[Halifax] RBC Waterside Centre | 37 m | 9 fl | Completed

[kph06]

Originally Posted by someone123

I am not sure if these have already posted, but the architects' website (lydonlynch.ca) has some nice renderings of Waterside Centre:

Driving by today it looks as though one or both of the facades for the white buildings in is photo are gone, it was hard to tell for sure as I was headed outbound, but it sure looked that way. Interior demo is far along now, it only looks like the facades are all that's left.

[SekishikiMeikaiHa]

What kph06 said:



The white facade looks lonely:

[fenwick16]

Thank you for the pictures SekishikiMeikaiHa.

Luckily Armour Group has experience with such restorations.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Thank you for the pictures SekishikiMeikaiHa.

Luckily Armour Group has experience with such restorations.

True.

This development is one of the most techincally intense projects the city has seen in many years. The pictures are just remarkable.

[SekishikiMeikaiHa]

Thanks all! I am lucky to be working in Downtown.

[someone123]

So one of the facades is down. Does anybody know what happened to it? Was it purposefully dismantled? Will it be reassembled?

Looking forward to when more excavation and construction is visible inside the walls.

[Jonovision]

When I walked by on Sunday there was still part of the lower level sort of hanging through the supports. Gave me the impression that it fell down accidentally.

[worldlyhaligonian]

It would honestly look better without those two white facades.

[JET]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

It would honestly look better without those two white facades.

I disagree, all the stone facades are lovely, hopefully they be reassembled/

[haligonia]

Originally Posted by SekishikiMeikaiHa

Some visible signs of progress:

It isn't very noticeable in this photo, but I actually noticed a few weeks ago that the other white façade looked as if it had buckled slightly near the top.

[kph06]

Photo by me from today:

[Jstaleness]

Looking at the previous photos I don't see that the white facade that is gone was ever intended to stay. If you look at the support structure, there was never any roofline support. It appears as though it was planned to have that one down.

[goosnarrggh]

Originally Posted by Jstaleness

Looking at the previous photos I don't see that the white facade that is gone was ever intended to stay. If you look at the support structure, there was never any roofline support. It appears as though it was planned to have that one down.

There are examples of other historic facades which have been preserved asthetically, without actually preserving the original materials.

For example, there was an historic facade on Summer Street facing the Public Gardens, which was slated for preservation when that block was up for redevelopment not too long ago.

Upon commencement of work, however, the contractor discovered that the existing structure was unsound, and the whole facade had to be torn down to meet code. Instead, a new structure was erected, whose facade was designed to the same speficications as the original building.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by JET

I disagree, all the stone facades are lovely, hopefully they be reassembled/

They are nice facades, but I find the variety makes the entire development look very odd.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by goosnarrggh

For example, there was an historic facade on Summer Street facing the Public Gardens, which was slated for preservation when that block was up for redevelopment not too long ago.

Upon commencement of work, however, the contractor discovered that the existing structure was unsound, and the whole facade had to be torn down to meet code. Instead, a new structure was erected, whose facade was designed to the same speficications as the original building.

Those were the Garden Crest apartments. They actually did have the old wooden facade propped up for a long time, and I thought those materials were incorporated into the new building, but maybe they weren't.

Unfortunately, that turned out to be a less successful restoration job. Some of the character of the original building was preserved but the colour scheme was changed to a drab grey and beige and I think the balcony and windows are vinyl. It is a kind of ersatz reproduction of the original -- half Old Halifax and half Clayton Park Special.

Maybe the fact that it was wooden instead of masonry made it more difficult to preserve, but we've also seen masonry buildings get watered down with precast and stucco-like materials. Greenvale was a bit like that, although it isn't so bad.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by someone123

Those were the Garden Crest apartments. They actually did have the old wooden facade propped up for a long time, and I thought those materials were incorporated into the new building, but maybe they weren't.

Unfortunately, that turned out to be a less successful restoration job. Some of the character of the original building was preserved but the colour scheme was changed to a drab grey and beige and I think the balcony and windows are vinyl. It is a kind of ersatz reproduction of the original -- half Old Halifax and half Clayton Park Special.

Maybe the fact that it was wooden instead of masonry made it more difficult to preserve, but we've also seen masonry buildings get watered down with precast and stucco-like materials. Greenvale was a bit like that, although it isn't so bad.

Lol, clayton park special.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by someone123

Those were the Garden Crest apartments. They actually did have the old wooden facade propped up for a long time, and I thought those materials were incorporated into the new building, but maybe they weren't.

Unfortunately, that turned out to be a less successful restoration job. Some of the character of the original building was preserved but the colour scheme was changed to a drab grey and beige and I think the balcony and windows are vinyl. It is a kind of ersatz reproduction of the original -- half Old Halifax and half Clayton Park Special.

That;s a good way to describe it. Garden Crest was required by the heritage loons to recreate the old facade, and the result is a building that is badly compromised. If you have ever been in the units they are oddly designed and have relatively low ceilings and odd window placement as a result of the need to recreate the original design. It makes absolutely no sense. There could have been a much better design if the developer was allowed to start from a clean sheet of paper and do something that was inspired by, but not a slave to, what was there before.

[JET]

Originally Posted by goosnarrggh

There are examples of other historic facades which have been preserved asthetically, without actually preserving the original materials.

For example, there was an historic facade on Summer Street facing the Public Gardens, which was slated for preservation when that block was up for redevelopment not too long ago.

Upon commencement of work, however, the contractor discovered that the existing structure was unsound, and the whole facade had to be torn down to meet code. Instead, a new structure was erected, whose facade was designed to the same speficications as the original building.

http://www.halifaxhistory.ca/GardenCrest.htm
jstaleness posted this on the 'found photo' thread
Iremember walking by when the 'facade' was standing. the developer wanted to raze the whole building, but was told that he had to maintain the facade; and he did, the thickness of one board, one inch. It was bizarre. As Keith mentioned, if they had kept the design , but increased it slightly to have reasonable ceilings, no one probably would have noticed and the building would have been better. In contrast, when the Greenvale school was done they kept the envelope of the building and this resulted in beautiful interior brick walls. The exterior is brick/insulation/stucco; but I think that it looks good and maintained the look of the old building.

[someone123]

According to ANS there will be an announcement about Waterside tomorrow. The article suggested that the announcement might be that RBC will be moving to Waterside. They currently occupy 6 floors of the Royal Bank building.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by someone123

According to ANS there will be an announcement about Waterside tomorrow. The article suggested that the announcement might be that RBC will be moving to Waterside. They currently occupy 6 floors of the Royal Bank building.

Very interesting. I wonder if this could mean some changes for the Royal Bank Building?