[Halifax] City Centre Atlantic | 25 m | 5 fl | Completed

[ewjonsson]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

That's due in part to the angle controls that are used for all high density parcels (typically R-3 zones). I'm going from memory, but looking at the elevations, you would project a 60 degree angle up from the property line on each side. If the building didn't protrude, then no further angle measurements for building height were needed. If it did protrude, you'd have to measure where on the building the protrusion occured (how high up).

Then when looking at the application on a plan view (from above), you'd find the mid point of the protrusion (typically mid point of the proposed building) and project an 80 degree angle out from the mid point. If the 'protrusion' was captured by the 80 degree angle, you were okay. You could also pivot the angle if it would help. But if there was still a protrusion through the 80 degree, then the plan would have to be altered. To give you a better view of how they work, I found this old variance appeal from HRM. There are diagrams that show how the angles work, for those who are curious.

But it's the 60 degree angle from the PL that typically forced the buildings to a podium style, but so far back. Here in Calgary we don't do that, we have an envelope, but we use a combination of FAR, Floor plate restrictions and setbacks to establish the building envelope. So we may require a setback from the street, but with adjacent buildings there is usually very little. The floor plate restrictions usually apply once you reach a certain height, depending on the district. So if I look at the CC-X (Centre City Mixed Use) district, for any floor above 36m from grade - it's limited to a horizontal dimension of 44m wide and a floor area of 930 square metres. But in the CC-MH (Centre City Multi-residential high rise) district, any floor above 25m from grade has a maximum horizontal dimension of 37m and a maximum floor area of 650 square metres. These rules can be varied though. In both cases, the FAR is what limits the build out of the site - there is no height maximum.

Thanks for the link, very informative. I had always wondered why we build some buildings podium style.

[haligonia]

Possibly. I know that City Centre Atlantic was designed with a third phase in mind, so I would guess that the structure was reinforced to support a structure such as this one in the future. I don't know of any such reinforcement at SGP, but anything's possible.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by haligonia

Possibly. I know that City Centre Atlantic was designed with a third phase in mind, so I would guess that the structure was reinforced to support a structure such as this one in the future. I don't know of any such reinforcement at SGP, but anything's possible.

I've wondered the same thing - but what is different about SGP versus City Centre is the fact that SGP's roof is not uniform. If you use live maps angled view, you can see that there is the top of an elevator mechanism plus there is also a skylight which is part of a restaurant in there.

That being said, with the value of units in the area, I'm sure that you could modify all that to deal with those issues. The only problem would be how to deal with any parking requirements, to which I say - don't require any. You are in downtown and along a major transit corridor, parking is not important.

@ewjonsson - no worries; the angles are very complicated unless you see a diagram. There are also other angles that deal with walls, I think it's 45 degrees - something like that. You can see it if you use the angle view of live maps and look at the building that replaced the Sister Sarah's store on Quinpool. You can see how the walls on the balconies are angled and cut out like this: /---\ (although the line would be at the top).

That's the angle I'm talking about. I know about that building since I did the permit review for it.

[Dmajackson]

It is unbelievably difficult to get a good angle of projects on SGR;

[Dmajackson]

Dexel Developments has applied for an encroachment agreement for the architectural features to be included on this building;

http://www.halifax.ca/council/agenda...0802ca1113.pdf

[phn902]

Looks like the crane is getting ready to be put up next week. They were welding a large steel base for the crane to sit on. Birmingham St. was closed off.

[phn902]

I guess the welders worked through the night to get the base ready. The boom is already being assembled on the roof, and the base will be lifted up some time today. Looks like the form work will be getting underway in a few weeks time.

[kph06]

Photos by me this morning, crane was complete by the afternoon.

[Dmajackson]

Since I couldn't get a good angle of this I found another unique sight nearby ...





To a sight only viewable on Spring Garden.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

Since I couldn't get a good angle of this I found another unique sight nearby ...



To a sight only viewable on Spring Garden.

That is very unique - a person reading The Coast.

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by fenwick16

That is very unique - a person reading The Coast.

She looks more like she's trying hard to ignore the guys in spandex. Or trying not to burst into laughter.

I saw them. I think they were having Stanley Cup withdrawal.

[Dmajackson]

^People were definitely trying not to laugh. My side of the street was almost crying from laughing so hard. These guys were in a lot of photos.

[someone123]

Those ones are more decent than the Stanley Cup ones who didn't wear shorts...

[Wishblade]

I would think a good place to view this project would be the south side of citadel hill.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Wishblade

I would think a good place to view this project would be the south side of citadel hill.

I have an old photo from that perspective taken in 2002 or so, before buildings like the Martello and Paramount went up. Now there's the Trillium and All Saints, and soon we will have the library, CCA, and most likely one or two new residential buildings on Clyde Street.

Maybe I'll post a series of these photos. They really put to rest the argument that there is no development in Halifax.

[pblaauw]

Originally Posted by someone123

Maybe I'll post a series of these photos. They really put to rest the argument that there is no development in Halifax.

Who would argue such a thing? Sure, projects that include office space don't seem to be moving fast, if at all, but lots of condo space has gone up in the last few years.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by pblaauw

Who would argue such a thing? Sure, projects that include office space don't seem to be moving fast, if at all, but lots of condo space has gone up in the last few years.

It is very common to see articles with a vague "stuggling downtown core" narrative of the kind you also see in writing about Rust Belt cities. For example (from July 6): http://www.ns.dailybusinessbuzz.ca/P...town-core%3F/1

Despite downtown Halifax’s struggle over the years, Fillmore is confident it will rise again.

Normally the comments are even worse than this -- many people really do believe that Halifax's downtown has nothing to offer and is in terminal decline.

[kph06]

A photo by me tonight, this might be the only publicly accessible vantage point for this project:

[kph06]

Photo by me:

[RyeJay]

Seemingly slow progress, visually.

Has the developer released a date as to when this should be completed?