i havent been there in years? has there been any new building put up, any new projects being worked on? it seems like they havent built anything new in along time.

There are a number of residential highrises that are either under construction or fairly recently completed, but not much in the way of commercial that I'm aware of.

Keep in mind that there has been many project proposed in the downtown, but all have or are waiting to be torpedoed by the historical committee.

Keep in mind that there has been many project proposed in the downtown, but all have or are waiting to be torpedoed by the historical committee.

Why can't they just keep the nice architecture that currently exists in downtown Halifax, but let all the modern proposals flow forth and become a really modern and dense Atlantic waterfront city... it'd be awesome! They already have those two big waterfront office buildings which officially declare the city as no longer just a little historically preserved town of the past...

^ Keep all the current architecture, AND build the new proposals? Sure sounds good but... unfortunately there just isn't very much space in downtown Halifax. Well, deep downtown near the waterfront anyway. And as in many historical cities, the downtown area is quite packed with heritage buildings. Of course, there are a number of small, fairly mediocre lowrise office buildings in downtown that could probably be demolished to provide space for taller buildings. But there is also the problem of the strict restrictions the city has placed on downtown highrise contruction in order to maintain the view from Citadel Hill (not to mention the shadow guidlines). Any amount of new development would require either a lot of demolition, or the development would have to be done in another area. I'm thinking the uptown business district would make a nice spot for a highrise hub if demand for office space suddenly exploded.

I'd really like to see some pics of Halifax....Could someone, anyone please post Halifax pics? Also, does anyone have any news on the Great Gulf development?...i believe its two 27story towers.

the problem is that everyone post's the SAME pics over and over again and Weve all seen then a thousand times ! sorry a little pissed this morning my PC broke. :bash:

Why can't they just keep the nice architecture that currently exists in downtown Halifax, but let all the modern proposals flow forth and become a really modern and dense Atlantic waterfront city... it'd be awesome! They already have those two big waterfront office buildings which officially declare the city as no longer just a little historically preserved town of the past...

Unfortunatly the members of the heritage committee are not that forward thinking. There are plenty of holes in the downtown that could be developed with great modern buildings like Gulf.I do not know the current status of that building. However, to give you an example of how bad the H.C. is.

Midtown Tavern wanted to renovate there building and transform it into a highrise hotel. The building design was great, but it was shot down because it would'nt fit in with the area. Which doesn't make any sense because the area does'nt have that many historical buildings anyway.

Pre-Renovations
http://beerblog.genx40.com/local/genx40/images/mt.jpg

Proposed renovations
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a5/NS_Subtropical/Midtown.jpg

I think another downtown core is the only way to get modern high rises and god forbid..skyscrapers(!) in Halifax. I think the best place would be on the opposite side of the citatel around the commons or springarden area. Many highrises already exist there. Photo by Someone 123( I think he goes by Haligonian here, but i could be wrong)

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a5/NS_Subtropical/45283406.jpg

see thats interesting and new ! good job

Here is a huge pano from Wikipedia. Probably a few years old. The place I would build a new downtown core would be to the centre-right of the image.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/a/aa/Hfxpan.jpg

View from my room(I never set the clock, it was taken September 2005)
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a5/NS_Subtropical/Me001.jpg

Halifax is denser then i thought!!!

The texpark tower is in the planning stages and preparing for approval.

If you look in the large pano posted on the right between the trains and the water is to be redeveloped including a new landmark building for NSCAD and some office and a hotel or two.

is fenwick tower the tallest building in Halifax?? I see it in the background of one of those pics.............its a pretty ugly building. the nicest tall buildings are 2 twin buidlings on the water front. The toronto dominon building on Barrington is kind of weird cause it so skinny and small, they should build something better.

Yes, the Fenwick building is the tallest at 99m. I think it has 32 floors. And no, it isn't pretty, but at least it isn't downtown. It's fairly inconspicuous where it's placed. The large pano was taken from the top of Fenwick.

I think the pano taken from Fenwick is from 2004. Everything under construction there is more or less done, and one of those weedy lots has become Letson Court. Today you would also be able to see the cranes for Salter's Gate and Gladstone Ridge in that picture along with the All Saints condos.

