Tag Archives: Carlton Street/Spring Garden Road

HRM Council Approves Carbon Bombs for Carlton Block

On January 23 HRM Council voted to give the Dexel / Lawen development even more benefit but still without any public benefit in exchange. For almost a decade HRM Council and staff ignored public concerns about the Lawen and the Rouvalis families’ two projects and refused requests that the four towers be considered together. Citizens support the need for development and density but want better options. Now the combined impact on the existing/future affordability, climate, traffic, community, heritage, wind, shadow, noise etc. will only be understood in real time. HRM made no attempt to balance the private, for-profit interests of the developer with societal needs.  The HRM public hearing recording begins at 8:08 & the citizen speakers at 8:34 -Its worth the watch.  See details below the video.

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Lloyd Alter: Groundbreaking Study Highlights How Design and Development Decisions Affect Embodied Carbon

 

Groundbreaking study on embodied carbon comparing new build to retrofit and addition in Halifax Canada ignored by city, author told to ‘stop making things up.” Should be studied closely, big implications.” writes Lloyd Alter, well-known author at Treehugger in a review of the new report, Buildings For a Climate Crisis, by Peggy Cameron. “The lessons of a study from Halifax, Canada can be applied anywhere,”

Read Alter’s review of the study.

Download Buildings For the Climate Crisis

Image: Halifax Waterfront. Henryk Sadura/ Getty Images

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Public Hearings for Multiple Towers, September 7th

HRM hosted two public hearings on September 7, 6pm (day after Labour Day) via zoom and approved Case 20761 and Case 22927. The huge public opposition to these proposals was seriously misrepresented by HRM staff and ignored by everyone but Patty Cuttel the only HRM Councillor to vote against the Rouvalis proposal. This is a bad process. It continues to result in a bad outcome.

Case 20761 (red): Carlton Block at Robie, Spring Garden, College, Carlton

Case 20761 – Rouvali 28, 29-storey towers are being considered separately from Dexel’s Cast 20218 for 2 ~30-storey towers. Model by Hadrian Laing.

Developer Rouvalis can now build TWO TOWERS, 28 and 29 storey + penthouses, at Robie and College. Confusingly, Case 20218 (orange) developer Dexel also wants TWO ~30-storey towers in the same block at Robie and Spring Garden, but these 2 developments are being considered separately. Dexel’s towers will be considered at a future public hearing for the 2 towers. If permitted together the FOUR ~30-storey towers will demolish 12-14 buildings, 110-114 affordable units; an area equivalent to a 12-storey building. There will be stalls for ~861 cars. Constructing new towers will emit 31,000 tonnes+ of greenhouse gas. Development Options Halifax modeled a 9-storey in-fill option with~ 550 units and keeping all but one building.

Case 22927 (orange): Willow Tree Block on Robie near Quinpool
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Chronicle Herald: Group concerned with proposed central Halifax highrise developments

Peggy Cameron of Development Options Halifax stands at Robie and College streets on Mon., July 5, 2021. The group is concerned that two central Halifax mixed-use development proposals will negatively impact the historic Carlton Street neighbourhood. – Noushin Ziafati

Noushin Ziafati – July 6, 2021
An advocacy group says it’s concerned that a set of proposed highrise developments in central Halifax will negatively impact the historic Carlton Street neighbourhood and that Halifax Regional Municipality hasn’t been transparent in the approval processes for the buildings, which a local councillor adamantly denies. Continue reading

Carlton Block’s “Upward Creep” Proposals Ignore Both Public Concerns and HRM Regional Plan Policy Considerations

Media Release
July 4, 2021 –For immediate release

KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) HRM’s response to significant public concerns over two massive Spring Garden Road high-rises that will overwhelm and negatively impact the entire historic Carlton Street neighbourhood has been to give the developers even more height.

Regional Plan Policy CH-16-Development Abutting Heritage Properties- 5 guidelines are ignored

On June 23, the HRM Heritage Advisory Committee moved the Rouvails proposal-Case 20761, at Robie Street, College Street and Carlton Street a step closer to approval, with the new heights now increased to 28 and 29 storeys plus penthouses from the original proposal of 20 and 26 storeys. This development will be adjacent to Dexel’s proposal- Case 20218, for two towers originally proposed as 16 and 30 storeys but now also approved for up to 90m or 29 storeys plus penthouses. Continue reading

Unanimous Approval of Carlton St Developments New Low In City Governance

This small-scale mixed use block on Spring Garden Rd is part of 12 buildings & 80 – 100 affordable housing & commercial units to be demolished in the historic Carlton St neighbourhood. As building & construction produce ~40% of greenhouse gas emissions UK architects recently set a policy of upgrading existing buildings for extended uses as a more carbon efficient alternative to demolition and new build.

Mayor Savage and Council’s unanimous approval of two proposal for four towers in historic Carlton Street’s neighbourhood is a new low in city governance. Eight hundred+ citizens petitioned against the proposals and a dozen+ speakers at July 15th’s special meeting spoke in opposition. HRM ignored Development Options Halifax’s requests to present a 3-D model showing the neighbourhood with the proposed developments and a better option 9-storey model that would have retained 10 of the 12 buildings now slated for demolition.
Listen to Rick Howe’s interview with Peggy Cameron to learn more about how democratic process and the Centre Plan are seriously off the rails in HRM…