Halifax Central Library | 27 m | 6 fl | Completed

[spaustin]

Interesting that whatever happens to the old library the corner green will remain as city property since it sits on top of old graves. A plus I think as that open corner really serves to connect Argyle/Pizza Corner to Spring Garden.

I continue to be flabbergasted at the shortsightedness and really conservative approach of the Spring Garden Road merchants. The parking lots on Clyde aren't the reason they've done well. Spring Garden can't compete with Bayers Lake or Dartmouth Crossing for people who are really set on convenient parking. Shoppers come down to Spring Garden because it offers a different experience and some shops that aren't found elsewhere. Developing the Clyde Street lots to add more people to the immediate neighbourhood will do a heck of a lot more for the merchants than keeping the lots as surface parking! Are 20-40 spaces really all that separates Spring Garden from Gottingen's fate? Seems pretty silly to be clinging to ashfault.

[someone123]

The sad thing is we know what happens when surface lots in the Spring Garden Road area are replaced by buildings because it has been happening for the last few years. The result is that there are more people around and more businesses pop up.

Also note that losing surface lots does not mean losing parking because it is possible to build garages and underground parking.

The library would be a good spot for a museum. The building needs upgrades but the main part of the problem was that it is just way too small for a modern central library. It would be big enough for a history museum or an expanded Discovery Centre.

[someone123]

Also Gottingen's been doing better and during the last few years parking has been disappearing there as well, without even any of the structured or underground parking.

Oh.. and it's nice to remember that this deal includes the transfer of the Barrington Street lot to the province. That lot really needs to be developed.

[Barrington south]

Bernie needs to retire

his philosophy is, convenience for delivery guys is more important than sidewalks, ones that can handle the ever increasing amounts of people, that are the life blood of the "busiest street east of quebec"

that's his lame excuse for not wanting to widen the over congested sidewalks

"what about the delivery men he says".....Ummm it's called side streets


make em walk

the backwardness on the Clyde street lot developments, indicates what era his urban vision is stuck in

he also say's "can you imagine tree's on spring garden?"...yes, i can, now let's get some nicer ones than the ones that are all ready there

[Dmajackson]

I think I read somewheres a long time ago that the plan was to develop both lots and require that 200 spaces or something be set aside for the public underground.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

I think I read somewheres a long time ago that the plan was to develop both lots and require that 200 spaces or something be set aside for the public underground.

Yeah, I'm guessing what we'll see is a few more years of delay and then something will be built that will be practically identical to what was planned in 2003 or whenever it was.. the only difference is that by delaying the city has lost millions of dollars in taxes, spinoffs, better housing options, etc.

It's true that Spring Garden Road has mostly either short blocks or large buildings with rear loading areas. It would be easy enough to put a couple of loading parking spaces on the side streets for vehicles.

[Dmajackson]

Library project will force jazz festival tent to relocate
By BRUCE ERSKINE Business Reporter
Thu. Oct 22 - 4:46 AM

THE ATLANTIC Jazz Festival will have to fold its signature tent at the corner of Spring Garden Road and Queen Street in Halifax to make way for the new $55-million central library slated for the site.

"We’ve known that," executive director Sarah Watling said Wednesday. "We’re working at finding another outdoor location."

The annual jazz extravaganza attracts an estimated audience of 65,000 music fans over the course of nine days in July and has hosted sold-out concerts by jazz luminaries like Bill Frisell and John Abercrombie during the past 13 years.

Government funding was announced this week for the new 109,000-square-foot library, which will feature a 250-seat auditorium and will replace the smaller, aging main library branch across the street at Spring Garden Road and Grafton Street.

Ottawa is contributing $18.3 million from its Building Canada Fund and the province is investing $13 million, leaving Halifax Regional Municipality to pay the remaining $23.7 million. The municipality expects to raise $21 million from the sale of the current library location, two parking lots on Clyde Street and a piece of land on the old Halifax Infirmary site on Queen Street.

Ms. Watling said jazz festival organizers expect a new location for their popular tent will be needed by 2011. But government officials were sending out mixed signals this week about when the new library will be completed.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay said he expected it would be finished by 2011, but Leo McKenna, chairman of the Halifax Public Libraries Board, said construction should start by then. Premier Darrell Dexter said the design phase will be funded as soon as possible so construction can begin next year.

Ms. Watling acknowledged it won’t be easy to find a comparable space in the middle of the city that can accommodate the 1,200 to 1,300 people the tent could handle.

"It’s an ideal location," she said of the corner of Spring Garden and Queen. "We’re looking at whether it’s feasible to recreate what’s there.

"We’re looking for locations with similar properties."

