[Halifax] The Maple | 72 m | 21 fl | Completed

[teddifax]

Originally Posted by Halifax Hillbilly

Has this been officially submitted?

Good building. Lots of good things, but I really like the balconies on the podium: great to get as much activity as possible in the first couple floors above street level.

I was thinking the same thing! What is the status of this one?

[Duff]

Here is a shot from my office on the 5th floor of the Maritime Centre. You can see the brick top of the Bank of Canada building just sticking out. This new development will definitely make a huge impact on this area.

[Halifax Hillbilly]

^^^ What a prime property the parking garage is on. Not really the kind of investment that downtown needed from the municipality at the time. The private sector seems more than happy to build underground spots with new developments.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Halifax Hillbilly

^^^ What a prime property the parking garage is on. Not really the kind of investment that downtown needed from the municipality at the time. The private sector seems more than happy to build underground spots with new developments.

That parking garage is invaluable. I use it all the time when I have to go to meetings in the downtown core.

Keep in mind that the next lot over is the site of Skye/whatever. Between the Bank of Canada and that site this section of downtown will be transformed.

If the large surface parking lot across from Summit Place could be developed this section would be really something.

[teddifax]

Originally Posted by Halifax Hillbilly

^^^ What a prime property the parking garage is on. Not really the kind of investment that downtown needed from the municipality at the time. The private sector seems more than happy to build underground spots with new developments.

I always wondered whether there were provisions with Metropark for future expansion upwards!!!

[someone123]

I have read that there were once plans to build an addition on top of the parking garage for the CBC.

One drawback of that site is that it's under a viewplane. It probably would have made more sense to put the parking on a site that is deeper and can handle more height. The Park Lane garage for example isn't that bad, particularly now that it has a condo tower on top.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

That parking garage is invaluable. I use it all the time when I have to go to meetings in the downtown core.

So it's invaluable because you use it, eh?

Getting back to what others on this forum are saying: I agree that parking should always be placed underground in the context of the downtown, so we have more development space for residential, commercial, and office potential.

[Aya_Akai]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

So it's invaluable because you use it, eh?

I'm sorry- but this was the first thing that popped into my head..


I have to agree though, that parkade has been a lifesaver on more than one occasion- although I'm not exactly find of it's location and.. uh.. prominence in the streetscape, I DO think new developments need to concentrate more on underground, or at least hidden-at-grade parking facilities.. Still being able to provide parking, and at the very least have things looking like they fit in.

[ScovaNotian]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

:
Getting back to what others on this forum are saying: I agree that parking should always be placed underground in the context of the downtown, so we have more development space for residential, commercial, and office potential.

Here's an above ground parking garage in Portland, OR, that's infinitely nicer than MetroPark. You often don't even notice it when walking past.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

So it's invaluable because you use it, eh?

Absolutely. I don't care if you use it or not because you are probably not doing anything important anyway. But for those of us who earn a good living and pay taxes to build your useless bike lanes and palatial libraries, it is a necessity. It helps to make up for developments like Maritime Center and the plethora of older office buildings downtown that have zero parking. It is one of th efew good initiatives HRM has undertaken for the downtown.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

That parking garage is invaluable. I use it all the time when I have to go to meetings in the downtown core.

Keep in mind that the next lot over is the site of Skye/whatever. Between the Bank of Canada and that site this section of downtown will be transformed.

If the large surface parking lot across from Summit Place could be developed this section would be really something.

It is what it is, a city parking garage, but as parking garages go, it is an above average design, in my opinion. As Keith P. pointed out, this will probably become an even more valuable asset to the city if all the development proposals for that area takes place in the next few years. I wonder if a few more parking levels could be added to it? I am sure the city can use the revenue.

I tend to avoid underground parking lots and prefer above-ground parking garages. The natural ventilation provided by open-air, above-ground lots is usually significantly better than underground lots, which require large ventilation fans to exhaust car fumes.


(source: http://fr.cpci.ca/?sc=potm&pn=monthly32003)

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Absolutely. I don't care if you use it or not because you are probably not doing anything important anyway. But for those of us who earn a good living and pay taxes to build your useless bike lanes and palatial libraries, it is a necessity. It helps to make up for developments like Maritime Center and the plethora of older office buildings downtown that have zero parking. It is one of th efew good initiatives HRM has undertaken for the downtown.

