Development Rumours

[someone123]

Halifax ReTales reported that Sobeys is considering redeveloping the Queen Street and/or Windsor Street stores into mixed-use developments with both Sobeys stores and apartment towers:

https://twitter.com/HalifaxReTales/s...45175775645696

If Halifax keeps growing this is pretty much bound to happen eventually. Like I've commented before, this is common in some other cities. The developments like this in Vancouver normally have underground parking connected to the store by a movator (a "flat escalator" that you often see in airports, but on an incline) that locks the shopping cart wheels.

There are some interesting replies too (so shocking to see respectful and informative discussions on Twitter.. ). One person points out that the Centre Plan zoning already supports this style of redevelopment, and another person mentions that there was Sobeys signage for a while at the apartment/hotel development near Brunswick and Cogswell. Maybe they considered putting a small store then decided not to? I wonder if they'd put one in the Crombie Westhill on Duke building instead?

[atbw]

Originally Posted by someone123

The developments like this in Vancouver normally have underground parking connected to the store by a movator (a "flat escalator" that you often see in airports, but on an incline) that locks the shopping cart wheels.

Westhill on Duke building instead?

This is what most bigger supermarkets in Korea are like. Something like this right in the core of downtown would be so welcome by me. Those parking lots Superstore and Sobeys are sitting on some prime real estate.

[Bone]

St. Andrews community center being demolished and reconstructed. https://www.shapeyourcityhalifax.ca/...newal#tool_tab

[IanWatson]

United Gulf bought the old Ford dealership property at the top of Main Street in Dartmouth.

George Ramia has a construction permit for 33 storeys at 7177 Quinpool Road.

[Jstaleness]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

United Gulf bought the old Ford dealership property at the top of Main Street in Dartmouth.

This is exciting! It's been an ugly surface lot for almost 10 years it seems. I wonder how high they could go before the public loses their minds?

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by Jstaleness

This is exciting! It's been an ugly surface lot for almost 10 years it seems. I wonder how high they could go before the public loses their minds?

It's within the Main Street area where they updated the planning rules a few years ago, so higher-density development is permitted as-of-right. Looks like the maximum height on this site is 24.4 metres (80 ft). Gonna have some good views from those top units.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

George Ramia has a construction permit for 33 storeys at 7177 Quinpool Road.

An old rendering for the same site:


https://www.pagepm.ca/new-developments

Is this one of those cases where there's a pre-existing approval for the site but the city wouldn't grant a DA for a medium-height building, so the developer will build the original version instead?

[Querce]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

George Ramia has a construction permit for 33 storeys at 7177 Quinpool Road.

Where are you finding this? The newest one I can find for that property is the one from Jan. 21st, for a 77 unit building (which seems way too small for 33 stories)

Edit: Nevermind, it's a 32 story, 77 residential unit building

[IanWatson]

Originally Posted by someone123

An old rendering for the same site:


https://www.pagepm.ca/new-developments

Is this one of those cases where there's a pre-existing approval for the site but the city wouldn't grant a DA for a medium-height building, so the developer will build the original version instead?

So it looks like the property is split-zoned between C-2 and R-3. The C-2 has a height limit of 80 ft., while the R-3 does not have a height limit but has angle controls and population density limits.

The DA proposal was shorter but had more than twice the number of units. So best I can tell, the restrictions on the C-2 and R-3 zones ultimately allow a taller building on the R-3 portion of the lot, but overall fewer units, so the developer was looking for a DA to actually get higher density. Since Centre Plan is coming down the pipes, the developer must have made the call that the DA wasn't going to happen and locked down the as-of-right permissions.

[terrynorthend]

So that doesn't necessarily mean he will build? At least any time soon. Hold onto the 32 story rights and try to negotiate?

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

15. Wellington

15. Wellington by Jonovision23, on Flickr

According to THIS STORY in the Red Star, the Wellington St development finally got approval last night.

However, the usual voice of anti-development on the peninsula, Mason, was very much against it as always. Of course he opposed previous developments on Wellington St too, and lost. Once again he appealed to his fellow Council members to turn this one down and once more his popularity amongst his fellow members of Council proved to be such that it breezed through, with only his buddies Smith and Austin opposed:

The most controversial of the three, an eight-storey plus penthouse building on Wellington St. in South End Halifax, passed by a vote of 11-3, with councillors Waye Mason, Lindell Smith and Sam Austin voting against the proposal.

Mason, the councillor for the area, asked his colleagues to vote down the proposal from Lydon Lynch Architects, on behalf of BANC Developments Limited, aiming to send it back to lose some density. Though the proposal doesn’t adhere to current or future municipal planning rules, staff recommended in favour of the building.

Most of the people who spoke at the public hearing, 15 of 25, were in favour of the proposal, arguing Halifax needs more housing to meet growing demand as population rises and vacancy rates fall. The remaining 10 speakers cited concerns around traffic, the approval process and the proposal not fitting the rules.

