General Updates and News - Page 188

someone123 · #**3741** Posted: **Jun 19, 2012, 5:12 PM**

Now that I had a second look it sounds like you're right.

Here's a recent photo of the site. The building does not look dramatically different but it does look a bit better: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7320333...n/photostream/

2009 (note the flaking paint on the dormers): http://www.flickr.com/photos/annspan...n/photostream/

I'm happy they didn't try to tear down the property. It's a nice heritage house and complements the church.

someone123 · #**3742** Posted: **Jun 20, 2012, 12:09 AM**

Does anybody know what state the Green Lantern/Keith Building on Barrington is currently in? It was on the Barrington Street Heritage District funding list but as far as I know no restoration work has taken place.

The building's upper floors were vacant for years after Hurricane Juan, and the ground floor of the facade has been heavily altered in some pretty unattractive ways. The corrugated metal storefront is particularly bad.

Waye Mason · #**3743** Posted: **Jun 20, 2012, 12:45 AM**

My understanding is the owner wants to convert it to residential but it is wood framed... fire marshal wants significant changes to allow it.

spaustin · #**3744** Posted: **Jun 20, 2012, 3:46 AM**

I don't know, I think the Westhill addition to Scotia Square is pretty underwhelming. Yes it adds some new office space, which is good, and it's new construction Downtown which is nice to see, but the design isn't anything special. It does nothing in terms of improving the street level experience. The entrance is set way back, there is nothing animated at ground level and it doesn't look like it relates to the corner at all. It's essentially continues all of Scotia Square's mistakes with slightly less hostile glass instead of concrete.

halifaxboyns · #**3745** Posted: **Jun 20, 2012, 5:05 PM**

Developer, church have vision for 'most important street corner in Halifax'
(from the CH online)
The corner of Spring Garden Road and Barrington Street was once the gateway into the city, and a new development concept there could become an area for “various expressions of civic life,” said the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth.

Archbishop Anthony Mancini unveiled his vision for Cathedral Centre on Tuesday morning at the newly renovated Saint Mary’s Glebe House, along with Robert Salah and Joe Ramia, head of Rank Inc., who will oversee development of the site.

The refurbished glebe, Saint Mary’s Cathedral Basilica, the church hall, the Catholic pastoral building, as well as surrounding lands that extend from Barrington to Grafton Street will comprise the Cathedral Centre.

“It’s a concept that comes from the realization that this is the centre of the city, this is the most important street corner in Halifax,” Mancini told reporters convened on the first floor of the glebe, first built in 1891.

A future component of the site could be a mixed-use, multiple-unit affordable housing building, with ground-floor commercial, the archbishop said.

“We’d like to be able to help people who have lived in this area have a place to live in. Most cities, people leave the centre, and we would like to be able to, somehow, not only keep the ones that are here, but maybe even attract a few others to come here, because the centre of the city is what makes a place vibrant.”

The property includes parking lots and the former Saint Mary’s boys school on Grafton Street, which may eventually be redeveloped into a commercial or retail component of Cathedral Centre as a future income stream.

“We also want it to be a development that will generate some funds,” Mancini said. “That’s the whole point of the exercise, so I’m not ashamed of saying that.

“We’re trying to find ways to for the church to carry on what we’re here to do, but with the ways and the means that are of this particular time and of this particular place.”

The rest of the article is here:
Article Link

Keith P. · #**3746** Posted: **Jun 20, 2012, 9:01 PM**

I have mentioned this before, but I think that the old St Mary's Boys School building would make an awesome boutique hotel with the right renovations. The location would be tremendous.

someone123 · #**3747** Posted: **Jun 20, 2012, 9:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I have mentioned this before, but I think that the old St Mary's Boys School building would make an awesome boutique hotel with the right renovations. The location would be tremendous.

There was an article a few years ago about plans to expand the Seven building into a boutique hotel that would also be built over the small parking lot next door. I guess nothing ever came of that.

Does Halifax have any modern boutique hotels downtown?

W.Sobchak · #**3748** Posted: **Jun 20, 2012, 10:00 PM**

Haliburton Hotel, on Morris street is the only Boutique hotel in the city. Nice experience, if not ever so slightly dated feel. The restaurant is top notch too.

just as a tongue-in-cheek comment, but imagine the STV folks going to war with the Catholic Church...

HaliStreaks · #**3749** Posted: **Jun 21, 2012, 2:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by W.Sobchak

..just as a tongue-in-cheek comment, but imagine the STV folks going to war with the Catholic Church...

