A report released by city officials overseeing the so-called “tax reform” proposal could not have been better designed to inflame urban vs. suburban strife. The one-page document, which was handed out at a Tuesday workshop for councillors, shows the effects of “tax reform” by electoral district averages. For example, using 2007 numbers, under “tax reform” […]
Downtown
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
Transit plan: not perfect, but necessary
Forget about the fast ferry to Bedford. Forget about an airport bus. Make the Barrington Street and Spring Garden Road shopping districts car-free so more buses can use those streets, but cut the already paltry bus service to Dartmouth Crossing. Increase transit use by 18 percent in five years, by spending $93 million on new […]
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 inLove the Way We Bitch/Love
WTF HRM developers?
For the past 3-4 years I have been writing into newspapers, calling politicians, posting comments on forums and yes even creating useless bitches about the bullshit heritage groups holding back downtown development. Now that HRM city council has green lighted most of these pending developments I would like to see some fucking cranes on Halifax […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Attica displays in Roy Building
Starfish Properties, owner of many thriving (and some vacant) storefronts on Barrington Street, is allowing one of its busy clients, Attica (1566 Barrington, 423-2557) to display its goods in a number of the windows of one of the empty spaces at the Roy Building. They’ll be using the former location of Dooly’s (1651 Barrington), presumably […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
HRM By Design goes to Halifax council for approval
“Halifax was unique, before we got into this, in not having an urban design plan—urban design has been emerging as a serious discipline in the last 20 or so years,” says Andy Filmore, manager of the $405,000 HRM By Design planning initiative. This Tuesday, June 2, culminating three years of highly charged debate, dozens of […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Shop local: business profiles along Barrington Street
The historic area of Barrington Street is buttressed by the towers at Scotia Square at one end and the Maritime Centre on the other. It’s a busy thoroughfare for transit, local workers and shoppers. Sure, there are pockets of fallow storefront, but all it takes are a couple of key retailers to create a little […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Rank Inc. wins bid for new convention centre
According to a statement just released by a competing firm, Joe Ramia’s Rank, Inc, has been selected by the province to move forward with plans to construct a new World Trade and Convention Centre on Argyle Street, at the site of the former Chronicle-Herald building. Update: I’ve placed the text of The Hardman Group‘s press […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Halifax Design Plan on Deck
It hasn’t gone away. In fact, its about to come around again: The Downtown Halifax Business Commission is encouraging folks to write their councillors to support the passing of the long-awaited and much-discussed HRM By Design, the $3 million financial incentive package put together to make firm development standards for downtown and reimagine the business […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
“Clear development rules”
Listening to Paul McKinnon on CBC radio this morning, I’m realizing that “clear development rules” = “approve every development that comes before council, no matter what.” I’ll expand on that later today.