[Halifax] Citadel Halifax Redevelopment | 3X49 m | 18-16-16 fl | Completed

someone123 · #1 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 2:10 AM**

This thread is for the redevelopment of the Citadel Halifax Hotel site at Brunswick and Cogswell.

http://www.citadelhotelmakeover.ca/

worldlyhaligonian · #2 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 2:23 AM**

So, is this as of right?

fenwick16 · #3 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 3:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

So, is this as of right?

This appears to be within the HRM_by_Design height limits (49 meters pre-bonus height; and Citadel Hill ramparts-maximum, post-bonus height) and according to the website "All proposed upgrades align with HRMbyDesign guidelines, while balancing attention to heritage assets and contemporary architecture."

The pre-bonus and post-bonus height maps (maps 4 and 5) are in this document - http://halifax.ca/capitaldistrict/do...signManual.pdf

So it appears as though this can proceed without a special development agreement. It just has to pass the HRM_by_Design design guidelines. The height doesn't appear to be a problem. The website (http://www.citadelhotelmakeover.ca/project-qa/) indicates that construction is expected to begin early in 2012 and be complete 18 months later in 2013.

This is the location in Bing Maps Bird's Eye View - http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=rf7...NS&form=LMLTCC

resetcbu1 · #4 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 4:19 AM**

I love it ,I think it's great for that area and will hopefully spur more growth and development along what has been a blighted strip in a prime location for some time now

I also read a few comments regarding the designs/renderings that they aren't that great but IMO they are far superior to any other buildings in the immediate vicinity and look good. jut my opinion though

RyeJay · #5 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 5:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by resetcbu1

I love it ,I think it's great for that area and will hopefully spur more growth and development along what has been a blighted strip in a prime location for some time now

I also read a few comments regarding the designs/renderings that they aren't that great but IMO they are far superior to any other buildings in the immediate vicinity and look good. jut my opinion though

I completely agree

I'm beginning to get quite excited for the downtown!

halifaxboyns · #6 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 5:26 AM**

I was thinking about this tonight and the comments made about this going through HbD rather than a DA. I couldn't help but think back to a comment I believe keithp made (I could be wrong) about how HbD was a failure and had made things worse...

I'm starting to wonder if this wasn't a period of just getting used to a new set of rules and now people are getting the hang of it and things seem to be going better? I know that was the case when Calgary changed over to it's new land use bylaw. I was a development planner then and the old bylaw versus the new (2P80 vs 1P2007) was night and day and it really took a while for many of us to wrap our head around some concepts, despite having 6 months worth of training and quizes and stuff like that. I thank god we had a team of staff who wrote the bylaw 'on call', but it makes me wonder if now we're seeing developers, architects and even the internal staff now getting used to things? Thus it seems like things are flowing easier?

I could be mistaking that for just a new found optimism that's been created since the announcement about Nova Centre, while we patiently await the outcome of Ranks negotiations with potential tenants. Or perhaps people are realizing that the condo market in Halifax is stronger than it appeared and that people actually want to live downtown...

someone123 · #7 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 5:40 AM**

HbD is limiting in some ways but I think it is good for more run-of-the-mill developments.

The really nice part about this is that it's a kind of baby step toward rehabilitating the Cogswell area. New developments on the interchange lands will be able to tie in with these buildings to create more of a neighbourhood.

This could also be good for Gottingen Street.

eastcoastal · #8 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 11:10 AM**

I think this is a pretty good response to the area - I do have to say I liked the vintage style of the existing hotel buildings, and was hoping for a bit more of an homage to the modernist feel. I'll take this non-statement though.

ScovaNotian · #9 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 11:42 AM**

Is this proposal for two buildings or for three? The building at the far left of the image in the first post in this thread seems to be existing, suggesting that there will be three buildings. The other renderings on the website show only two though.

gm_scott · #10 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 2:00 PM**

"It is scheduled to open in fall 2013" -from the website.

