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

[worldlyhaligonian]

I like how they have the newer facad set back so you can see the wall there.

This is turning out better than expected. I wish it was about 4 floors taller though.

[Jonovision]

I kind of wish they would stop now. It would make for a much more interesting building and help maintain some of that character of this area being the last bit of cohesive old downtown Halifax left.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

I kind of wish they would stop now. It would make for a much more interesting building

I agree.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

I kind of wish they would stop now. It would make for a much more interesting building and help maintain some of that character of this area being the last bit of cohesive old downtown Halifax left.

There is only one floor left plus the other half of the building. Once the historic facades are completely restored and windows installed then this will look much better. I think that it will rival Founders Square.

One thing that I find interesting is how they have left the concrete slabs on the unfinished half overhanging with temporary supports. I assume that it is safe but it is something that I hadn't noticed before.

This is one of SekishikiMeikaiHa's images that I marked with text to illustrate.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

I kind of wish they would stop now. It would make for a much more interesting building and help maintain some of that character of this area being the last bit of cohesive old downtown Halifax left.

To each their own, I suppose.

I agree with worldyhaligonian in that I too wish this building were a tad bit taller.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

There is only one floor left plus the other half of the building. Once the historic facades are completely restored and windows installed then this will look much better. I think that it will rival Founders Square.

One thing that I find interesting is how they have left the concrete slabs on the unfinished half overhanging with temporary supports. I assume that it is safe but it is something that I hadn't noticed before.

This is one of SekishikiMeikaiHa's images that I marked with text to illustrate.

It would have been nice to have the section done now ~5fl higher and then step down with outdoor terraces toward the defaced Morse's Teas building. At the second level there would be a large outdoor terrace with the stone wall as a backdrop. There could have been a skylight incorporated in this terrace level as a feature. This skylight would allow natural light below to an atrium link between Lw. Water and Hollis St. (similar to the atrium in Founders Sq.) IMO they completely missed the mark with the design of this building! This is where we need a real design review committee. *Maybe they could have a bust of P. Pacey in the Atrium link.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by Empire

It would have been nice to have the section done now ~5fl higher and then step down with outdoor terraces toward the defaced Morse's Teas building. At the second level there would be a large outdoor terrace with the stone wall as a backdrop. There could have been a skylight incorporated in this terrace level as a feature. This skylight would allow natural light below to an atrium link between Lw. Water and Hollis St. (similar to the atrium in Founderss Sq.) IMO they completely missed the mark with the design of this building!

I kind of agree. They seem to have designed a building that would be acceptable to most people, but they definitely could have been much more exciting and original. Groups like the Heritage Trust probably would have loved your idea, because it's a much more imaginative reuse of the old structures (ie. incorporating the stone wall into a terrace/green roof rather than blocking it from view.)

[worldlyhaligonian]

The problem with the anti height folks is that it forces developers to build wider buildings.

They could have put a tall building up in the area with no facad, therefore maintaining a more historical look for the buildings on the corner section... it could appear as though they were unchanged and the modern building was just in the middle.

But no, we get fat buildings shorter than the dominion public building. Makes no sense to me. At 8 stories and thin, this looks good.

[Jonovision]

I really like your idea Empire. I would have loved to see something that was more than just a box that occupied the entire site. Have all of the height concentrated on the Duke street side in a tall very slender tower no wider then the half that is currently built and the rest something of a height that matched historic properties and Granville Mall.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by Jonovision

I really like your idea Empire. I would have loved to see something that was more than just a box that occupied the entire site. Have all of the height concentrated on the Duke street side in a tall very slender tower no wider then the half that is currently built and the rest something of a height that matched historic properties and Granville Mall.

One of the unfortunate aspects of this misguided project is that the columns are undersized so no further expansion is possible in case the viewplanes are revised. (could be wrong about the columns but don't think so) I agree that a tall slender tower (if possible) would have been much better and then try to blend the remaining 2 storey facades with the neighbouring buildings.

It's a real shame to bury that wall as it could have been a major feature. They are in VP-2 & VP3 so they may be at max height would be an issue but I think the view is already blocked bu CIBC.

Wordly is dead on. The STV crowd are ruining this city by creating squat fat buildings that wipe out historic buildings in the to max out sq. footage.