I think the one time in my life I'd safely say with confidence I'd be on the church's side

someone123 · #**3750** Posted: **Jun 23, 2012, 8:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by W.Sobchak

Haliburton Hotel, on Morris street is the only Boutique hotel in the city. Nice experience, if not ever so slightly dated feel. The restaurant is top notch too.

Right, I forgot about that one. It is a bit older but was a higher end place. I guess it must have been one of the early higher end businesses in that part of town.

On a completely unrelated note, here's a nice photo of the Chickenburger from flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/meddyga...n/photostream/

The "Mary Ann" sign for the Clyde Street lot is also visible in the background.

kph06 · #**3751** Posted: **Jun 23, 2012, 5:02 PM**

The expansion of the Eastern Passage waste water treatment plant has been ongoing for a number of months now. Photo by me:

Waye Mason · #**3752** Posted: **Jun 24, 2012, 12:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by someone123

I'm not sure what the timeline is but the development by St. Mary's Basilica around Spring Garden and Grafton is going to move forward at some point. Here are some slides that give an overview of the project: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/31969192/Tow...SED%202MJS.pdf

I am pretty happy with what they plan to do, which is renovate the historic buildings and then build on the Grafton parking lot and a second empty lot in the middle of the block. A while ago it sounded like they might have been interested in tearing down the older brick buildings on Grafton but that no longer seems to be the plan.

A parishioner has pointed out that the parking lot is a parking lot because under it is a graveyard, which is the same problem around the old library, actually, that lawn of the Memorial (south and southwest) was the paupers grave.

It will be interesting to see how this pans out!

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-s...graveyard.html

Waye Mason · #**3753** Posted: **Jun 24, 2012, 12:54 PM**

I hadn't read that PDF until now, they knew/recognized that they need a memorial to the dead on the site... so this is a known issue for the developer and the Archdiocese.

someone123 · #**3754** Posted: **Jun 24, 2012, 5:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waye Mason

A parishioner has pointed out that the parking lot is a parking lot because under it is a graveyard, which is the same problem around the old library, actually, that lawn of the Memorial (south and southwest) was the paupers grave.

It's not unusual to relocate graves like that, particularly when they are unmarked and in the middle of a city. Of course in Halifax you will have people saying that it can't possibly be done, and that this lot should forever be left empty.

kph06 · #**3755** Posted: **Jun 26, 2012, 12:13 AM**

Two things I noticed while driving around this weekend:

- The old Ultramar on Robie has a construction fence around it and a few machines on site. I don't think we've seen plans for this site yet. Might this just be remediation work?

- Site work is underway on a new building at Windsor Park.

fenwick16 · #**3756** Posted: **Jun 26, 2012, 12:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kph06

- Site work is underway on a new building at Windsor Park.

This would probably be for a large new armoury with 11,000 square meters of space (118,000 square feet). Here is a link - http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/detai...aluation=67308

Northend Guy · #**3757** Posted: **Jun 27, 2012, 1:15 PM**

I just noticed two items in the last two days. First the Petrocan on Joe Howe just got what appears to be a demolition fence up around it. Not sure if it is closed permanently? Maybe some else has some insight into this.

Another one that someone might know something about is on Strawberry Hill, immediately behind McDonald's & the old Swiss Chalet site, there is some sort of site work going on.

Keith P. · #**3758** Posted: **Jun 27, 2012, 10:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Northend Guy

I just noticed two items in the last two days. First the Petrocan on Joe Howe just got what appears to be a demolition fence up around it. Not sure if it is closed permanently? Maybe some else has some insight into this.

I saw that too. Today there was a crane truck there taking the PetroCanada signage down. I wonder if they gave up because of the discount Loblaw station across the street? Too bad - I dislike Loblaw intensely.

Quote:

Another one that someone might know something about is on Strawberry Hill, immediately behind McDonald's & the old Swiss Chalet site, there is some sort of site work going on.

That was supposed to be a new Harvey's.

I noticed yesterday that the old A.E. Fowles/Taylor Mercury/Factory 21 car showroom on Almon also has demolition fencing around it, so it appears it is not long for this world. That makes me sad, as when it was new in the '60s it was a very cool space.

-Harlington- · #**3759** Posted: **Jun 28, 2012, 12:31 AM**

I heard that factory 21 is going to be a new rona store and the pierceys land will most likely be sold

And the petro thing, theres one on bayers rd that does good business the superstore one across the street and an esso (I think) on dutch village so it makes sense that one of them would close
I guess we can look forward to another empty lot there .

someone123 · #**3760** Posted: **Jun 28, 2012, 12:44 AM**

If and when Piercey's is redeveloped I hope it's done properly. The Shoppers on the corner of that block is awful -- what a wasted opportunity.