Seems optimistic, but I hope its not too unreasonable.

RyeJay · #11 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 4:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScovaNotian

Is this proposal for two buildings or for three? The building at the far left of the image in the first post in this thread seems to be existing, suggesting that there will be three buildings. The other renderings on the website show only two though.

I believe they have yet to choose one proposal over another; they are considering both.

I support both. There is nothing offensive about these potential developments. Just plain.

someone123 · #12 Posted **Sep 8, 2011, 4:43 PM**

Several of the renderings feature the new apartment building. In some cases it's just drawn as blocks but it is definitely different from what's there now. My impression is that the two corner buildings are the hotel and the third building will be apartments.

someone123 · #13 Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 2:03 AM**

ANS reported tonight that the hotel already has financing, so they can proceed as soon as they get approval.

PoscStudent · #14 Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 2:21 AM**

My Mom was reminding me last night how she would never stay in this hotel again, maybe after a makeover she will reconsider.

Dmajackson · #15 Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 2:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

ANS reported tonight that the hotel already has financing, so they can proceed as soon as they get approval.

They also mentioned the two brands will be named in the next few weeks. Citadel will not be included.

worldlyhaligonian · #16 Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 3:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

ANS reported tonight that the hotel already has financing, so they can proceed as soon as they get approval.

Amazing.

I wonder if the ususal suspects will speak out against this...

beyeas · #17 Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 4:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

ANS reported tonight that the hotel already has financing, so they can proceed as soon as they get approval.

Yeah I thought it was quite interested (no idea how common this is) that this is not going to be a conventional bank finance, but rather it is being done through a direct investment from a pension fund! They didn't say which fund, but regardless, I found that rather interesting, as that strikes me as unconventional, especially with something like a hotel construction financing.

someone123 · #18 Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 4:36 PM**

One difference here is that there's already a hotel on this site that was presumably profitable for decades (no doubt they let it go downhill a bit once they decided to replace it). It's not quite the same as building a new hotel, even if the brand changes.

I don't know if it's uncommon for pension funds to finance hotels but they certainly finance a lot of other real estate ventures.

Dmajackson · #19 Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 5:53 PM**

Case 17179 - Pre-application by Chamberlain Architect Services Limited on behalf of SilverBirch No. 15 Holdings Limited to redevelop 1960 Brunswick Street, Halifax, into a mixed use commercial, hotel and residential project through the site plan approval process for Downtown Halifax.

A public open house will be held on Wednesday, September 21, 2011, 7:00-9:00 pm, in the Wentworth Room of hte Citadel hotel, 1960 Brunswick Street, Halifax. Representatives of Chamberlain Architect Services Limited and SilverBirch No. 15 Holdings Limited will be present to discuss the proposal and to answer questions from the public.

bluenoser · #20 Posted **Sep 9, 2011, 10:58 PM**

From the Chronicle Herald:

Hotel to be razed, rise again
Union grieves lengthy layoff during rebuild of Citadel Halifax Hotel
By BRUCE ERSKINE Business Reporter
Fri, Sep 9 - 4:54 AM

Quote:

The fully-funded, $60-million development will include two, 13-storey, hotel towers with a total of 278 rooms and an adjacent 130-unit apartment building owned by GWL Realty Advisors Inc. of Toronto that will between 15- and 18- storeys high.

Giblin said the project, which also includes conference space, street-level retail space, an independent restaurant and a parkade, meets HRM by Design development guidelines, including Citadel Hill view-plane and street setback provisions.

...

The new complex, scheduled to open in fall 2013, will feature stone and brick exteriors, sustainable building materials and a green roof.

http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1262242.html

It seems like each building will be a different hotel and if that's the case, it would have been cool to have two different buildings. Oh well. Looking at the renderings, I was wondering if the bulk of the exterior might be a light coloured brick and not precast. I hope that's the case.