I really hope the United Gulf towers are built within a reasonable amount of time. There are also two large proposals for the waterfront nearby. I don't know what is going on with the Salter Street development but the Queen's Landing development certainly won't happen for a few years.

By the way- yes, this is someone123

Nice pano

I think Canadians should be really excited about Halifax.... I think we should put alot of investment into it and tout it as Canada's "mini World City" and pitch it (from a marketing/image standpoint) up against the big guys/ the world's larger coastal cities in the world.

Maybe even twin it with Auckland, NZ? haha what am I doing now?

Sounds good. Or how about San Fransisco or Boston? As far as I know it is only twinned with Hakodate, Japan, which is still pretty cool.

Hi! I've been to Halifax aobut 10 years ago. Needless to say, Halifax is full of wonderful and warm-hearted people who welcomed me to their homes so that I don't feel lonely there for several months.

Have you heard the place called Melville Heights? This place is like a 5-star version of retirement home. The resdients living there are treated royally. I know 'cuz I've been there several times.

Yeah, I live about a 5 minute drive from there. I haven't been inside it in several years but from what I can remember it's quite nice.

I found some new pics. Not taken by me(Lee Sandstead http://sandstead.com/images/halifax/ )

http://sandstead.com/images/halifax/Halifax_Nova_Scotia_source_sandstead_d2h_69.jpg

http://sandstead.com/images/halifax/Halifax_Nova_Scotia_source_sandstead_d2h_165.jpg

http://sandstead.com/images/halifax/Halifax_Nova_Scotia_source_sandstead_d2h_171.jpg

My favorate view of the skyline has always been from the Bridge
http://sandstead.com/images/halifax/Halifax_Nova_Scotia_source_sandstead_d2h_176.jpg

http://www.offbeattravel.com/halifax-harbor.jpg

http://p.vtourist.com/1987544-Travel_Picture-Halifax.jpg

http://www.tripsource.com/images/photos/Jeremy/Canada1/Halifax%20%20Nova%20Scotia.jpg

http://www.nscs.org/memberbenefits/ScholarshipOpportunities/Sea/2005/Jones/images/20050622-02.jpg

http://morbo.net/pics/gallery/gallery1/bigimages/IMG_1220.jpg

My favorate view of the skyline has always been from the Bridge
http://sandstead.com/images/halifax/Halifax_Nova_Scotia_source_sandstead_d2h_176.jpg
Easily the best pic I've seen so far of the downtown core - nice!

I can't help but think that a lot more could be down with the city though - some of those pics make it look like vancouver, some of them make it look like a much smaller city than it actually is.

Would I be right in saying that there is no real focal point in the city just now? Or is just that the pictures don't really show it that well.

All in all, your city looks brilliant - roll on the competition for the games :) :)


Btw what is the population of Halifax, city and metro?

Btw what is the population of Hlaifax, city and metro?

The amalgamated city/metro has about 365k

Population of Halifax is 381,000 acording to Statscan.

yeah, but since its 2006 now I wouldnt be surprised if were hovering around the 400,000 mark

Easily the best pic I've seen so far of the downtown core - nice!

I can't help but think that a lot more could be down with the city though - some of those pics make it look like vancouver, some of them make it look like a much smaller city than it actually is.

Would I be right in saying that there is no real focal point in the city just now? Or is just that the pictures don't really show it that well.

All in all, your city looks brilliant - roll on the competition for the games :) :)


Btw what is the population of Hlaifax, city and metro?

Hey, thanks. There are a couple landmarks in the downtown, nothing particularly iconic, but there are places like Granville Mall and Citadel Hill (:sleepy:) that could be considered more major landmarks. The Purdy's Wharf office towers also tend to be the focal points of skyline photos taken from Dartmouth.

Midtown Tavern wanted to renovate there building and transform it into a highrise hotel. The building design was great, but it was shot down because it would'nt fit in with the area. Which doesn't make any sense because the area does'nt have that many historical buildings anyway.

I dunno if I'd call it a great design, in my opinion a better description would be "acceptable." It is being appealed though, and I think the United Gulf towers would be a better "catalyst" for development downtown anyway.

I totally agree about twinning with Auckland NZ, or maybe Christchurch. It would be nice to twin with other similar cities to help get the name out... what exactly is the procedure for twinning cities?