I've used it. Parking garages can definitely be a good thing; we were just talking about the efficiency and practicality of their placement. I'm not surprised you missed that.

I was, however, surprised that you didn't chime in so say how horrible the parking garage was, in order to accomplish your daily quota of hateful bitching.

[Nifta]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

It helps to make up for developments like Maritime Center and the plethora of older office buildings downtown that have zero parking. It is one of th efew good initiatives HRM has undertaken for the downtown.

A small point of order; the Maritime Centre has three floors of subterranean parking.

Also, what's with the aggro towards cycle lanes? They're invaluable (to me, because I use them :p)

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by Nifta

A small point of order; the Maritime Centre has three floors of subterranean parking.

Also, what's with the aggro towards cycle lanes? They're invaluable (to me, because I use them :p)

OMG don't correct him!!

[halifaxboyns]

I have to agree - this parkade was a huge waste of a prime lot. That said, if HRM was smart, they would take a queue from the Nova Centre discussions. If I remember correctly they were looking at 3 levels of underground parking (or was it as much as 4)?

If they want to insist on providing parking then I would look at the options to redevelop the site with the parking underground. This way, you could get the best of both worlds. You get the site used for a better and much more efficient use (office/commercial or a hotel) and then the parking is still provided. Yes, there is the inconvenience of the construction time but in the end, you get a win/win.

[someone123]

Something to keep in mind is that the MetroPark garage is now pretty old. The plans are maybe from 2001 or so, and went hand in hand with the demolition of the TexPark and the sale of that site. Had that site been built on it wouldn't have been so bad.

The Sheraton Four Points was built at about the same time and it also has an unattractive design with blank ground floors and exposed ventilation by every window.

[fenwick16]

Originally Posted by teddifax

I always wondered whether there were provisions with Metropark for future expansion upwards!!!

The height limit for the Metro Park site is 22 meters. So the Metro Park is probably at its maximum height. The maximum post-bonus heights are shown on page 84/93 (map 5) of this document - https://www.halifax.ca/capitaldistri...nts/DHSMPS.pdf.

There is a view-plane over the Metro Park site, which is intended to protect the view of Georges Island from the Citadel. I think that the view-planes are the greatest waste of building potential in the downtown core and should never have been introduced back in the 1970's.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Nifta

A small point of order; the Maritime Centre has three floors of subterranean parking.

Also, what's with the aggro towards cycle lanes? They're invaluable (to me, because I use them :p)

IMO I see them as a waste of money because they aren't real and comprehensive. There is no physical separation of cars and bikes. In fact, it would be probably better to not have them at all given the amount spent to literally paint lines that have no meaning to people driving massive SUVs. I think you would find the amount of accidents has not gone down as a result of this painting by city crews that should be doing other things.

I am totally in favour of bike lanes like in europe with curbs to separate the cars from the bikes. It just makes sense. Anything else is a half-job, like many things in Halifax.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Nifta

A small point of order; the Maritime Centre has three floors of subterranean parking.

Yes, and it used to be public, but the last time I checked, it was lease-only for office residents. Back when the building first opened and they actually had 2 floors of retail I used it on a pay-to-park basis, but for the last decade at least it has all been reserved parking, unless they have changed it back recently.

Also, what's with the aggro towards cycle lanes? They're invaluable (to me, because I use them :p)

They are a huge waste because they take away badly-needed traffic lanes and are seldom used. If they were constructed in a dedicated ROW they would still be a financial waste considering it is only a loud squeaky-wheel minority that demands them, but at least they would not be negatively affecting the motoring public.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

They are a huge waste because they take away badly-needed traffic lanes and are seldom used. If they were constructed in a dedicated ROW they would still be a financial waste considering it is only a loud squeaky-wheel minority that demands them, but at least they would not be negatively affecting the motoring public.

They would increase usage if they were ROW for sure. Most people are afraid to ride in what currently exists.

The people against tall buildings and all about biking need to get their priorities straight... these two things go hand in hand.