[Halifax] Elmwood Hotel (5189 South) | 28 M | 9 fl | U/C

[Empire]

Originally Posted by someone123

Here is a rendering from the document:

This rendering shows the all of the detailed trim in place. At present, it has been stripped away so hopefully it is restored.

[Drybrain]

The heritage impact statement indicated that the character-defining elements—including the the ornamental trim—were to be preserved, and missing or deteriorated elements restored. Possibly after years of negligent maintenance some of the trim was deemed better off rebuilt than fixed.

There is a bit of a Ship of Theseus thing here: if a building restoration involves enough elements replaced, is it still a historic building, or a facsimile? This seems to be a bigger issue with wood buildings as opposed to masonry. Still, if it looks good enough, does it matter?

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

... Possibly after years of negligent maintenance some of the trim was deemed better off rebuilt than fixed...

I suspect even the pieces that are good enough to be reused have to be removed to allow for tight sheathing and air barriers behind the cladding and to have continuity between the reused envelope and the new base. Rebuilt or fixed, both scenarios likely involve removing the trim and cladding.

Source: I renovated the exterior of my wood-clad heritage home. Lots of the trim was able to be reused, but it was all removed anyway to 1) allow for better conditions in cleaning, prepping, priming, and first-coat-painting (which was done indoors in the warmth and relative dryness), 2) allow for sealing between my foundation and the wood framing above, 3) allow for better flashing at the windows and behind trim and cladding, 4) allow for the application of continuous membrane on top of the sheathing and behind the cladding/trim, and 5) allow for introducing an air gap between the new membrane and the replicated or reused trim and cladding.

[MastClimberPro]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

She's stepped onto the podium and stripped down for us.


HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)

Ba-dum-dum-pssh.

[someone123]

I don't know how this will turn out but there have been heritage renovations in Halifax that looked like this for a while and then turned out as nice as or nicer than they were previously.

The move up to the corner seems very positive. It's too bad some other nearby buildings have been lost, but the Barrington and South streetscapes are still pretty good. This area always seemed like it had a lot of potential as a character-filled medium-density mixed-use area but needs a few more good infill buildings and heritage renos to get there. There are just a few too many parking lots and ugly buildings.

[Dmajackson]

Originally Posted by MastClimberPro

Ba-dum-dum-pssh.

Lol my jokes always fall flat here. I posted one a few weeks ago in another thread and no one has figured it out yet.

It's a good thing I'm better at taking photos than making people laugh.

[JET]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

The heritage impact statement indicated that the character-defining elements—including the the ornamental trim—were to be preserved, and missing or deteriorated elements restored. Possibly after years of negligent maintenance some of the trim was deemed better off rebuilt than fixed.

There is a bit of a Ship of Theseus thing here: if a building restoration involves enough elements replaced, is it still a historic building, or a facsimile? This seems to be a bigger issue with wood buildings as opposed to masonry. Still, if it looks good enough, does it matter?

A bit like the 100 year old axe, that has had 3 heads and 8 handles.
Most old buildings have had bits replaced, if it looks the same as the original, does it really matter?

[OldDartmouthMark]

In the end, it's still the same building, and as long as the finishing materials are restored/replaced to look the same as it did in the past, I don't see any problem with it. The historical streetscape is maintained, and now more people will be able to live there. Kind of like having your cake and eating it too.

[kph06]

This crane is going up. Same form worker as SoQu on Quinpool, Firm Formwork, I think they are associated with the Lawen group.

[someone123]

Sort of a tangent but I thought I would post these two old photos of this area. One is from the municipal archives but I am not sure of the second's source.

It's apparent the neighbourhood was semi-industrial going far back and would have been less desirable because of that, but it did have many heritage buildings that have been lost over the years.

The Maritime Command building is much nicer looking than the 90's era residential that was built there. The building was also historically important for its role in WW2.

In the first picture I noticed what looks like a 3 storey apartment or hotel with bay windows and storefronts which today is an empty lot just south of the apartment building that was built on the Morris House site.

I also used to like the rowhouses and restaurants beside the Elmwood on that block. So much character was lost in this area, and relatively recently. The YWCA demolition was another one.

[someone123]

It is not a good picture but here is the old YWCA on Barrington:



And the dilapidated apartments visible in the photo above:

[Dmajackson]

HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)

[Dmajackson]

This went up fast. They managed to pour six floors in under two months.


HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)

[OldDartmouthMark]

Looking good so far!