Development Rumours

[someone123]

There was more news in ANS about the redevelopment of Brunswick Place, formerly known as the Trademart Building. The plan is for a 15-storey residential tower to be built as-of-right. There was no timeline given but it could happen pretty quickly.

It will be interesting to see renderings of this. I wonder how much they are going to overhaul the existing street level parts of the Trademart building on Brunswick and Cogswell.

The apartments across Cogswell are also being renovated, there's the Citadel Hotel construction on the next corner, and eventually there should be a new tower built on the former Trinity church site. I have a feeling that this neighbourhood will be totally transformed in a few years. The added residents should have a positive impact on Gottingen Street and having some more pedestrian-friendly buildings in this area could go a long way toward tying the downtown and North End back together. Better development in this area also increases the likelihood that future development of the Cogswell interchange will be successful.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by JET

http://www.halifax.ca/planning/herfaqs.html
looks like it takes up to one year to gain approval for demolition, and if the request is denied, the property can go ahead and demolish after one year delay from the date of application. So if it takes up to one year, looks like it can be demolished once the request is denied. that guard dog's got no teeth

I think the FAQ on the HRM website is out of date. They cite the Heritage Property Act but the delay before issuing a demolition permit was increased in 2010 to 3 years, as sdm mentioned: http://nslegislature.ca/legc/statutes/heritage.htm

Personally I don't think that rule is a very effective one. Maybe sometimes buildings can be saved during the "cooldown" period but it is much better to provide incentives so that the owners don't want to demolish in the first place. The policy treats a symptom (demolition) but there's a tendency for heritage groups to ignore the root problem (economics).

[teddifax]

Originally Posted by someone123

There was more news in ANS about the redevelopment of Brunswick Place, formerly known as the Trademart Building. The plan is for a 15-storey residential tower to be built as-of-right. There was no timeline given but it could happen pretty quickly.

It will be interesting to see renderings of this. I wonder how much they are going to overhaul the existing street level parts of the Trademart building on Brunswick and Cogswell.

The apartments across Cogswell are also being renovated, there's the Citadel Hotel construction on the next corner, and eventually there should be a new tower built on the former Trinity church site. I have a feeling that this neighbourhood will be totally transformed in a few years. The added residents should have a positive impact on Gottingen Street and having some more pedestrian-friendly buildings in this area could go a long way toward tying the downtown and North End back together. Better development in this area also increases the likelihood that future development of the Cogswell interchange will be successful.

Can't wait to see information on this. When the Trade Mart building was built in the 60's, it was, I suppose, appropriate for its time, but now with land prices such as they are, this is a low rise building sitting on a huge lot of prime downtown land. The existing tenants, along with the CIBC call center will have to be relocated, but with new development downtown coming up (TD Building - if they can co-exist within a TD branded building -and more developments to follow), this shouldn't be a problem.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by someone123

There was more news in ANS about the redevelopment of Brunswick Place, formerly known as the Trademart Building. The plan is for a 15-storey residential tower to be built as-of-right. There was no timeline given but it could happen pretty quickly.

It will be interesting to see renderings of this. I wonder how much they are going to overhaul the existing street level parts of the Trademart building on Brunswick and Cogswell.

I am looking forward to more details as well. There is an awful lot of space they could potentially be working with here.... Is the parking garage at all applicable in this possible redevelopment?

Just one tower? I'm wondering about the likely width of this proposal.

[someone123]

I have a feeling that the tower would go on top of the existing building rather than replacing it. There were a lot of planned tower sites in the original Scotia Square and related developments. The office proposal for the corner of Duke and Market is another example of this.

Apparently the office space in and around Scotia Square is 95%+ full. It seems quite successful. It just needs some exterior improvements.

