[Halifax] Theatre Lofts | ? m | 4 fl | Completed

[JustinMacD]

This is still such a shady part of town. I doubt that a few nice developments would change that.

[planarchy]

Originally Posted by JustinMacD

This is still such a shady part of town. I doubt that a few nice developments would change that.

Ha! No it isn't. This part of Gottingen is a million times different than it was a few years ago. It only seems shady if you only ever view it from your car window.

[Dmajackson]

From this week;

[planarchy]

Maybe it's just me, but this building seems to be moving quite slow. I walk by it every day, so maybe that's why, but it doesn't seem like much has changed in the past month or so.

[JET]

Parts of the 3rd floor are now going up. It's a bit odd with the open part in the middle being open (for now). JET
There was a large pile of rubbish outside the old met store last week.

[halifaxboyns]

It's a heck of a lot different than what was originally supposed to go there. It was supposed to be the second part to the townhouses on the Cornwallis side that went up a few years back. There was supposed to be a central court year and then townhouses facing Gottingen Street. I like this more.

Gottingen Street has had a rough time over the years; but it still has a lot of potential (just like Agricola). I think with the right level of development, especially once that old Met store is demolished and replaced with that development that had been talked about with Councillor Sloane (I can't recall the guy's name or group) and the replacement of that bar by the library; these are all good steps forward.

If you combine that with a complete overhaul of Agricola; this area could easily become quite trendy and hip.

The same happened to the Kensington Area of Calgary many years back; which is part of Hillhurst. When the LRT line was being built for the 88 olympics; they wanted to use it as a catalyst to revive the residential and shopping streets; encourage higher density living and bring re-investment. Well; it worked better than they could've hoped - it's one of the areas where lots of new infill singles are going in to replace the old homes, a lot of higher density residential has gone up and the Kensington Street corridor is a lovely walking street with lots of cool shops and stores (I LOVE CRAVE CUPCAKES!!). And even more development is going in now with the new redevelopment plan that was passed by Calgary council last year; there was a new land use for multi-residential near the Sunnyside LRT station aboved a couple months ago.

As a result; the rents kept going higher and the people who were 'not so great for the area' were forced out by people who were better paid and the area became trendy.

If the right level of care and investment occurs in this area; the bad reputation will go away and it could easily turn into one of the trendy areas in town. Can you imagine - if this area (combined with Agricola) and Quinpool redeveloped into some of the most trendy, walking/commercial corridors in town? I'm sure I would shake my head over a morning cup of coffee seeing an add for a 1 bedroom apartment along Gottingen Street going for $1200 a month and think of 'the old Gottingen Street'...

...ah we dare to dream...

[someone123]

I mostly just like how Gottingen is on its way to being a part of the city that people might visit or choose to live in. Halifax has a very limited number of strong, walkable neighbourhoods with complete amenities.

The North End also has a pretty solid inventory of interesting old architecture that is very rare in Canada. If those can be mixed in with successful new buildings it will be a very special sort of place.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by someone123

I mostly just like how Gottingen is on its way to being a part of the city that people might visit or choose to live in. Halifax has a very limited number of strong, walkable neighbourhoods with complete amenities.

The North End also has a pretty solid inventory of interesting old architecture that is very rare in Canada. If those can be mixed in with successful new buildings it will be a very special sort of place.

I agree with you - the only way for more of them to exist is that there needs to be a move to create them. The Hydrostone is one which seems to be naturally evolving on it's own; which is great.

Gottingen is slowly evolving on it's own as well; but I think could use some help.

Quinpool is another example of where it could use some help with additional density. Agricola is another opportunity site; where (in conjunction) with Gottingen Street you could create an incredible walkable commercial corridor from North Street all the way to the commons. The buildings wouldn't even need to be high (20+ stories); but that couldn't hurt - since the arguement has always been (from the heritage groups) put the tall buildings on Quinpool and Agricola. So fine - let's do it. A nice corridor of taller mixed use buildings, with a market, lots of storefronts and restaurants - a couple public parking areas off the side streets (no onstreet parking on Agricola) and wider sidewalks for cafes. Could even start using Agricola for a major transit corridor if it really builds up well; instead of Gottingen.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

The same happened to the Kensington Area of Calgary many years back; which is part of Hillhurst. When the LRT line was being built for the 88 olympics; they wanted to use it as a catalyst to revive the residential and shopping streets; encourage higher density living and bring re-investment. Well; it worked better than they could've hoped - it's one of the areas where lots of new infill singles are going in to replace the old homes, a lot of higher density residential has gone up and the Kensington Street corridor is a lovely walking street with lots of cool shops and stores (I LOVE CRAVE CUPCAKES!!). And even more development is going in now with the new redevelopment plan that was passed by Calgary council last year; there was a new land use for multi-residential near the Sunnyside LRT station aboved a couple months ago.

Lol to the Crave cupcakes. I had some yesterday and they are AWESOME!

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Lol to the Crave cupcakes. I had some yesterday and they are AWESOME!

They are expensive though.
I hope you went to the one in Kensington and not 17th Avenue. Kensington is such a nice shopping street - although so is 17 Avenue.

Oh I also stand corrected on the theatre lofts - apparently the other portion of the townhouses was to be where the building to the right of the theatre lofts parcel is (heading towards Cunard); so those townhouses may still be built after all.

[Dmajackson]

From Tuesday;

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

From Tuesday;

What is the new multilevel building in this picture?

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

What is the new multilevel building in this picture?

I think you mean 5505 Falkland. I was just built last year and has a thread somewheres in this forum.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

I think you mean 5505 Falkland. I was just built last year and has a thread somewheres in this forum.

Yes I have read about it on this forum. It looks quite good in your picture. I just didn't recognize it from that angle (I have never seen it in person).

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

Yes I have read about it on this forum. It looks quite good in your picture. I just didn't recognize it from that angle (I have never seen it in person).

That might be the only angle at which it looks good...

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by planarchy

Maybe it's just me, but this building seems to be moving quite slow. I walk by it every day, so maybe that's why, but it doesn't seem like much has changed in the past month or so.

That's because its basically being built by hand with a crew of maybe a dozen. Moe, anyone?

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

Oh I also stand corrected on the theatre lofts - apparently the other portion of the townhouses was to be where the building to the right of the theatre lofts parcel is (heading towards Cunard); so those townhouses may still be built after all.

Oh yes, the "Glubes Loft" townhomes. They (the ones on Cornwallis) took forever to build too, stood as a half-constructed shell for years, and still look like garbage. One of the units looks like its full of hippie squatters. If this were Philadelphia, the Police would probably burn down the whole block!

[someone123]

They don't look great but it's worth noting that there have been 4 significant private developments on this block in the last few years - not something many people would have expected a while ago, and definitely a big improvement over what was there.

It is a little unfortunate that they tore down the rowhouses next to the gym, however, since they would have been part of a more consistent streetwall.

The Gottingen Terrace condos a couple of blocks down are mostly sold now. Construction's supposed to start soon (presumably people have been by there lately and nothing has been happening?).

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by someone123

The Gottingen Terrace condos a couple of blocks down are mostly sold now. Construction's supposed to start soon (presumably people have been by there lately and nothing has been happening?).

As of Tuesday nothing is happening on the site. Whenever I visit Theatre Lofts I always end up passing by the site (usually on a bus).

[Dmajackson]

From Tuesday;