[Halifax] 2254 Barrington | ? m | 7 fl | Approved

[halifaxboyns]

Court rules city lot can be developed
HRM facing suit over zoning dispute
By BRUCE ERSKINE Business Reporter
Wed, Jun 22 - 7:28 AM

Peter Polley has demonstrated that you can fight city hall.

The owner of Polycorp Properties Inc. in Halifax has won a court battle to have the R-3 zoning maintained on a Barrington Street property where he plans to build a $15-million condominium development.

But Polley is still suing Halifax Regional Municipality for economic losses incurred in the protracted legal battle, characterized by Justice Gregory Warner of the Nova Scotia Supreme Court as a simple issue that the municipality turned into a time-consuming and expensive process.

The rest of the article can be found here.

[Dmajackson]

So here's an interesting question. If the city spent thousands of dollars on lawyers to protect vacant land on Barrington Street from development because it believed there should be a playground there why does it let prime recreation space downtown turn into a parking lot?

[Jstaleness]

Not trying to bump this tread or anything but just had a thought. I know that there is a current land dispute here. I wonder if Pete should re-apply for this one and try and go for something larger. I use this ship building thing way to much I know but I think there would be strong demand for housing in this area once the process begins. I didn't check the restrictions on height so maybe it's already maxed but this would be a sweet spot for a tower of sorts. It would be a quick ride on the 9 bus to get from there to the Shipyards.

My point only stands of course if the land issue/zoning issue is resolved of course.

Just some thoughts from my head of boredom this afternoon.

[someone123]

The dispute with the city is resolved to the extent that the court has ordered them to issue a permit for this development. I think it's therefore ready to go ahead. There was an article a while back in ANS where I believe Peter Polley said that Polycorp has already moved on to other projects, so Jazz will be built after those are complete.

Sounds like the big question still to be resolved is how much the city will have to pay to Polycorp to make up for their mistake and behaviour. It's only fair for Polycorp to get some money, although I'm not sure the money alone would have any impact on the HRM bureaucracy. One would hope that one or more people would get in trouble for this but I'm not sure that's how the city works...

[halifaxboyns]

When a Development Permit is approved (either through a court process like this or through the typical process) there is nothing that stops the applicant from coming back to apply for a new permit to go bigger. The only issue would be whether the bigger building would fit the angle controls, more parking would be required and it meeting the rules.

I suspect that after all this, there would be little to no desire to go through the process again for a bigger building not that Mr. Poley might not get approved (I don't think HRM would come along and force the issue into court again by refusing a new permit for a bigger building on the same grounds again), but it just might be 'it took me long enough to get this' kind of perspective.

[Keith P.]

I wonder what the Moes have been doing to pass the time during the delay? Painting a window frame? Hanging a door? Installing a cabinet pull?

[terrynorthend]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

I wonder what the Moes have been doing to pass the tim3e during the delay? Painting a window frame? Hanging a door? Installing a cabinet pull?

I was listening to weekend morning on CBC radio a couple of weeks ago. Stan Carue played a song by a group called '5 guys named Moe'. I nearly fell out of bed laughing!

[Wishblade]

Originally Posted by terrynorthend

I was listening to weekend morning on CBC radio a couple of weeks ago. Stan Carue played a song by a group called '5 guys named Moe'. I nearly fell out of bed laughing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EaUqLrfEMU

Did they sound like this?

[Dmajackson]

According to an a statement by Peter Polly of Polycorp developments this project has been delayed and construction will not begin for another 2+ years. The company is currently working on "The Q Lofts" on Roberts Street and will start construction on the Long Lake Village condo buildings within 18 months.

BTW I switched the title to match the rest of the subforum but I don't have any information on height or floor count. If anyone has this it would be greatly appreciated.

References: Chronicle Herald Article - "Change Builds In North End" (07/10/2013)

[Haligonian88]

Not much of an update, this is still on hold, but not dead by any means. I can say that I believe it is 8 stories, with 62 units.

[Dmajackson]

This was very surprising to see while entering PID's for building permits;

$36'000'000 - Mixed Use - Residential & Other Use(s)- Residential Use - 117 Units - 7 Storeys - 7 storey, multi-unit residential building with 117 units, and one level of underground parking. and mechanical penthouse /amenity level.

[HfxCondoOwner]

I live in Spice overlooking this property. In the past few weeks workers have been visiting the site and have left a disassembled security fence, a small pile of dirt, and recently a large green storage locker right in the middle of the field. Today there were surveyors there taking measurements. I know from speaking to the Cogswell District project manager that the owner has been in discussions with HRM about extending the planned buried cable line over their property (currently the buried cable will stop at the north end of Spice). I had also heard second hand about a year ago that the owner was hoping to break ground within a year.

So... sounds like some progress is being made? It's a new owner from when this thread was first started, new building plan (original was around 70 units, new plan is 117 units), and probably won't be called Jazz. Once this project really gets going I'll be in a good position to post pictures of the progress.

A question for anyone here who knows more about the development process: will this new design still need to go through a public consultation where we see what it will look like before building starts?

[alps]

Originally Posted by HfxCondoOwner

A question for anyone here who knows more about the development process: will this new design still need to go through a public consultation where we see what it will look like before building starts?

If this development is as of right (i.e. in accordance with the zoning), then there wouldn't be a public consultation. I believe in that case that you could view the drawings at the Planning and Development customer service counter at Duke Tower. You might want to email 311 for clarification about the status of the project.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

This was very surprising to see while entering PID's for building permits;

$36'000'000 - Mixed Use - Residential & Other Use(s)- Residential Use - 117 Units - 7 Storeys - 7 storey, multi-unit residential building with 117 units, and one level of underground parking. and mechanical penthouse /amenity level.

The building permit was approved this week.

[Keith P.]

Another Halifax 7-storey box. These are becoming the new Highfield Park Special.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

Another Halifax 7-storey box. These are becoming the new Highfield Park Special.

Speaking of Highfield Park, I see on the newly proposed centre plan/development height map that this area will be 40 stories. Might this extra height be the catalyst to tear down and replace the Highfield specials?