Organizers are seeking input from the municipality in finding an alternative site. Municipal officials involved in event planning could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The TD Canada Trust-sponsored jazz fest contributes about $2 million directly and indirectly to the local economy, based on 2005 figures.

Ms. Watling said it draws a sophisticated audience that expects a more urbane concert setting than the hills or fields typically associated with festivals.

She suggested that separate daytime and evening venues might replace the tent, which hosts free midday concerts that showcase regional musicians and then has marquee headliners at night.

The tent, which is ringed by food, drink, music and merchandise outlets, acts as a calling card for the festival, Ms. Watling said.

"That visibility is crucial," she said.

( berskine@herald.ca )

[Dmajackson]

Save the site
Councillor wants to see Spring Garden Road library building turned into history museum
Halifax News Net
By Lindsay Jones – The Weekly News

Selling the old library building on Spring Garden Road to help pay for a new one is ruffling the feathers of some who say the building shouldn’t be sold for commercial use.
Downtown Coun. Dawn Sloane says she and others in her area believe the building should be retained because it was built as a memorial to Halifax’s First World War and Second World War casualties.
Sloane is holding a public meeting on Nov. 18 to discuss turning it into a history of Halifax museum.
“We have to have a sober second look at what we do with some of these old, treasured buildings, especially one that is a war memorial,” Sloane said.
“It was put there as a memorial to people that gave their lives so we could live the way we do today. That being said, do you allow war memorials to turn into a Chapters? I’m just hypothetically throwing it out there, but it concerns me. Do we cheapen our memorials to that point?”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: A public meeting to discuss turning the Spring Garden Road library building into a history of Halifax museum
WHEN: Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.
WHERE: The multi-purpose room of the Bloomfield Centre, 2786 Agricola St.

The city expects to raise $21 million from some of its downtown properties to pay for the new $55-million central library. Its land includes the current library site on Grafton Street at Spring Garden Road, two parking lots on Clyde Street and a piece of land on the old Halifax Infirmary site on Queen Street.
The small park in front of the current library site cannot be developed because it’s sacred burial ground.
The federal government recently pledged $18.3 million for the project. The province has promised to chip in $13 million and the city still has to come up with $23.7 million to pay for the construction of the complex at the corner of Spring Garden Road and Queen Street.
It’s still unclear when the 109,000-sq. ft. complex will open.
When asked how the city will come up with the cash for the project without selling the current library building, Sloane said the sale of the parking lots should cover the cost.
“If we can’t get enough money out of those things, then we’re not selling our properties properly,” she said.
However, the 58-year-old building is plagued with mold, heating and cooling problems and will need costly retrofits. Sloane says there are grants available from Canadian Heritage’s Cultural Spaces Canada fund that could help pay for that. A private developer may even want to step up, she adds.
“If the air and heat quality isn’t good for the library, it can’t be good enough for a museum,” she said. “It has to be brought up to standard.”
Sloane hopes people will come share their vision for a history museum and consider partnerships with the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Black Cultural Centre of Nova Scotia.
The public meeting is Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. in the multi-purpose room of the Bloomfield Centre, 2786 Agricola St.
“The ground swell is there,” she says, referring to the Halifax Needs a History Museum Facebook group, which has 369 members. “Our civic pride has been marred ever since we became HRM. What we need to look at is having a place to display some of the wonderful history that we have in our city.
“Do we have enough gusto in this city to show off our civic pride? I’m challenging people to come to the table.”

ljones@hfxnews.ca

[someone123]

History museum would be nice. I don't see what's so horrible about a Chapters though..

I would like to see at least elements of the building preserved but it is not a monument like, say, the cenotaph.

[Halifax Hillbilly]

Originally Posted by someone123

History museum would be nice. I don't see what's so horrible about a Chapters though..

I would like to see at least elements of the building preserved but it is not a monument like, say, the cenotaph.

Apparently the Municipal museum collection is quite impressive, including Joe Howe's desk. Unfortunately it's sitting in a warehouse, in Burnside I believe.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by Bedford_DJ

[I]Save the site

When asked how the city will come up with the cash for the project without selling the current library building, Sloane said the sale of the parking lots should cover the cost.
“If we can’t get enough money out of those things, then we’re not selling our properties properly,” she said.
]

That must be a misprint?....... two parking lots for 10.5 million each? What are they an acre each? If so that would equate to $240 per square foot of land. Thats close to twice the value of the lands in which buildings like the twisted sisters and even the proposed Nova Centre sold for.

Coupled with this, that by limiting the height they killed the value of the land plain and simple.

And not to add more, there will be overwhelming support to ensure any development has parking for public use. This will only limit the economic vitality of the development.