It's true that there is not much of a focal point, at least when you are viewing the city from a distance. On the other hand, there are a lot of moderately-scaled areas with many interesting details at street level that you don't really find in many other cities. There is always a tradeoff.

This kind of thing has more to do with why Halifax is a decent city than the skyline does, and there's definitely not a whole lot of it in Canada:
http://www.pbase.com/halifaxphoto/image/34099147/medium.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/halifaxphoto/image/34099138/medium.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/halifaxphoto/image/34099140/medium.jpg

nice pics haligonian, sadly sam the record man no longer exists, except for the original one on yonge street in T.O.

nice pics haligonian, sadly sam the record man no longer exists, except for the original one on yonge street in T.O.
The one on Barrington Street is still there, unless they removed it one of the past couple of months? :eek:

I remember sam the record man ...

Sam's is definatly still there. I pass it everyday on my way to school.

Downtown from Alderney Landing at night is amazing.

Heres the new twisted towers proposed for downtown.

http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/8656/21ex.jpg

http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/8971/59729378361zo.jpg

It's original, plus, it would a serious shot in the arm for the downtown core... if only they could work the first like 3-4 stories into the downtown streetscape feel, but at least it's going up. Three cheers for democracy!!

Cliff

It's original, plus, it would a serious shot in the arm for the downtown core... if only they could work the first like 3-4 stories into the downtown streetscape feel, but at least it's going up. Three cheers for democracy!!

Cliff

Im still confused on the situation of the United Gulf towers. Last I heard was a few appeals from the heritage groups were made to the U&R board, and that someone, I believe it was Epstein, was even taking it to the supreme court of NS. Has this all been cleared up or is it still ongoing?

Easily the best pic I've seen so far of the downtown core - nice!

I can't help but think that a lot more could be down with the city though - some of those pics make it look like vancouver, some of them make it look like a much smaller city than it actually is.

Would I be right in saying that there is no real focal point in the city just now? Or is just that the pictures don't really show it that well.

All in all, your city looks brilliant - roll on the competition for the games :) :)


Btw what is the population of Halifax, city and metro?


Well boy david it is a great small city and actually where some people here alude to san francisco for a parrellel I would actually say more like san diego.
Both cities have a naval history. both cities have the influence of the neighbooring country to the south with the mexician baja california region influencing san diegos architecture and halifax being influenced by new englands. To me despite not wanting a commonwealth games i beleive halifax is probably one of the best cities for its size in the world and I have been to many. Public development with taxpayers money with no public input or public debate while discouraging a Gulf Towers is not the way to develope anything that lasts.

As too a focal point with the city I think the ribbon of the parade square and city hall to the metro centre over the citidel to the commons is the focal point if you can call it that.

The best thing for halifax to do is let the place grow with private money and little restriction. The gulf towers is a prime example of heritage restriction that is a moot point now . a 1950's multi-story parking garage has no historic value. The same goes for the midtown tavern which had a New England style face lift for the G8 summit.That facelift counters the original facade which was concrete stucco more in the art deco/novueau style. The halifax herald building is basically empty along with the parking areas behind. I am sure a battle will ensue other those properties as well which is mid 1900's architectural.There is all types of style clashs in the city and to me historial preservation should be restricted to places that actually have historial meaning. Province house, City Hall are about the only 1800's building I consider valued. epseically province house and the joseph howe connection. With the gulf towers I beleive that it is foriegn investment and the wrong message is being sent with an appeal to the supreme court of nova scotia by howard epstein an MLA.

Protecting a 1950's era parking garage is idiotic.

jim jones

Howard Epstein is a civil engineering gong show that has no right playing provincial politics, in a urban decision. There was nothing there to begin with... it was torn down. So what's to preserve. Jim, you are right.

Cliff

Howard Epstein is a civil engineering gong show that has no right playing provincial politics, in a urban decision. There was nothing there to begin with... it was torn down. So what's to preserve. Jim, you are right.

Cliff


The only problem for howard epstein is he has to answer to the people in his riding. That may be the route of his opposition to the twin towers project.
He maybe a MLA in the provincial house but he also represents an HRM riding
which can be influenced by heritage nuts who cant see the forest for the trees.

jim jones