[Halifax] Skye Halifax (1565 Granville) | 66 m | 2 x 21 fl | U/C

[someone123]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I am happy by this unexpected turn of events. I would be happier if it was a developer with a better track record.

We shall see what happens but I am hopeful that Halifax is moving forward. I can't wait for the small town, stick-in-the-mud thinking to die.

Halifax is the only place in the entire region that can aspire to be a real city. It should embrace opportunities for growth and progress.

[cormiermax]

I just can't get excited about this. The developer is such a flake, I cant see him ever building something of this scale. He couldn't even get twisted sisters done, what makes him think he could do something much larger?

[someone123]

Originally Posted by cormiermax

I just can't get excited about this. The developer is such a flake, I cant see him ever building something of this scale. He couldn't even get twisted sisters done, what makes him think he could do something much larger?

This may not actually be larger than the old proposal in terms of square footage or number of units. I am not sure how much harder it is to build a 48 storey building than it would be to build a 27 storey building.

I don't have a ton of faith in the developer either, but it would be good just to get rid of the ramparts bylaw or to have a 48 storey development approved in principle.

[fenwick16]

I am not sure if this Skye proposal will ever be built but it makes the YMCA/CBC proposal seem more likely to get a public consultation.

[spaustin]

What a farce. Can't consider a 15 storey building in Dartmouth that fits the planning rules, but sure, let's consider a crazy proposal for Downtown Halifax that breaks all the established plans from a developer with a questionable track record. Why even bother with plans. We could can the whole planning department and save the salaries and expense. What a city.

[RyeJay]

I feel somewhat discombobulated about this exciting news! I'm happy about urban development going forward, yet am sad to see the downtown become more urban-typical.

I wonder if the rumour (of there only being one tower) is true, and if this had any influence on the vote for this to proceed?

Now that this is going to the public, do you think United Gulf will get off the couch long enough to produce suitable renderings? They could even be pencil drawn... Anything.

[fenwick16]

Here is the CBC story link - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...e-halifax.html

Proposed Skye Halifax project moves to next stage
CBC News
Posted: Feb 21, 2012 8:31 PM

The proposed Skye Halifax development for Granville Street has made it over its first hurdle as council decided to consider the project, against the advice HRM planners.

Skye Halifax would be two 48-storey towers — more than twice as high as HRM by Design allows for that part of downtown Halifax.
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The vote was 14 to six to let the process proceed, but planning staff say before it can get underway, developer Navid Saberi, head of United Gulf Developments Ltd. has to submit studies the impact of wind and shadows.
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And the Chronicle Herald story - http://thechronicleherald.ca/busines...public-hearing

Council props up Skye, sends towers to public hearing
February 21, 2012 - 8:48pm By BILL POWER Business Reporter

The proposed $350-million Skye Halifax project proposed by United Gulf Developments Ltd. survived its first test flight at Halifax city hall Tuesday with a resounding vote in its favour.

By a 14-to-6 vote, council rejected a staff recommendation to stop the proposal in its tracks.

Regional councillors then backed up that move with a subsequent vote to initiate what promises to be a raucous public debate over the sleek complex proposed for the former Tex-Park site that could potentially add 600 residential units to the city’s central core in twin, 48-storey towers.

“We’ve done our research and we want to bring to the market what the market demands,” an obviously pleased Navid Saberi, president of United Gulf, said after a heated council debate.

“We’re bringing a bold vision to the city and we’re optimistic it will proceed.”
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[Waye Mason]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

As to Councillor Sloane's comment - I don't know if I agree with that. Times have changes since HbD was approved and public opinion may have changed. So maybe a review is appropriate?

Sure, but a DA application process isn't a review. A review is a review, but the same council that decided to walk away from HRMbD today ALSO shelved the five year plan review until after the election... this is ludicrous. We should be completing the plan review already, and that process may likely have resulted in a revision of the height limits. This is not a review of the plan, this is piecemeal ignoring of the plan... very disappointed, not surprised. Note - the same councillors who supported this are generally the same councillors who support sprawl in all its forms and fashions, not urbanists at all.

[musicman]

I don' t know what the big deal is about the ramparts thing. Right now if you are over say 5 foot you can see the top 2 or 3 floors of fenwick from inside the citadel.... So this development would not be the "first" building to be seen from some part of the inside of the ramparts...

[macgregor]

Originally Posted by cormiermax

I just can't get excited about this. The developer is such a flake, I cant see him ever building something of this scale. He couldn't even get twisted sisters done, what makes him think he could do something much larger?

Just a theory...

If Greater Homes / United Gulf is in financial distress due to Waterton problems and general awfulness, was this their Hail Mary pass?
Get a ramparts-limit-breaker approved and then sell the land & DA?

Is this allowed?

[DigitalNinja]

No idea if that is allowed or not, how ever like many others I don't have faith in UG.

BUT, this is a step in the right direction, if nothing else it shows that there are a lot of people who are interested in Halifax moving forward. So even if this doesn't go through or by some mirical it does. I think we will see a lot more of these proposals. Instead of the 5 story ones, that we are seeing now. Also normally with higher proposals, comes a higher quality street presence and investment in the downtown for the good of everyone. (Normally.)