[kph06]

Just got back from the VivaCity gathering, there two highlights for me. The Southwest proposal for Hollis St. looks great (I imagine images will be in the press soon, so I didn't bother grabbing a poor quality cellphone picture). Equally as exciting, Dexel (the Vic, City Centre Extension) were the ones who bought the land at the corner of Pepperell and Robie near the Atlantica - they are working on conceptual massing options.

[Phalanx]

Already there

Downtown apartment complex planned

[cormiermax]

Wow the Southwest proposal looks fantastic.

[kph06]

Source: Halifax Herald

Too bad the rendering doesn't show the top, it has an interesting open feature.

[Keith P.]

"21 storeys? Across the street from another massive high-rise if we ever get someone who is allowed to build on the Tex-Park site??? People will be blown down Hollis Street and into the harbour by the wind!!! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!! We must make this no more than 8 floors tall!!!" - some HRM Council members

[mcmcclassic]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

"21 storeys? Across the street from another massive high-rise if we ever get someone who is allowed to build on the Tex-Park site??? People will be blown down Hollis Street and into the harbour by the wind!!! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!! We must make this no more than 8 floors tall!!!" - some HRM Council members

If they build this, how will I be able to get my daily recommended amounts of vitamin D when I walk down Hollis St.??? I suppose it won't matter because the wind will sweep me away anyways!

[halifaxboyns]

Wow that does look good - can't wait to see the rest of the renderings for the building.

[teddifax]

Originally Posted by kph06

Source: Halifax Herald

Too bad the rendering doesn't show the top, it has an interesting open feature.

Yes, please let us see the entire building!!!!

[someone123]

Originally Posted by kph06

Equally as exciting, Dexel (the Vic, City Centre Extension) were the ones who bought the land at the corner of Pepperell and Robie near the Atlantica - they are working on conceptual massing options.

This is great news.

[Northend Guy]

I have a bit more info on the new proposal that is coming for the old Northend Pub/Diner site. It is an 8-storey, 70 unit apartment building, with ground floor commercial. From the initial elevations I have seen, I would say it looks like solid infill type construction. I would say it appears to be a step down from something like the new Gladstone building, but a step up from the Vincent Coleman building. The street level along Gottingen does look pretty good though. Definitely looks a LOT better than the rendering they had posted on the site a couple of years ago.

[teddifax]

Originally Posted by Northend Guy

I have a bit more info on the new proposal that is coming for the old Northend Pub/Diner site. It is an 8-storey, 70 unit apartment building, with ground floor commercial. From the initial elevations I have seen, I would say it looks like solid infill type construction. I would say it appears to be a step down from something like the new Gladstone building, but a step up from the Vincent Coleman building. The street level along Gottingen does look pretty good though. Definitely looks a LOT better than the rendering they had posted on the site a couple of years ago.

When can we expect a thread on this one?

[Dmajackson]

^A thread is usually created when the proposal is made official. So that happens when it gets a case number on HRM's website (for DA's, amendments) or posted in the newspaper (for as-of-right projects). A rendering would also be enough.

However I will add this project to the compilation list since a reliable source has stated some necessary details (floor count, # of units, and there are renderings made).

Just a question though; which cross street is the site on. Is it Bloomfield where that gravel lot has been for years?

[teddifax]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

^A thread is usually created when the proposal is made official. So that happens when it gets a case number on HRM's website (for DA's, amendments) or posted in the newspaper (for as-of-right projects). A rendering would also be enough.

However I will add this project to the compilation list since a reliable source has stated some necessary details (floor count, # of units, and there are renderings made).

Just a question though; which cross street is the site on. Is it Bloomfield where that gravel lot has been for years?

This is on the corner of Bloomfield and Gottingen St.

[Northend Guy]

Yes, it is the Gravel Lot at Gottingen and Bloomfield. If I can get some pdfs at some point, I will post those...although I suspect we will see something about it on HRM's web site soon.

[hoser111]

Anyone know what's going across from Paddlers Cove on Ochterloney in Dartmouth, next to Needs? It's fenced off and they were driving pilings in there this week.