Here's the wall that should have become a major feature:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=dartmou...bp=12,315,,0,0

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

... I think that it will rival Founders Square...

Let's hope so. I think Founders Square was an admirable attempt to straddle new and old, but I don't think it's particularly successful... perhaps the tenancy is not fine grained enough to bring any real life to the sidewalk there.

Originally Posted by fenwick16

T... One thing that I find interesting is how they have left the concrete slabs on the unfinished half overhanging with temporary supports. I assume that it is safe but it is something that I hadn't noticed before.

They've cantilevered the slab. Nice to see construction technology in Halifax has approached what was in vogue in the rest of the developed world in the 50s.

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Empire

It would have been nice to have the section done now ~5fl higher and then step down with outdoor terraces toward the defaced Morse's Teas building. At the second level there would be a large outdoor terrace with the stone wall as a backdrop. There could have been a skylight incorporated in this terrace level as a feature. This skylight would allow natural light below to an atrium link between Lw. Water and Hollis St. (similar to the atrium in Founders Sq.) IMO they completely missed the mark with the design of this building! This is where we need a real design review committee. *Maybe they could have a bust of P. Pacey in the Atrium link.

Agreed - too bad this ended up as a box (a fancy box though, so let's give thanks for that) that fills as much of the boundary as possible. Can't really blame the developer for following the rules, but I do wish there had been a little more imagination.

[Hali87]

Originally Posted by eastcoastal

Let's hope so. I think Founders Square was an admirable attempt to straddle new and old, but I don't think it's particularly successful... perhaps the tenancy is not fine grained enough to bring any real life to the sidewalk there.

I've always wondered what was up with Founder's Square and its lack of street presence despite the facades that were retained. It seems like it has several entrances (at least doors) on Hollis, is there nothing behind them?

[worldlyhaligonian]

Bioscience gone and RBC Waterside centre in background

http://www.novascotiawebcams.com/hal...m-wharves.html

[someone123]

I think there are retail spaces in Founders Square that were converted to office space. The former Eatons building is the same. The fundamental problem seems to be that there's not enough demand to fill all the retail space that exists downtown (though for Eatons the province simply prefers not to lease it out). What the area needs is a larger residential population and more office space.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by someone123

I think there are retail spaces in Founders Square that were converted to office space... The fundamental problem seems to be that there's not enough demand to fill all the retail space that exists downtown (though for Eatons the province simply prefers not to lease it out). What the area needs is a larger residential population and more office space.

Yeah. There are four storefront-style entrances to Founders Square that just don't lead anywhere. Maybe one day, once the downtown population picks up and Barrington sees its empty storefronts filled out, there'll be more demand, and the interiors can be renovated to accomodate shops.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

Yeah. There are four storefront-style entrances to Founders Square that just don't lead anywhere. Maybe one day, once the downtown population picks up and Barrington sees its empty storefronts filled out, there'll be more demand, and the interiors can be renovated to accomodate shops.

I remember the building (Founders Square) back when downtown was in better shape. The lobby both street level and interior wise was filled with retail offerings, but more service based. That traveled through the internal escalators down to the lower level (Bedford Row) with more retail. Unfortunatley as many have mentioned it appears the demand for office has trumped retail uses for these spaces. Hopefully in the futre as things get better in the downtown this will change. One nice touch that i think fits very well with the buildings is the Old Triangle pup.

[sdm]

Was in the area today and notice they were lifting glass up and installing curtain wall system in a corner of the building.

[Empire]

Originally Posted by Hali87

I've always wondered what was up with Founder's Square and its lack of street presence despite the facades that were retained. It seems like it has several entrances (at least doors) on Hollis, is there nothing behind them?

The series of doors on Hollis lead to the main Atrium, Founders Hall. The commercial spaces that surround the Atrium mostly use the main entrance rather than separate entrances on Hollis.

http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=dartmou...=12,94.41,,0,0

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by sdm

Was in the area today and notice they were lifting glass up and installing curtain wall system in a corner of the building.

Thanks for the information sdm. I found a few new pictures on the RBC Waterside facebook webpage from yesterday Nov 26, 2012 . The pictures are labeled as "Glazing sample panels" - http://www.facebook.com/pages/RBC-Wa...=photos_stream. The colour looks good to me; a slight blue tint.