Heritage is Greater than the Sum of the Parts

In early January FHC as part of Development Options Halifax held a media conference to show a model of two massive developments (16-, 20-, 26- and 30-storey towers) proposed for the historic Carlton Street area together to the public for the first time. Listen to the interview below by News 95.7 Sheldon MacLeod about the work that this group is initiating, to learn what better and more sustainable options for densification in Halifax could be, and to understand the context on what is at risk if we follow these developers’ lead and lose older, smaller, mixed-use neighbourhoods.

Proposed changes to heritage properties in this historic neighbourhood were approved by the Mayor and Council on Jan 29th- see details below. This continues the way for the two proposals that together are equivalent to ~80% of the new convention centre, and the demolition of 12 buildings on the Halifax Common’s only remaining historic neighbourhood. (See three related media stories below.) 
 

Please take action! There’s a draft sample letter that you can copy and paste to the Mayor and Council, the Heritage Advisory Committee, the Halifax and West Peninsula Community Council c/o clerks@halifax.ca here https://www.facebook.com/pg/halifaxcommon/posts/ and there are other details here https://www.developmentoptionshfx.com/take-action/  

 
 
Some approved changes to Carlton St. Heritage properties are:

Case H00456 (Rouvalis) proposes several amendments to heritage properties in the historic Carlton Street area. The major one is relocating two buildings on College Street east to lots adjacent to Carlton Street so their properties can be freed up for the proposed 20 and 26 storey developments. After the move, the Gold Cure Institute, a registered heritage building at 5969 College Street and the unregistered 5963 College would be re-registered as heritage properties. Parking for 384 underground vehicles is proposed to go next to the heritage properties on College Street.



Case H00462 (Lawen/Dexel) proposes several amendments, the major ones being the subdivision of four rear yards of houses on Carlton Street so the new lots can be part of the proposed 16 and 30 storey developments. As part of this, 5950 Spring Garden Road, a house which was joined to 1494 Carlton Street (the home of Margaret Marshall Saunders at the corner of Carlton Street and Spring Garden Road) with an adjoining addition in the 1990s making it a heritage property will be demolished. Parking access for 380 underground vehicles is proposed to go between the Margaret Marshall Saunders home at 1494 Carlton Street and 1484 Carlton Street.

In 2012 and again in 2016 Heritage Trust requested that this area be considered a Heritage Conservation District as 50% of the buildings in the area are heritage and another 11 would qualify. So why is HRM working to move, demolish and subdivide heritage properties when the only beneficiary is private profit for private developers who want 16-, 23-, 26- and 30-storey towers to loom over Carlton Street?