A general discussion of Fenwick

[Jonovision]

It's official now.

For sale: N.S.’s tallest building

By STEVE PROCTOR Business Editor
Fri. Jun 13 - 4:33 AM

The tallest building in the province is officially for sale.

Tim Margolian, vice-president of investment sales with DTZ Barnicke Atlantic, said Thursday that Dalhousie University has hired his firm to sell Fenwick Place, a 33-floor student residence the university has owned since 1971.

"This is a significant building and it will be marketed nationally," he said.

The 98-metre-high building has been panned in some quarters as Halifax’s biggest architectural eyesore, but Mr. Margolian said it is a signature building for the city.

"With what is happening in Halifax right now, we may never see another 30-storey building. For that reason alone, I expect it will get a lot of attention."

For more than two years, the city has been working on development guidelines for the downtown that could limit the height of buildings, except in a designated area around the Cogswell Street interchange.

No purchase price for Fenwick Place has been set and Mr. Margolian said it may be weeks before DTZ Barnicke Atlantic has completed its due diligence and come up with a Dalhousie-approved sales strategy.

Dal spokesman Charles Crosby said DTZ Barnicke Atlantic was chosen to sell the building after the university’s board of governors put out a request for proposals in mid-December.

Postings on several local websites suggest Fenwick Place might be torn down to make way for a condominium development. Looking out the window of his office at the tower, Mr. Margolian said he would be shocked if it were demolished."First, you’d never get approval to build to that height again, and second, there’s no reason the building can’t be refurbished at a reasonable cost."

Fenwick Place was intended to be an apartment building but Dalhousie bought it at an auction in 1971 after the developer ran into financial trouble.

The building will continue to be used as a residence for some 400 Dal students this fall.

Mr. Margolian said that given the size of the project, the sales effort might stretch into the fall or next spring.

( sproctor@herald.ca)

[Spitfire75]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

Postings on several local websites suggest Fenwick Place might be torn down to make way for a condominium development. Looking out the window of his office at the tower, Mr. Margolian said he would be shocked if it were demolished."First, you’d never get approval to build to that height again, and second, there’s no reason the building can’t be refurbished at a reasonable cost."

Any idea what these local websites he's talking about are?

[worldlyhaligonian]

A refurbishment has been discussed on these forms alot in the past... lol, I've actually made 2 calls... one about them possibly moving the houses for south park and brenton, as wells as the fenwick refurb. contest thread i made, let me see if i can find the link.

it would be huge if they rufurbished it to just make it look a bit better but not distort the original form too much.

[Amanita]

A word about the Maritime Center- I researched this building for a couple of high school projects, and learned about the reason why it's two different colours.
Apparently the concrete used for the facade was supposed to come from the same location as the original staff. However, somebody decided not to do this, and went looking elsewhere. End result? Mismatched facade several floors up. Apparently the building owners sued over it.

[Takeo]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

it would be huge if they rufurbished it to just make it look a bit better but not distort the original form too much.

I agree. Just don't paint it.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Spitfire75

Any idea what these local websites he's talking about are?

lol, i wonder...

[Spitfire75]

I was seriously asking. I know there's this site and SSC (which is pretty dead), but is there any other decent websites?

[hfx_chris]

I'm seriously wondering as well.

[hoser111]

Dalhousie U puts Fenwick Place up for sale
BY JON TATTRIE, METRO HALIFAX
The Nova Scotia Business Journal

HALIFAX – If you need a 100-metre concrete rocket in southend Halifax, today’s your lucky day. Dalhousie University has put its fabled Fenwick Place on the market. The university decided to sell the 33-storey monolith earlier this year and finally put it up for sale this week.

We’ve been reviewing our residents’ needs, and what we want to do is bring our students closer to the main campus,” said Dalhousie spokesman Charles Crosby. crosby said the 400 students living in the residence needn’t worry about getting tossed out, as their leases will be honoured and they will be assigned other places in residence next year.

Crosby said Fenwick’s downtown location will fire the imagination of some lucky developer. It could be turned into an apartment complex or a privately-run university residence. Those hoping to swim in the skies will be disappointed, however. Legend has it the big building has an empty pool on the uppermost floor -- empty, because the builder realized too late that if it was filled with water, it would come crashing through the lower 32 stories.

“I’ve been through that building, and I think I would recall a pool,” Crosby noted dryly. “I’m pretty sure that’s not the case.”

Dalhousie paid $5 million for the tower 35 years ago. Seller DTZ Barnicke says it’s had offers, but nothing concrete. And the price tag? They’re keeping mum for now, noting there isn’t a comparable building in the city.

Student Mathew Glin moved into Fenwick a few weeks ago. While unimpressed with the “anti-suicide” mesh over the balconies, he said it’s a fine place to live.

“It looks like it should be condemned on the outside, but inside, it’s quite nice,” Glin said yesterday. Asked if he would buy it, Glin declined to put in an offer. – Metro Halifax

[hfx_chris]

Concrete rocket?

