General Updates and News - Page 15

Dmajackson · #**281** Posted **May 8, 2009, 3:27 PM**

Brewdebaker’s set to replace Lone Star in Clayton Park
Halifax News Net
By Lindsay Jones – The Weekly News

A local restaurateur is trading in Tex-Mex for all-American comfort food.
The lone location of the Lone Star Texas Grill in Clayton Park has closed its doors for good.
Now open in its place is a Brewdebaker’s, which is similar to the original flagship brewery and grill in Dartmouth.
Owner Mike Cormier says that after operating the Lone Star for 15 years it was time to part ways. He said people in Clayton Park want more mainstream food.
“The Lone Star was quite specialized. Their menu works better in a big city where there are lots of people,” Cormier said.
“It’s just that it’s a very narrow market and the sales, over time, were just slowly deteriorating. I could just see the writing on the wall. It just wasn’t a concept that I felt we needed to continue on with.”
Like the Dartmouth location, Brewdebaker’s has a mid-scale, Americana-style menu and at least a dozen types of beer on tap, including its own exclusive brews.
“It won’t feel as industrial because it’s not in a brewery,” Cormier said. “There will be something for everyone, from a pizza to a steak, to ribs to nachos.”
Cormier says the goal is to cater to a wider range of customers, including families, ladies out for martinis and appetizers, and those looking for some good comfort food.
The building has had a major facelift.
“We gutted everything,” Cormier said. “The only thing that’s the same as before is the kitchen is the same shell. Other than that, it’s pretty much all new.
“It’s definitely much cosier.”
While Cormier said the economic downturn makes him nervous about opening a new restaurant, the city is impervious to the slump.
“The economy in Halifax is not like most places,” he said. “We’re pretty flat. When the rest of the country is booming, we’re still just flat. So when it goes down real bad I think it stays flat, too.”
Originally from Moncton, Cormier has been working in the restaurant industry in Halifax for 24 years.
At age 15, he was washing dishes at a Bedford restaurant that’s now The Cellar Bar & Grill. He has been a cook at the Middle Deck, and a sous-chef at the Clipper Cay, which is now Salty’s on the Halifax waterfront.
“There’s nothing I haven’t done,” Cormier said.
He says the plan is to open more locations of Brewdebaker’s, possibly in New Brunswick and Ontario.
Cormier is also part owner of SAS Restaurants, which owns The Lower Deck and Brewdebaker’s in Dartmouth.

lindsayleejones@gmail.com

someone123 · #**282** Posted **May 8, 2009, 9:58 PM**

“The Lone Star was quite specialized. Their menu works better in a big city where there are lots of people,” Cormier said.

This excuse is pretty funny. A suburban tex-mex type place is too specialized for the city?

I think the reality was just that it was kind of bland and dated, plus there are new restaurants like Montana's in that specific area.

Aya_Akai · #**283** Posted **May 8, 2009, 10:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

“The Lone Star was quite specialized. Their menu works better in a big city where there are lots of people,” Cormier said.

This excuse is pretty funny. A suburban tex-mex type place is too specialized for the city?

I think the reality was just that it was kind of bland and dated, plus there are new restaurants like Montana's in that specific area.

You took the words right out of my mouth. I had a good laugh at that line as well. lol

That is just their coverup to say they weren't doing so good because of the newer restaurants in the area...

Dmajackson · #**284** Posted **May 8, 2009, 10:55 PM**

Burnside News - May 2009:

• Following in the footsteps of it predecessor, the Red Cross, Canadian Blood Services are also moving to Burnside. The agency has announced plans to build a 53,000 square foot headquarters and production facility in the Park by 2011. The $38 million project would replace the current location on Gottingen Street in Halifax, as well as the current production and distribution facility in New Brunswick. However, the move will also see donor testing services move to Toronto. That means both provinces are facing potential job losses.

• At the same time as Canadian Blood Services is looking to get a new building off the ground, a long expected building project looks like its going to get buried. Construction of a new RCMP headquarters was supposed to start this spring, but none of the proposals put forward by developers met with all the government’s specifications and established budget. That means the entire project is on hold until either new proposals come forward or the specifications are changed.

• Next door in Highfield Park, Rank Inc. is progressing rapidly on the construction of Lockheed Martin’s new HRM home. That home will now have a lot more ‘family’ moving in than originally announced. In addition to the 80 staff already employed, Lockheed plans to add an additional 100 over the next five years to handle expanding opportunities in the naval sector.

Dmajackson · #**285** Posted **May 9, 2009, 1:01 PM**

St. Joseph’s historic church reduced to dust
North-end chapel was rebuilt after Explosion
By Our Staff
Sat. May 9 - 5:17 AM

A church raised from the ashes after it was levelled by the Halifax Explosion is now gone for good.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Halifax’s north end was knocked down by machines Friday, almost two years after the Halifax diocese decided to shut it down.

About 700 people attended the historic church’s last mass in June 2006. While it was standing-room only on that day, the church had been crippled by declining membership and faced a repair bill of about $665,000.

Church officials combined the parish of the Russell Street church with that of St. Stephen’s Church after the 2004 report on the reorganization of the Halifax diocese.

