A major firm is making a last-minute attempt to open up the Purcells Cove backlands to development. The backlands were zoned “urban reserve” in the 2006 regional plan. That designation prevents the area from being developed for the 25-year lifetime of the plan, or until 2031. At that point the area will be reassessed for […]
Development
Posted inNews + Opinion
The long, strange story of Mary Thibeault’s property
According to documents filed with the court by Halifax mayor Peter Kelly in 2005, Mary Thibeault’s estate was valued at $503,730.37, almost all of it in cash and bonds. That amount, plus the $160,000 or so that Kelly had transferred from Thibeault’s personal bank account to his and his son’s control (see “A trust betrayed,” […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Twenty-three downtown developments, and most won’t get built
The Dalhousie Planning and Design Centre has produced the above map of downtown, detailing 23 development projects—all proposed and approved, some built, some still awaiting construction, but most just a distant dream—which was in turn sent to me by Paul MacKinnon of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission. “Developers are buying and assembling land, hiring architects, […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
The convention centre rescue plan
If you doubt these are topsy-turvy times, consider that mayor Peter Kelly is now held up as Halifax’s foremost example of clear thinking. Building a new convention centre in downtown Halifax is a “no-brainer,” Kelly told a daily newspaper last week, and the comment was placed in a headline on the front page and plastered […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
History versus heritage
Halifax has been settled, expanded and redefined for the past three centuries. This city has a storied past that is part of our identity. That said, there is a difference between history and heritage. History is the inherited relics and stories of our shared and individual past. Heritage is what we value in the past. To use the words of Robin Quigg, “Not all old buildings, structures and histories are heritage.” Heritage should be beneficial; it is composed of the things that we consciously decide to keep, not simply all of the things from the past that we still have.
Posted inNews + Opinion
Welcome to the New Dartmouth
The gleaming, stainless-steel kitchen at Dartmouth cafe Two If By Sea is a blur of activity, with a half-dozen young, black-clad employees milling about behind a panelled counter. Tattooed arms dole out espressos, dive into glass jars to retrieve gooey cookies and dig through baskets for croissants the size of footballs. Customers wait patiently in […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Green Lantern building still shines
The historic Green Lantern building on Barrington Street will not be coming down after all. Halifax councillor Sue Uteck raised eyebrows at a recent council meeting when she said she had received an email from Green Lantern owner Jeff Webber expressing frustration with the city’s historic preservation efforts. “He’s given up on it, and is […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Possible respite for Victorian hotel
Dexel Developments owner Louis Lawen has offered a respite for at least one of the three historic buildings at the corner of Hollis and Morris streets. The buildings are slated for demolition. Lawen says he’s offered to contribute the value of the demolition of the buildings (about $30,000) to moving the buildings—if the Nova Scotia […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Evictions, closings and demolitions sweep through downtown
Businesses are closing and buildings are coming down in the heart of downtown. Perks Coffee next to the Halifax ferry terminal was closed abruptly Tuesday afternoon when a bailiff from the sheriff’s department showed up with an eviction order, says Perks owner Marshia Inkpen, who Wednesday was seeking a court order to quash the eviction. […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Downtown Halifax is TOO underdeveloped?
Save downtown Halifax! Send in the high rises! More Scotia Squares! More Aliant buildings! Lots more office towers—they add so much to the street life and block out those pesky bits of sidewalk where the sun still shines and the outdoor cafes flourish. And the wind tunnels they create…sublime. Away with Historic Properties (it’s OLD) […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Landmark to be razed
The building dates back to the mid-19th century, but has long been in disrepair. While many councillors mourned the loss of the structure, none argued that it was salvageable. Two other buildings on the site, which will also be razed, have historic interest—most notably the 1790s-era Charles Morris building, constructed as the home for the […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Bloomfield plan to go ahead
Halifax council Tuesday night unanimously adopted the Bloomfield Master Plan, which outlines the rebuilding of the oft-contested Bloomfield Centre. The Bloomfield Centre consists of three former school buildings which, over time, have come to be occupied a variety of community, arts and non-profit groups. Citing increased maintenance costs, several years ago the city started evicting […]