Good news for book fans: there’s progress on the proposed new central library on the corner of Spring Garden and Queen.
Huge international design firm HOK has been awarded a $424,369 tender to research the space and design possibilities to create a new, kick-arse downtown bibliotheque.
The city has outlined several library priorities, which HOK will be expected to regard. Council and Halifax Library Board members have asked for a building that qualifies as “environmentally benign,” serves as a “high-quality civic landmark,” and incorporates active ground-level uses (read: shopping!) Only councillor Bill Karsten voted against the project, objecting to the price.
After months of quiet on the central library front, we’re just happy we have something—anything—to report. Sucks to the giant downtown parking lot. Yay to giant downtown books!
It’s gotta be the shoes. Email mikef@thecoast.ca.
This article appears in Nov 15-21, 2007.
Hopefully there will be underground parking to take the place of the parking lot the downtown will lose.