[Halifax] The Roy Halifax | 71 m | 22 fl | Completed

[Jonovision]

20180122_120201 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20180122_120257 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[Jonovision]

20180204_121654 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[RoshanMcG]

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[ILoveHalifax]

Originally Posted by RoshanMcG

Source

This to me looks even worse than anything I'd have ever thought, way worse than the old falling down Roy building.
Sometimes it is good to just let the past die and start from scratch with new and exciting architecture.
To me it looks like an eyesore on Barrington St and it will take along time til it is ready to come down and be replaced
Just saying

[mleblanc]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

This to me looks even worse than anything I'd have ever thought, way worse than the old falling down Roy building.
Sometimes it is good to just let the past die and start from scratch with new and exciting architecture.
To me it looks like an eyesore on Barrington St and it will take along time til it is ready to come down and be replaced
Just saying

Top half looks great. Not sure about the faux 19th century parkade as a base. Still, overall a nice development in my opinion. The final details can make or break the development though.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by mleblanc

Top half looks great. Not sure about the faux 19th century parkade as a base. Still, overall a nice development in my opinion. The final details can make or break the development though.

Yes, it is hard to tell how the base is going to look in a half-finished state like this. I like a bunch of what I see so far though:

- Taller ground floor levels and nice big storefront windows
- Regular proportions for windows and entryways
- Lintels seem to be sandstone

It will be interesting to see what retail tenants Starfish can attract to the ground floor when this development is done. They managed to get Urban Outfitters across the street, and this will be one of the nicer retail spaces downtown. The Doyle has a lot of potential as well. There aren't many attractive, large, modern retail spaces along the key commercial streets in the city.

[OldDartmouthMark]

FWIW, they had to work too hard at taking down the original Roy Building to call it "falling down" - the robustness of the structural components that were holding it up makes me believe it was built to last.

Though I would have preferred them to keep the original building materials and configuration as I understood the initial concept to be, I have to agree with someone123 that the retail level has the potential to be somewhat grand, and that it's unfair to judge it based on its unfinished state.

Personally I think it will look quite good when it's finally done, and will still fit in with the character of the street. But of course, that's just IMHO.

[ILoveHalifax]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

FWIW, they had to work too hard at taking down the original Roy Building to call it "falling down" - the robustness of the structural components that were holding it up makes me believe it was built to last.

Though I would have preferred them to keep the original building materials and configuration as I understood the initial concept to be, I have to agree with someone123 that the retail level has the potential to be somewhat grand, and that it's unfair to judge it based on its unfinished state.

Personally I think it will look quite good when it's finally done, and will still fit in with the character of the street. But of course, that's just IMHO.

For what it's worth, there were wooden canopies over the sidewalk along Granville St to protect pedestrians from falling parts of the building - it wasn't there to create shade from the sun

[IanWatson]

I dunno, I think this one is turning out pretty nicely. I flip flop on the appropriateness of reconstructions, but this is certainly one of the best reconstructions in this city. The lintels are indeed sandstone, though they feel a little like they're fake because they don't extend past the width of the windows. I.e. it's clear they are "window dressing", and not playing any structural role for the windows.

I think part of the reason that photo looks so harsh is that the photographer took the liberty of jacking contrast to 11.

Any word on if the addition on top of the Little Mysteries building is still a go?

[mleblanc]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

Any word on if the addition on top of the Little Mysteries building is still a go?

According to Starfish's website, it's approved. Not sure what they are waiting for.

Originally Posted by someone123

It will be interesting to see what retail tenants Starfish can attract to the ground floor when this development is done. They managed to get Urban Outfitters across the street, and this will be one of the nicer retail spaces downtown. The Doyle has a lot of potential as well. There aren't many attractive, large, modern retail spaces along the key commercial streets in the city.

Judging by their video, looks like they have some high hopes tenant wise. Here's to hoping for another urban grocery store getting thrown in there. Either way, I'd love to see Barrington and Spring Garden connected as the shopping corridor of downtown eventually.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

For what it's worth, there were wooden canopies over the sidewalk along Granville St to protect pedestrians from falling parts of the building - it wasn't there to create shade from the sun

No kidding, the masonry needed work due to age and deferred maintenance. It was cheaper and easier to construct canopies than do proper maintenance/repairs, and makes it easier to argue for leveling the structure rather than finding a way to maintain it.

However, that hardly constitutes the building "falling down".

Regardless, what's done is done and I remain optimistic that this will turn out well when finished, and fit in with its surroundings in the Barrington Street Heritage Conservation District, even if this building isn't technically a "heritage building".

[OldDartmouthMark]

Here's a pic posted by ziobrop on page 27 of this thread of an excavator working on top of this "falling down" building during demolition...

[Jonovision]

20180206_154541 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

This to me looks even worse than anything I'd have ever thought, way worse than the old falling down Roy building.
Sometimes it is good to just let the past die and start from scratch with new and exciting architecture.
To me it looks like an eyesore on Barrington St and it will take along time til it is ready to come down and be replaced
Just saying

I have to disagree - so far this is looking like one of the better additions to Halifax. Maybe I'm missing the part you feel is an eyesore...

...I also reserve the right to join in on the Roy-bashing in the future should the final stretches of exterior finish not live up to my expectations. LOL

In all seriousness - could you elaborate on the parts you don't like? I'm interested to understand what it is that you feel has let you down.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

I have to disagree - so far this is looking like one of the better additions to Halifax. Maybe I'm missing the part you feel is an eyesore...

...I also reserve the right to join in on the Roy-bashing in the future should the final stretches of exterior finish not live up to my expectations. LOL

In all seriousness - could you elaborate on the parts you don't like? I'm interested to understand what it is that you feel has let you down.

I like it so far as well... but also, reserve judgement until I see how accurately they recreate the top of the facade.

[ILoveHalifax]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

I have to disagree - so far this is looking like one of the better additions to Halifax. Maybe I'm missing the part you feel is an eyesore...

...I also reserve the right to join in on the Roy-bashing in the future should the final stretches of exterior finish not live up to my expectations. LOL

In all seriousness - could you elaborate on the parts you don't like? I'm interested to understand what it is that you feel has let you down.

Well now I have to explain my preferences? This is getting to be work - lol
I never was impressed with the Roy building in the first place, never thought it of great interest or anything that needed to be preserved. There was nothing of the architecture I liked and it was built in pieces over a period of time. I also dislike the way the class upper portion is nothing but a glass upper portion - no design to it.
I would have preferred they demolish the whole thing and start with a 22nd century design that would have been a showstopper for the central location

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by ILoveHalifax

Well now I have to explain my preferences? This is getting to be work - lol
I never was impressed with the Roy building in the first place, never thought it of great interest or anything that needed to be preserved. There was nothing of the architecture I liked and it was built in pieces over a period of time. I also dislike the way the class upper portion is nothing but a glass upper portion - no design to it.
I would have preferred they demolish the whole thing and start with a 22nd century design that would have been a showstopper for the central location

Got it. Appreciate you taking the time: I was interested in what it was that was affecting your perception of this project.

[Duff]

[Jonovision]

20180221_123948_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20180221_124114_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20180222_071532_HDR by Jonovision23, on Flickr

[Jonovision]

20180314_143532 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20180315_071550 by Jonovision23, on Flickr

20180315_071716 by Jonovision23, on Flickr