Later engineering studies showed that St. Stephen’s needed less expensive and less immediate work, so services moved to the Normandy Drive church in the city’s far north end.

The congregation continues to worship there under the name of the Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta Parish.

The former St. Joseph’s site is a short walk to the historic Hydrostone area and a neighbouring Russell Street condominium development called Hydrostone Place.

According to the parish’s website, the St. Joseph’s property was sold in March 2008 to ECL Developments, which requested the development be called St. Joseph’s Square.

While many of the pieces from within the church — the chalices, statues and church records — were brought to the new parish, several items were given away. The stained glass windows dedicated in 1987 to victims of the Halifax Explosion were given to ECL "on the stipulation that they only be used in the development on the (church) property," the parish website states.

The church, which celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2005, was destroyed in the Dec. 6, 1917, blast in Halifax Harbour that devastated the city. Members worshipped in the church’s basement until the new church was completed in 1961.

Just to give an exact location of this it is one block over from 5552 Kaye Street. Also I'll try to remember to get a shot when I'm visting 5552 Kaye today.

Keith P. · #**286** Posted **May 9, 2009, 4:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

The church, which celebrated its 140th anniversary in 2005, was destroyed in the Dec. 6, 1917, blast in Halifax Harbour that devastated the city. Members worshipped in the church’s basement until the new church was completed in 1961.

I grew up in that area and attended that church as a kid. As students at the adjacent school we would occasionally be herded into the basement for some sort of service. I always found it strange that it seemed to be 2 churches in one -- the newer, glitztier upstairs, and the older, workmanlike one in the basement.

I think it's unfortunate that the developer couldn't find a way to incorporate the structure into the development.

Dmajackson · #**287** Posted **May 9, 2009, 5:10 PM**

Here are some photos from today about the St. Joseph's Church (all taken by me);

someone123 · #**288** Posted **May 9, 2009, 8:24 PM**

It does seem like a waste to be tearing down buildings like that. Hopefully the replacement will be nice.

DigitalNinja · #**289** Posted **May 10, 2009, 2:44 AM**

Whats going up in it's place?

gm_scott · #**290** Posted **May 10, 2009, 1:48 PM**

Condos apparently

hfx_chris · #**291** Posted **May 10, 2009, 2:14 PM**

I have to admit, I always hate seeing churches torn down...

planarchy · #**292** Posted **May 10, 2009, 5:11 PM**

From Ekistics website

DigitalNinja · #**293** Posted **May 10, 2009, 5:29 PM**

Looks nice will go nicely with the one going up on kay street and the hydro stone.

Dmajackson · #**294** Posted **May 10, 2009, 7:07 PM**

Ah WoW!

I was not expecting anything that impressive!

If this goes through Gottigen will look a lot different!

dartmouthian · #**295** Posted **May 11, 2009, 2:36 AM**

not bad looking. I hate those fake roofs, but it's certainly better than most of the stuff that's been built in that area recently

Dmajackson · #**296** Posted **May 11, 2009, 1:56 PM**

I think it was in this thread that the area around Murphy's on the Water is being refirbished with new boardwalk right now.

It turns out HRM is also planning to place new boardwalk on Sackville Landing before the Tall Ships festival;

Sackville Landing Boardwalk

Jonovision · #**297** Posted **May 11, 2009, 3:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

I think it was in this thread that the area around Murphy's on the Water is being refirbished with new boardwalk right now.

It turns out HRM is also planning to place new boardwalk on Sackville Landing before the Tall Ships festival;

Sackville Landing Boardwalk

That is the work that has been going on down in front of the museum for the past month I believe. I was down there yesterday and its coming along. They are rebuilding that entire section one piece at a time it seems.

Dmajackson · #**298** Posted **May 11, 2009, 4:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonovision

That is the work that has been going on down in front of the museum for the past month I believe. I was down there yesterday and its coming along. They are rebuilding that entire section one piece at a time it seems.

Actually if you look at the map provided in the link its the area around the wave. You can actually see the construction fence for the area currently under construction in it.

miesh111 · #**299** Posted **May 11, 2009, 5:16 PM**

I believe that it is all part of the plan to have the entire waterfront walk made an actual 'boardwalk', out of wood. We always tout that we have the longest boardwalk in the world, however much of it is gravel or paved. This, in adition to the work just before Bishop's Landing, as well as the revamp at the maratime museum should actually make it continous wood from the Purdy's all the way to the seaport.

Barrington south · #**300** Posted **May 11, 2009, 7:37 PM**

not sure if it has been mentioned before, if it has, my bad....but Frozen Ocean, the surf and surf apparel shop on Barrington is now apearantly out of business....the building is completely empty, and I don't just mean empty shelves and racks....it's basically gutted....so sad...but I guess IF Only took a massive chunk of their business.....IF Only is in every way a superior surf shop, especially for actually surf gear, not just bikini's and Billabong t-shirts....man, as soon as I saw this, I immidietly thought to my self, what Someone123 said is true, Barrington st. is starting to look like the main street of a dying Midwestern city, where all the business has migrated to the boonies....it's very depressing....man, downtown seriously needs many more people living there