[Halifax] 5515 Cogswell (at Gottingen) | ? m | 10 fl | U/C

[Wannabe Economist]

Is it just me or is this one going incredibly slow? From what I can tell it looks like the crane here went up in February 2022 and they only just have the structure finished. In contrast to Press Block, a similar size and far more complex development, which had its crane go up in June 2023 yet has almost all the windows on already and will probably be fully clad soon.

Anybody have some insight into this? They're probably still at least 2 years out from occupancy and it doesn't look like much work is getting done. Not to mention how shabby and disorganized the site looks.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by Wannabe Economist

Is it just me or is this one going incredibly slow? From what I can tell it looks like the crane here went up in February 2022 and they only just have the structure finished.

Meh. It's moving at Warp factor 6 compared to the Prince Albert in Dartmouth. I've become a grandfather four times (no twins involved) since that project started, and one of those kids begins school in September.

[planarchy]

Originally Posted by Saul Goode

Meh. It's moving at Warp factor 6 compared to the Prince Albert in Dartmouth. I've become a grandfather four times (no twins involved) since that project started, and one of those kids begins school in September.

This is the difference between Lawen/Dexel, Spatz/Southwest and maybe Chedrewe/Westwood and every other high-rise builder in the city. The Dexel crowd builds in 24-36 months and runs a professional site, while Halef/Banc and the Metledges and others are 5+ years - see the Elevation on Robie and the Trinity Church site for terrible and terribly slow and messy projects (including site fires, work stoppages and more). God help us when they start Bloomfield, St. Pats Quinpool and St. Pat's A.

[Saul Goode]

Originally Posted by planarchy

The Dexel crowd builds in 24-36 months and runs a professional site, while Halef/Banc and the Metledges and others are 5+ years - see the Elevation on Robie and the Trinity Church site for terrible and terribly slow and messy projects (including site fires, work stoppages and more). God help us when they start Bloomfield, St. Pats Quinpool and St. Pat's A.

Indeed. I'm near the Prince Albert site frequently and can attest that it's been a sloppy mess - especially at the rear, along Glenwood Ave - since the project began. The neighbors really must have had their fill of it by now.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

20240825_134440 by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr

[Dmajackson]

3.5 years after construction started there is now exterior paneling being installed.


HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)

[OldDartmouthMark]

Love how it conforms to the corner.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Love how it conforms to the corner.

If memory serves, the previous building on that site (the Dymaxion building) did as well, just shorter, stubbier, and afflicted with red brick cladding as was fashionable at the time. This one looks somewhat like a taller, newer version of it.

[IanWatson]

I don't usually like precast but so far I find this one is looking really good. Hope that impression continues to hold!

[Dmajackson]

Crane will be disassembled next weekend.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

20240929_155931_HDR by A.J. Forsythe, on Flickr


The building is looking good but wow, that's a whole lot of intersection! I used to walk this intersection regularly. In the mornings it was an exercise in walking half sideways with head turned in anticipation of dodging inattentive sleepy-headed drivers turning down Cogswell from Gottingen.

[Dartguard]

I was driving through Halifax earlier today and I thought I saw a crane set up to take down this Construction Crane.

[Musicman Halifax]

Originally Posted by Dartguard

I was driving through Halifax earlier today and I thought I saw a crane set up to take down this Construction Crane.

You saw right. It was taken down Saturday afternoon.

[Dmajackson]

HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)

[kph06]

Originally Posted by planarchy

This is the difference between Lawen/Dexel, Spatz/Southwest and maybe Chedrewe/Westwood and every other high-rise builder in the city. The Dexel crowd builds in 24-36 months and runs a professional site, while Halef/Banc and the Metledges and others are 5+ years - see the Elevation on Robie and the Trinity Church site for terrible and terribly slow and messy projects (including site fires, work stoppages and more). God help us when they start Bloomfield, St. Pats Quinpool and St. Pat's A.

