastlink building should be developed. Build the site in 2 stages, making the Eastlink store the first to move into the new section and after the corner is finished, move into the former location. That way the entire site is developed making it a much more attractive development than an L-shaped one.

[ILoveHalifax]

The building to the south of this site is well maintained and adds a lot of character to the street. Then there is an old house next to that before the Trillium that's a real eye sore.
I think it would be interesting to see this stretch re-developed with several smaller buildings rather than one larger foot print from Trillium to SGR. So the strange shape of this lot could add to the interest. As well there are a few other buildings along SGR that could over time be redeveloped.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

The building to the south of this site is well maintained and adds a lot of character to the street. Then there is an old house next to that before the Trillium that's a real eye sore.
I think it would be interesting to see this stretch re-developed with several smaller buildings rather than one larger foot print from Trillium to SGR. So the strange shape of this lot could add to the interest. As well there are a few other buildings along SGR that could over time be redeveloped.

I think a case could be made for a large redevelopment or a small one, but I agree, a series of smaller developments would be preferable to retain the eclectic commercial character of the streets leading south from Spring Garden. And those character houses would be good to preserve--lotsa charm there, and lotsa room for redevelopment on the corner/empty lot.

[JET]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

I think a case could be made for a large redevelopment or a small one, but I agree, a series of smaller developments would be preferable to retain the eclectic commercial character of the streets leading south from Spring Garden. And those character houses would be good to preserve--lotsa charm there, and lotsa room for redevelopment on the corner/empty lot.

there's not many character houses left on that block.
http://www.htns.ca/pdf_Griffin/Vol39.4-Dec12.pdf
page 8 of this publication has an intersting South Part St. House, not sure if it is still there, probably not

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by JET

there's not many character houses left on that block.
http://www.htns.ca/pdf_Griffin/Vol39.4-Dec12.pdf
page 8 of this publication has an intersting South Part St. House, not sure if it is still there, probably not

Oh yeah, I just meant the two houses that are there now. (The Eastlink building is okay too, but I wouldn't shed tears were someone to put something better there).

[Duff]

Here is a small redevelopment on Windsor Street between Almon and North.

[W.Sobchak]

As much as infilling is important, if not more than the big projects of Trillium scale and up, it seems that these small buildings fall through the cracks when it comes to design scrutiny and use of streetfront. Almost no imagination or thought into how this could be an experiance to walk by as to walk in, but I have to blame architect hired/developer.

Rrrrrabble rabble rabble, good to see the area have more residences.