This is almost as bad a move as the rule to limit the height in the barrington south area to 50 feet or less. That area is prime land for high density. The area would have been better served under the old planning rules, which was a height limit of 70 feet. At least at those heights buildings like W suites and the thompson building could be built.

Nothing like going backwards.

[kph06]

So instead of selling it to raise funds for a new library she wants to do the opposite by retaining it, therefore making us pay for the upkeep of two buildings opposed to one, with less money in the pot to do it. Boy am I glad we vote in people with such noble logic.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by kph06

So instead of selling it to raise funds for a new library she wants to do the opposite by retaining it, therefore making us pay for the upkeep of two buildings opposed to one, with less money in the pot to do it. Boy am I glad we vote in people with such noble logic.

Between this and the "free" downtown shuttle when metro transit is looking at huge increases in operational costs makes you wonder what world she is living in..............

And even better, we elect these people......

[planarchy]

Originally Posted by someone123

History museum would be nice. I don't see what's so horrible about a Chapters though..

I would like to see at least elements of the building preserved but it is not a monument like, say, the cenotaph.

Completely agree. I actually think it would be a perfect place for a large bookstore, and it that means a Chapters, fine. With the closing of Froghollow and the Book Room in the last few years, there are few places selling books on the peninsula, except used books.

Here is great example of how a book store in a monument (in this case a church) can be a beautiful thing. This is a Selexyz bookstore - a big Dutch chain - operating in Maastricht, NL.



Here a link to more info/images for those interested - http://www.e-architect.co.uk/holland...maastricht.htm

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Halifax Hillbilly

Apparently the Municipal museum collection is quite impressive, including Joe Howe's desk. Unfortunately it's sitting in a warehouse, in Burnside I believe.

This is true and I think it would be great for the city to have a proper museum to display items like that, archival material, etc. However, I dislike this kind of ad hoc bandwagon attitude where projects don't have a clear direction and scope and are needlessly bundled together and bogged down in order to please everybody. There's no funding allocated to a history museum and there's no reason why it must go in the old library building, particularly if there's a buyer for the property. If people want a history museum, let them form a group, get funding, and bid independently.

I'm not even sure why they're talking explicitly about recouping the costs through selling land directly, and why each project needs to be some complicated scheme. The city should be building things when it makes sense and selling unneeded assets when it makes sense. The HRM has a large revenue stream and a good credit rating. It's also ridiculous to pretend that every new project can be "free" if only they sell off the right bits of land; building a new library and selling land are two separate operations, the land was never free to begin with, and holding it has cost the HRM millions in lost property taxes.

The Clyde Street lots look like they're about 2.5 acres in total. Not sure if they're also talking about selling off part of the old Infirmary site. Either way, like I said, this is mostly separate from the library and they should have developed the Clyde Street lots years ago.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by someone123

The Clyde Street lots look like they're about 2.5 acres in total. Not sure if they're also talking about selling off part of the old Infirmary site. Either way, like I said, this is mostly separate from the library and they should have developed the Clyde Street lots years ago.

Just measured them today,

34,500 for the one behind Sport Nova Scotia and 40,900 for the one behind Mills.

There is an area of 43,600 of the Infirmary site that could be sold as well.

And yes these lots should have been sold long ago and built with max density. If it was done eariler it might have help the now struggling downtown.

[Dmajackson]

Halifax Central Library

(Thursday, November 5, 2009) - Four architectural firms have been short-listed to provide consulting services for the new Central Library. The Expression of Interest attracted thirteen high quality submissions from internationally esteemed architectural teams.

The 4 teams in alphabetical order are as follows:


Fowler Bauld and Mitchell/Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
HOK Architects/Lydon Lynch Architects
Moriyama & Teshima Architects/Barrie and Langille Architects
Shore Tilbe Irwin and Partners/John K. Dobbs and Associates

The next step will be to issue a request for proposals next week for architectural consulting services from short-listed candidates. It is anticipated that the final selection for consulting services will be made in January.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by planarchy

Completely agree. I actually think it would be a perfect place for a large bookstore, and it that means a Chapters, fine. With the closing of Froghollow and the Book Room in the last few years, there are few places selling books on the peninsula, except used books.

Here is great example of how a book store in a monument (in this case a church) can be a beautiful thing. This is a Selexyz bookstore - a big Dutch chain - operating in Maastricht, NL.



Here a link to more info/images for those interested - http://www.e-architect.co.uk/holland...maastricht.htm

Yeah, i've been to this... its crazy.

[worldlyhaligonian]

bump

[Halifax Hillbilly]

Seems like a good group of firms that have been shortlisted, this is pretty exciting.