Anyway, lets hope the new owners spruce up the exterior a bit. It could use a good scrubbing!

[alps]

I'm hoping for a refurbishment of some sort, I'd hate to see it torn down (though I'm hoping that's more unlikely now that there's a new building next door).

[Takeo]

What?! The pool story is a myth?! That story has been going around since the beginning of time!! I've told it myself many times. I had no idea it was just a myth!! Funny.

[alps]

Originally Posted by Takeo

What?! The pool story is a myth?! That story has been going around since the beginning of time!! I've told it myself many times. I had no idea it was just a myth!! Funny.

I was kind of disappointed myself when I first went up there. 33rd floor is just small dorm rooms with a circuit hallway layout. 32nd floor has kitchens, a common room, and a couple more dorm rooms.

[Wishblade]

Originally Posted by alps

I was kind of disappointed myself when I first went up there. 33rd floor is just small dorm rooms with a circuit hallway layout. 32nd floor has kitchens, a common room, and a couple more dorm rooms.

Gah, I really was hoping it was true. I wonder where the story originated? lol

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by alps

I was kind of disappointed myself when I first went up there. 33rd floor is just small dorm rooms with a circuit hallway layout. 32nd floor has kitchens, a common room, and a couple more dorm rooms.

Well, it wouldn't have originally been designed that way since it was supposed to be a luxury apartment building. I suppose the pool could have been in the plans and maybe even partly built when the unfinished structure was bought by Dal, and they could have had it finished the way you describe. Who knows, maybe there are structural parts of the pool buried underneath the finishes.

[Jonovision]

Holy Crap!!!!! There's no pool!!!! I've been telling that story for years. I guess it is now one of the biggest urban myths in Halifax.

[hfx_chris]

Originally Posted by alps

I was kind of disappointed myself when I first went up there. 33rd floor is just small dorm rooms with a circuit hallway layout. 32nd floor has kitchens, a common room, and a couple more dorm rooms.

If there are dorm rooms on those floors, how in the name of hell did the pool rumour ever even get off the ground?

[alps]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Well, it wouldn't have originally been designed that way since it was supposed to be a luxury apartment building. I suppose the pool could have been in the plans and maybe even partly built when the unfinished structure was bought by Dal, and they could have had it finished the way you describe. Who knows, maybe there are structural parts of the pool buried underneath the finishes.

Maybe, though the elevator/stairway core is smack in the middle of the structure, the pool would have to bunched against one end or the other. However, I could see the 32nd floor patios tying in with that nicely, and I think there'd be enough room...

We have to hunt down the architect and solve this once and for all!

[Dmajackson]

Dal dropping Fenwick as student residence

By BILL POWER Business Reporter
Thu. May 7 - 4:46 AM
Fenwick Place is about to be deleted from Dalhousie University’s list of available student residences.

However, the potential new owner of the complex — Halifax-based Templeton Properties Ltd. — is accepting lease applications.

"The building is open for potential tenants from Dalhousie but also to the entire community, including students from other institutions, professionals and families," Joe Metlege, vice-president at Templeton Properties, said Wednesday.

An estimated 400 occupants of the 33-floor structure in Halifax’s south end who are students at Dalhousie have received notice to be out of the building by June 14, if not before, as the university proceeds with the sale.

The status of some professional services operating in the building owned by Dalhousie since 1973 was unclear.

The university and Templeton Properties are in the final stages of a possible sale, but have not yet closed the deal.

"After June 14, the building will cease operating as a Dalhousie University student residence," university spokesman Charles Crosby said Wednesday.

He said negotiations on the purchase are continuing and an announcement can be expected soon.

The bottom line is that Fenwick Place is approaching the end of its tenure as an official Dalhousie residence.

This situation did not put any additional strain on the university’s available dormitory-style student residence space, as most students at Fenwick were mature students — some with families — who were more interested in apartment-style accommodation, said Mr. Crosby.

Templeton Properties has indicated some renovations will be done if the sale goes through. Final decisions on the extent of the renovations and the potential timeline of the work have not been made.

"It is an exciting urban location and obviously there are many possibilities," said Mr. Metlege.

Fenwick Place is currently listed on the Templeton Properties website, with rents for bachelor apartments averaging $730, one-bedroom units averaging about $900, and two-bedroom units available in the $1,200-range. There are also some furnished units available.

Fenwick Place is the tallest building in Halifax and residents experienced some disruption after hurricane Juan hit in 2003. Most of the tenants spent a night in the basement of the building.

Contrary to an urban myth, there was never a swimming pool at the top of the building that was closed out of safety concerns. Mr. Crosby said there was never any factual basis to the story that a pool was emptied because it forced the building to sway in heavy winds. He said the pool never existed.

[Jonovision]

This article gives me the impression that the big reclad might not happen. But then again the reporting in the Herald has been so bad lately. Who really knows?!