As is the case with several other of his pet projects he ignored the majority of public opinion to try and get his way. Thankfully on this he lost. Maybe next time he should try saying he is in favor to make the Council members who are not members of his fan club vote against something.

At least this time he didn't threaten fellow Council members with retribution after not supporting his stance.

[atbw]

Mason, the councillor for the area, asked his colleagues to vote down the proposal from Lydon Lynch Architects, on behalf of BANC Developments Limited, aiming to send it back to lose some density. Though the proposal doesn’t adhere to current or future municipal planning rules, staff recommended in favour of the building

The building actually seems to fit right in on that side of the street - there's two towers next door and the Gorsebrook condos going up next to those. Increasing density in an in-demand area seems to make sense.

[FutureofHalifax]

Originally Posted by IanWatson

United Gulf bought the old Ford dealership property at the top of Main Street in Dartmouth.

George Ramia has a construction permit for 33 storeys at 7177 Quinpool Road.

We at Future of Halifax love hearing about stuff like this. Exciting to see the city embrace more development

[someone123]

Dugger's is moving on Spring Garden Road and there is a plan to redevelop this block:

https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/move-and...ment-1.4651280

I wonder if the intention is to build a single building on half of the block and take up the full Spring Garden Road frontage?

There's a pretty big risk the street is going to end up soulless. The Dugger's building isn't perfect but it's got more character than, say, the Doyle.

I think one issue the city needs to grapple with is that it's growing significantly but there isn't a good path for commercial districts to grow out while preserving the more character-filled areas. Another possibility would be to encourage developers to move more old buildings and facades farther out to maintain the city's character. Put the Dugger's facade somewhere along Gottingen or Agricola.

[pblaauw]

Nobody talked about Mill's this way, when it moved.

[Keith P.]

The existing building is actually a series of old buildings stitched together internally over the years and has lots of issues. Not so much maintenance-related but more so things like uneven floor plate heights that limit its uses and inadequate floor weight capacity for many uses. What any replacement looks like and what kind of character it retains is up to the designers. This could well be a situation where a facade is retained/replicated on a new building in behind. Moving the facade to another street with weak retail hardly seems worthwhile or sensible.

[ILoveHalifax]

Would be a great location for a HBC or a Maison Simon

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by someone123

There's a pretty big risk the street is going to end up soulless. The Dugger's building isn't perfect but it's got more character than, say, the Doyle.

I think one issue the city needs to grapple with is that it's growing significantly but there isn't a good path for commercial districts to grow out while preserving the more character-filled areas. Another possibility would be to encourage developers to move more old buildings and facades farther out to maintain the city's character. Put the Dugger's facade somewhere along Gottingen or Agricola.

Agree. The Doyle is quote decent (and a gigantic step up from Westwood's previous schlock) but the street is still worse off without the richness and variety of the block that existed. The Duggers/Mills block isn't as architecturally valuable, but there's plenty of character and visual variety there of the kind that animates a streetscape. If the plan is to replace it with another block-spanning Doyle-like facade of samey materials and colours, it will be another blow to the street.

It's too bad Chedrawe ended up owning so much if this street, since he seems to have no idea how more sophisticated developers (few of which are found in Halifax, to be fair) would work within the existing built context. Instead he apparently believes every development needs a block-sized floorplate and a complete blank slate, wiped clean of whatever came before.

Westwood is a bad developer and its developments have generally made the city just a little worse in every case. I hope this marks a turning point but I'm not very hopeful. I'm sure it will be...fine.

[OldDartmouthMark]

This 3D from Google maps illustrates Keith's statements about it being smaller buildings stitched together, no doubt with old-building issues (because they are old buildings).

Personal opinion: I like the character that these buildings provide to the street. The Mexi's rooftop patio is another one of those Spring Garden Road things that is fun to enjoy on a sunny day - likely it will be a casualty of the new development as well.


https://goo.gl/maps/V3wLb2TMgRxshwSL7

I have to wonder, though. Is this really the direction that we want our major shopping district street to progress? I thought blockbuster buildings was a 1970s thing, and that modern planning had moved towards more fine-grained streets with character and appeal.

This seems like a step backwards to me...

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Agree. The Doyle is quote decent (and a gigantic step up from Westwood's previous schlock) but the street is still worse off without the richness and variety of the block that existed. The Duggers/Mills block isn't as architecturally valuable, but there's plenty of character and visual variety there of the kind that animates a streetscape. If the plan is to replace it with another block-spanning Doyle-like facade of samey materials and colours, it will be another blow to the street.

It's too bad Chedrawe ended up owning so much if this street, since he seems to have no idea how more sophisticated developers (few of which are found in Halifax, to be fair) would work within the existing built context. Instead he apparently believes every development needs a block-sized floorplate and a complete blank slate, wiped clean of whatever came before.

Westwood is a bad developer and its developments have generally made the city just a little worse in every case. I hope this marks a turning point but I'm not very hopeful. I'm sure it will be...fine.

Excellent commentary.

You should think about running for city council yourself.

If I was still living in Halifax, I would vote for you.