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by Waye Mason

Sure, but a DA application process isn't a review. A review is a review, but the same council that decided to walk away from HRMbD today ALSO shelved the five year plan review until after the election... this is ludicrous. We should be completing the plan review already, and that process may likely have resulted in a revision of the height limits. This is not a review of the plan, this is piecemeal ignoring of the plan... very disappointed, not surprised. Note - the same councillors who supported this are generally the same councillors who support sprawl in all its forms and fashions, not urbanists at all.

Waye, I've been a planner doing planning in Municipal Government for a long time - you are reading so much into this and making an assumption of the result before the case has reached day 1 after the vote.

Just because Council gives the okay to initiate the case doesn't mean the plans been thrown out. Do you have a crystal ball that I'm not aware of and see the decision before we do? No one knows for certain what will come when this reaches public hearing, plus any appeals that could happen. Stop making assumptions before the process has had a chance to be done and people have their say.

The most telling part of this was the comment Councillor McCluskey made about letting this go to a public meeting - I think she realized the error in what happened in Dartmouth. But looking at that, when this gets back to regional council - they may not even give it first reading; which means it's done. There are several ways this could go...

As for the HbD review - when was this discussed? There was nothing on the agenda of this meeting to talk about HbD aside from Skye. Anyone else know about this>?

[halifaxboyns]

Originally Posted by macgregor

Just a theory...

If Greater Homes / United Gulf is in financial distress due to Waterton problems and general awfulness, was this their Hail Mary pass?
Get a ramparts-limit-breaker approved and then sell the land & DA?

Is this allowed?

Ah now you've seen what I was fearful of and what has been happening out here in Alberta during the previous boom. Developers would put together land, get something approved - flip it, make a bunch of $ then the next developer might build it or get a new plan approved (even bigger) thus making the land worth more, flip it and the process repeats until you've had 5 or 6 plans on one site.

It is legal - the development agreement runs with the land and now the owner, just as a development permit approval runs with the land not the owner. That's why if I build a house and sell it to someone123 - he doesn't need to go in and get a new permit for a house, because he's a new owner.

Planning approvals are almost never tied to an owner.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by halifaxboyns

The most telling part of this was the comment Councillor McCluskey made about letting this go to a public meeting - I think she realized the error in what happened in Dartmouth. But looking at that, when this gets back to regional council - they may not even give it first reading; which means it's done. There are several ways this could go...

As I've said before, this seems like an odd procedural wrinkle. If it is only reasonable to allow the public hearing then why are they voting? The optics of shutting down the hearing are horrible and even if a bad development gets a hearing it can be voted down afterward.

Maybe this should be rubber stamped by staff instead of voted on by council.

[Haliobserver]

My friend has been involved in a 2 year legal battle against Greater Homes in regard to the Waterton condo. A couple of months ago the Supreme Court ruled that GH/WC breached contracts of a whole bunch of people when they unilaterally terminated them when the building was completed. It was in All NS last week that the unit owners are now going back to appeals court to get their damages which could be upwards of $100,000 a piece given current market prices. There are a whole bunch of other people in the same situation who are about to launch more suits based on the decision made in SC.

Bottom line. Whether or not this thing gets built, I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy what these people have had to go through with this company. Many of them are the young professional/first time homebuyers the company is promoting with the Skye Halifax proposal. You should talk to some of them on their experience buying from this guy. You'll get the real story. He doesn't care about the buyers. Too many stories and examples to list to send that point home.

[Haliobserver]

See what people who have already dealt with the company are saying here:

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/348080176178/

[robotropolis]

I would not touch GH with a ten foot pole.

I'm not opposed to tall buildings but these look like a pile of garbage a ten year old with a Bladerunner obsession sketched out in MS paint. I can't imagine them getting built.

[worldlyhaligonian]

This project will never happen, but it may be an interesting case with regards to height going forward.

The public meeting is going to be a gongshow.

[Hali87]

People in the Canada forum seem to love this proposal (based on the current renderings alone) and are all hopeful that it will be built, and I would guess that most of them don't know much about the ramparts bylaw. It's interesting to hear an outside perspective on things like this.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Waye Mason

Sure, but a DA application process isn't a review. A review is a review, but the same council that decided to walk away from HRMbD today ALSO shelved the five year plan review until after the election... this is ludicrous. We should be completing the plan review already, and that process may likely have resulted in a revision of the height limits. This is not a review of the plan, this is piecemeal ignoring of the plan... very disappointed, not surprised. Note - the same councillors who supported this are generally the same councillors who support sprawl in all its forms and fashions, not urbanists at all.

Yeah, yeah, whatever. You cannot be a slave to a bunch of planners and a restrictive strategy when a new opportunity nobody saw coming suddenly appears. HRMbD was badly flawed from day one and was oversold as a panacea by the proponents when in reality it was just another concession to the heritage types. Halifax has changed significantly in the last 5 years and to put an opportunity on indefinite hold while doing another round of navel gazing for several years is simply not realistic. Besides, such a review may conclude that we need to widen main arteries into the city and then where will we be except in another round of hand-wringing and debate by the members of the flat earth society that will freeze advancing any new planning policy for years.