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Halifax has a fear of heights. That seems to be the message from city council in deciding not to limit the height of a proposed 29-storey development on Quinpool Road that’s been widely panned by both HRM staff and members of the public.
A report by planning applications manager Carl Purvis recommended council limit the proposed Willow Tree tower to just 20 storeys, which would still be well above what current zoning policies allow. Council shot down that recommendation at its meeting this past Tuesday, instead voting to let developer APL Properties move ahead (for now) with its 29-storey design.
Peninsula North councillor Jennifer Watts tried to remind her fellow councillors that the discussion wasn’t about height, but about listening to the city’s experts and the feedback from residents collected during community consultations.
“It’s not saying ‘no’ to height,” Watts said before the vote. “I can’t be more clear about this, in terms of what people are saying, that this is a concern.”
Others weren’t so convinced.
“If we’re going to have tall buildings, to me, I can’t think of a better spot,” said Gloria McCluskey.
The Dartmouth Centre councillor waved off concerns that the building’s shadow would engulf the southwest corner of the Common by suggesting the city’s softball and cricket players would benefit from no longer having the sun in their eyes.
Original plans on the site called for two towers of 22 and 11 storeys on a shared podium. Planning staff didn’t like that proposal’s height, mass, density or shadows, and submitted that feedback to APL. The company—a division of George Armoyan’s Armco Capital—promptly ignored those criticisms and came back with a revised design that increased the height to 28 and 12 storeys.
Recently the company returned yet again with the latest designs, which call for a single 25-storey tower on top of a four-storey podium. The proposed structure would be the second-tallest building in Halifax, narrowly beaten by Fenwick Tower in the south end. City staff say it’s improved in several ways from earlier designs, but is still way too tall for the area.
“While staff agree that a building of some height on this corner could be accommodated given the size of the adjacent intersection and the nature of two of the flanking streets, the proposed height cannot be supported given the existing surrounding context of building heights which top out in the range of 14 to 17 storeys,” writes Purvis in his report.
Councillor David Hendsbee argued that the planning department was “handicapping” the developer by limiting its design to only several stories above what’s currently allowed under zoning regulations.
“With all due respect…when’s the last time staff built a building?” asked Hendsbee.
In response, HRM urban design manager Jacob Ritchie took to Twitter to note that “some staff used to work in the private sector with some of these same developers.”
The motion to limit the building’s height to 20 storeys was ultimately defeated with only councillors Watts, Waye Mason, Tony Mancini and Lorelei Nicoll voting in its favour.
The finalized plans for the building could still wind up shorter than 29 storeys, but that will be something APL and HRM discuss as they move ahead with a site-specific development policy. That document will return to council for first and second readings and a public hearing before either being approved, dismissed or modified further.
A separate staff recommendation that council did bless with its approval separates APL’s tower on Quinpool from Westwood Development’s proposal around the corner on Robie Street. The two developments were originally linked due to their close proximity, but will now proceed separately through HRM’s planning process.
Developer Danny Chedrawe was previously proposing an 18-storey building on the site of the former Cruikshank funeral home, but his company is now revising those designs. HRM’s planning department is recommending a height restriction for that development of just six storeys.
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This article appears in Back to School.
I say let them build it.
But only if they put in a zip line to the Armories…
Sad that the oldest and often the most recalcitrant Council member is the one who has to support such an obvious step forward, while the two “progressives” who represent the peninsula are dug into their anti-development stance. The tall buildings phobia among many citizens in this burgh is very disappointing. Thankfully Watts is leaving, and hopefully Mason will be defeated.
I wish McCluskey would stick around for a few more years. After the Blue Mtn comments/vote and now this, who knows what else she could come up with. I think it’d be a hoot to watch.
Pound for pound, Gloria is our best entertainment value…
…since Rob Ford is no longer around…
Christ Halifax! Get with the times! This building isn’t even downtown. Not blocking anyones view of the water. I love going to other cities so I get a chance to look up in awe at their skyscrapers. And here we just like to cut them down to little crap shacks. The hell? Our skyline could be so much better.
What was the point of all of the community input and the work done by the City’s planning Department when it is all ignored in the end? This monstrous-sized (proposed) building will place such a wind tunnel at the Willow Tree intersection that people won’t be able to walk along there; it will cast shadows on the Commons; it will dump a lot more traffic onto Robie Street at an already-busy intersection. All of the large developers are taking advantage of the lack of a plan for this city, and Council is wasting a lot of time considering each project one by one. Hey, Council members: here’s an idea: make a plan and stick to it: stop giving exceptions to every rich guy who supported your election campaign! Our neighbourhoods can’t take much more of Gloria McCluskey and her ilk making these ludicrous decisions. Pitch her out!!
Yes Dalhousie80, the Willow tree tower reminds me of all the times I’ve been whipped around like Dorthory in Toronto. NOT! This is downtown, whether you think so or not. It’s time to grow up and face it. We are going to become a taller city and thank god City Council is allowing these buildings be developed. Central park in NYC has buildings around it…I don’t see dead trees and frightened wind tossed elderly couples. I want Halifax to thrive and mature like other parts of Canada. We deserve as much.. That 1800’s attitude got you (and apparently Willow tree group) this far, but you’ll lose. I can accept is reality, can you?
The objections are not about being anti-development. It’s about what makes anything attractive and pleasant — which is largely about a sense of scale and proportion. Someone here makes a comment about NY, and Central Park having buildings around it. But NY, and Central Park, maintain density, scale and proportion. The issue we are talking about here, is not whether it is good or bad, or progressive or old-fashioned to have 29 storey buildings, or 2 storey buildings. It’s whether having 2 storey buildings, next to 29 storey buildings is good urban planning. And to the person who uses the term “progressives” — no one who is progressive wants progress at all costs. Especially if the cost is a grotesquely disproportionate, unbalanced, schizophrenic urban environment.