I’d add Design Build Solutions (Shannex subsidiary) to the list of speedy builders. The Parkland at the Commons was fast, and their other sites, which there are many of, are using different techniques to put up buildings quick.

Dexel, Southwest, Design Build Solutions all do well at keeping the exterior envelope close to the concrete structure, I find that’s a good indicator of efficiency. Concrete takes 28 days to reach compressive strength, so the exterior is usual four floors down from the one they are pouring. Once the temporary jacking is removed, the floor can be closed in. A floor a week seems to be reasonable progress around here for a building.

There’s a few builders around that seem to wait till the concrete is done or mostly done to start closing the structure in, leading to longer build times. The Elevation on Robie was like that.

[Dmajackson]

The hill was loaded with sleds and I even spotted a cross-country skier this weekend. Makes me wonder how great of a public space it could be with a bit of investment.


HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)

[Dartguard]

Originally Posted by Dmajackson

The hill was loaded with sleds and I even spotted a cross-country skier this weekend. Makes me wonder how great of a public space it could be with a bit of investment.


HalifaxDevelopments.ca (Photo by David Jackson)

Interesting Observation Dave as a Buddy of mine has often wondered why far more creative and artistic things do not happen in and around the Citadel. I think part of that lack of Imagination and creativity is the National Capital mindset that the Citadel finds itself subject to. A stuffy Old Ottawa viewpoint as the grounds are a Parks Canada entity.
The Outdoor Comedy festival seems to be an outlier . Its been interesting hearing the impressions of Top American comedians of Halifax. They would include Tom Segura, Kevin Hart, Seinfeld, and Bill Burr. Matt Rife is scheduled for two nights in a row this coming August so Cougar City will be crowned.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Dartguard

Interesting Observation Dave as a Buddy of mine has often wondered why far more creative and artistic things do not happen in and around the Citadel. I think part of that lack of Imagination and creativity is the National Capital mindset that the Citadel finds itself subject to. A stuffy Old Ottawa viewpoint as the grounds are a Parks Canada entity.
The Outdoor Comedy festival seems to be an outlier . Its been interesting hearing the impressions of Top American comedians of Halifax. They would include Tom Segura, Kevin Hart, Seinfeld, and Bill Burr. Matt Rife is scheduled for two nights in a row this coming August so Cougar City will be crowned.

One reason: the 'friends of' various inanimate objects and spaces don't want this. They fight against any use that isn't historic, even if temporary. This is well documented when looking at the idea of an amphitheatre on the Commons, etc. Not joking, they want all lands of the Common returned to their former 'field' state and would rather cows on the land than any sort of civic or recreational use.

They're well organized and don't care about what the general public thinks, even if they are not in the majority.

[Drybrain]

Originally Posted by worldlyhaligonian

One reason: the 'friends of' various inanimate objects and spaces don't want this. They fight against any use that isn't historic, even if temporary. This is well documented when looking at the idea of an amphitheatre on the Commons, etc. Not joking, they want all lands of the Common returned to their former 'field' state and would rather cows on the land than any sort of civic or recreational use.

They're well organized and don't care about what the general public thinks, even if they are not in the majority.

They're well-organized but are they influential? They're out there rallying against things like widening Robie for BRT lanes, and against the Wanderers stadium, and against bike lanes in the south end, but at the end of the day no one seems to pay them much attention at City Hall, and they seem to lose all their battles these days.

[worldlyhaligonian]

Originally Posted by Drybrain

They're well-organized but are they influential? They're out there rallying against things like widening Robie for BRT lanes, and against the Wanderers stadium, and against bike lanes in the south end, but at the end of the day no one seems to pay them much attention at City Hall, and they seem to lose all their battles these days.

The influence is certainly falling. People are catching on to their undemocratic tactics and its also a 'boy who cried wolf scenario'.

Now - if only local media would stop giving them airtime. If they do, they should try to find someone to counterbalance.