South Barrington Heritage Conservation Area

[Dmajackson]

Halifax heritage plan coming
By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE City Hall Reporter
Thu, Mar 24 - 4:54 AM

Municipal planners in Halifax are working on the formation of a proposed heritage conservation district for the southern end of Barrington Street.

This project is to be "the major focus" of heritage planning staff this year, says a recent report submitted to the city’s heritage advisory committee.

It says a consultant was hired late last year to do historical research on 22 buildings in the area, a district known as the Old South Suburb, to complement existing material on file.

"This work will provide a foundation for the necessary background study required by the (provincial) Heritage Property Act," says the city hall report, prepared by heritage planner Maggie Holm.

Under the law, a process must be followed to have an area in Nova Scotia considered a heritage conservation district. It includes a background study, conservation plan and public hearing hosted by regional council.

The Old South Suburb emerged soon after the colonial founding of Halifax in 1749, according to a 2005 assessment by a metro archeological consultant. At the time of the city’s founding, a town plot was mapped out on the east side of the peninsula, north of Point Pleasant Park and developed around the Grand Parade, it says.

Establishing a heritage conservation area for the south Barrington and Hollis street district "is identified as a priority under the new downtown Halifax plan," the city staff report says, adding that there will be public consultation later this year.

Another task for heritage planners in 2011 is reviewing a guide for owners of municipally registered heritage properties, the staff report says.

http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/Metro/1234639.html

In case some people don't remember this was proposed under HRM by Design along with the existing Barrington Street Hertiage Conservation Corridor.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

[I]Halifax heritage plan coming
By MICHAEL LIGHTSTONE City Hall Reporter
Thu, Mar 24 - 4:54 AM


In case some people don't remember this was proposed under HRM by Design along with the existing Barrington Street Hertiage Conservation Corridor.

I think this is a big mistake as buildings like W suites has added so much to the area.

[someone123]

(***Please include a link to the original story)

It frustrates me to no end how confused people are about this topic and these vague articles from the Herald don't help. What are they actually doing as part of this initiative? From the perspective of the Herald it doesn't seem to matter -- we just have a "pro-heritage" piece. No need to think critically, just cheer if your team got a point and shake your head otherwise. Welcome to Halifax municipal politics.

The reality here is that we have a part of the city with both high-quality heritage buildings worth preserving and lots of development potential. Those two things are not mutually exclusive in the least, and both have undeniably contributed to the attractiveness of this area.

A good heritage program would focus on doing tangible things like fixing Gerrard Lodge, which is pretty nice but in disrepair. This building could be attractive whether or not something new is built across the street to replace some building of lesser value. Financially it would work out for the city -- new development funds heritage and heritage increases property values and desirability.

Other good projects are utility and public realm improvements; things like sidewalk improvements or burying power lines.

What I'm worried we'll get here is a focus on restrictions (partly because they're something you can do in downtown Halifax while still spending all your money on Herring Cove community centres). A confused attempt to do things like make sure everybody uses faux-Victorian little wooden signs while buildings like Gerrard Lodge continue to fall apart. That is the worst of both worlds.

[spaustin]

I think it's a good idea. The neighbourhood has a lot of neat old buildings. It could be a very good thing if the new district offers incentives and protection to the many buildings that have high value, but aren't necessarily registered heritage properties, like the old brick rowhouses and Elmwood Hotel on South. Others that are registered could benefit from some positive financial incentives to keep them that way, like the colourful old rowhouses across form the Vic. All that said, the neighbourhood is also a really eclectic mix with some significant opportunity sites. Any heritage conservation district should still allow development and infill in the area while protecting the valuable heritage buildings that are there.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by spaustin

I think it's a good idea. The neighbourhood has a lot of neat old buildings. It could be a very good thing if the new district offers incentives and protection to the many buildings that have high value, but aren't necessarily registered heritage properties, like the old brick rowhouses and Elmwood Hotel on South. Others that are registered could benefit from some positive financial incentives to keep them that way, like the colourful old rowhouses across form the Vic. All that said, the neighbourhood is also a really eclectic mix with some significant opportunity sites. Any heritage conservation district should still allow development and infill in the area while protecting the valuable heritage buildings that are there.

agree, but if you are doing a heritage renovation and wish to add to the structure you can't go very high and therefore the economics won't work.

They should at least allow the same height as Barrington Street (70feet).

[Keith P.]

Just another thing to keep the armies of HRM staff and outside consultants fed and watered using our tax dollars.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Yep.

And if we do create this heritage district, then the Papa Mario's should be forced to update their clading from "white vinyl siding"... why doesn't heritage legislation ever cover this sort of thing??? I'm pretty sure they didn't have vinyl siding in the 1800's.

Its shameful that the focus is on height when shorter buildings look like absolute pieces of shit. Heritage Fail.

[sdm]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

Yep.

And if we do create this heritage district, then the Papa Mario's should be forced to update their clading from "white vinyl siding"... why doesn't heritage legislation ever cover this sort of thing??? I'm pretty sure they didn't have vinyl siding in the 1800's.

Its shameful that the focus is on height when shorter buildings look like absolute pieces of shit. Heritage Fail.

My exact point. Its economics, if you can get enough income to support a renovation then the renovations won't take place. If they allow some height similar to the Barrington Street area then the area has a chance to see some high quality renovations. But at, what is it 13 metre height, the economics will not support much.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by sdm

My exact point. Its economics, if you can get enough income to support a renovation then the renovations won't take place. If they allow some height similar to the Barrington Street area then the area has a chance to see some high quality renovations. But at, what is it 13 metre height, the economics will not support much.

This is something we agree on. It is economics... but incentives change calculations. Heritage and development should be hand in hand... unfortunately the heritage groups have not been fair.

Ultimately, being against development on neighboring lots will cause more and more heritage buildings to fall into disrepair, as there will be no economical use for them.

Of course the opponents don't undertand economics or how europe has managed to save much of their core due to development.

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

This is something we agree on. It is economics... but incentives change calculations. Heritage and development should be hand in hand... unfortunately the heritage groups have not been fair.

Ultimately, being against development on neighboring lots will cause more and more heritage buildings to fall into disrepair, as there will be no economical use for them.

Of course the opponents don't undertand economics or how europe has managed to save much of their core due to development.

Completely agree - it may have to do with the way the legislation that creates the heritage rules is governed. I would hope there would be some tax incentives to help encourage and I completely agree the idea of capping height because of heritage makes no sense, if the reno can't achieve a profit.

The economics are just as important, otherwise - why keep the building?
There is a building here in Calgary that is on the heritage list - that had a modern addition to the roof. Now Calgary isn't a great example of heritage preservation but this one building was a good example of working together (planning, heritage and taxation) that found a way to rezone the property, give it more height, retain and upgrade the heritage building and still get a small addition to it.

Here it is. It's the building with Country Furniture.

[fenwick16]

A year ago, the city of Brantford, Ontario decided to expropriate and demolish 41 historic buildings in its downtown core; many of the buildings were from the 1800's. Here is an article from a year ago -http://news.nationalpost.com/2010/06...99s-objection/ .

I find it interesting since a lived in Brantford for 3 years. It was where I bought my first home over 20 years ago because the real estate in the city was relatively inexpensive. It is also interesting to me because of all the conflicts in the Halifax area between the Heritage Trust and pro-development groups.

All in all, I think Halifax has achieved a good balance between preserving some of its heritage and also developing into a modern city. Unfortunately for Brantford, there wasn't much demand for the buildings that were torn down.