'This is a game changer': Group raises concern over proposed Halifax towers
4 towers could add 1,000 people and 800 cars to the area around Spring Garden Road and Robie Street
A Halifax citizen advocacy group is dismayed at how development proposals to reshape the corner of Spring Garden Road and Robie Street are being handled by the city.
Halifax regional council will consider just the heritage aspect of two proposed tower projects for that corner on Tuesday afternoon.
A newly formed group, called Development Options Halifax, thinks the approval process is too disjointed and does not put the buildings in context.
"This is a game changer, these two proposals together are three-quarters the size of the Nova Centre," said Peggy Cameron.
Dexel Developments wants to build a 30-storey tower and a 16-storey tower on its half of the block, bounded by Spring Garden, Robie, College and Carlton streets. The buildings, as proposed, would have office and commercial space as well as 250 residential units and 380 underground parking spaces.
Developer Peter Rouvalis wants to build a 26-storey tower and a 20-storey tower on the other half of the block. Rouvalis's proposal involves commercial space, 400 residential units and 384 underground parking spaces.
The combined projects could add 1,000 people and 800 cars to the area.
Both proposals include the restoration of some of the heritage properties, although two of them would be relocated within the development sites. Twelve other buildings could be demolished.
"We really have to start to identify what our treasures are, because they're being stolen," said Cameron.
Development Options Halifax hopes to soon have a 3D model of both developments together to give the public a better understanding of the overall impact of the towers on the area.
Howard Epstein, a member of Friends of the Halifax Common, has written to Halifax regional council asking it to defer a decision on the heritage aspects until the overall impact of development in the area is assessed.
In his letter, Epstein points out that in 2012 the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia recommended designating the block bounded by Robie and Carlton streets as a heritage conservation district.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
