Back to Hali...

I was walking around downtown this afternoon, and I started making note of the various vacant lots and sites under development. In particular, I noticed the proposal for a new TD Centre between Barrington and Granville. There were a few other random spaces that seem ripe for development... aside from the gaping hole on Argyle where the fabled convention centre is to be built and the nondescript vacant lots for which Skye Halifax is planned.

It occurred to me that it'd be interesting to catalogue all the development/construction (or stalled development/construction) around downtown and even on the peninsula generally so... that's what I'm going to do. With pictures!

In general, I'm very much "pro-development" and as much as I want to see heritage buildings and architecture preserved, I find the various "Save the View" types tiresome and obstructionist. Current regulations are so ridiculous that an imperceptible one inch (or thereabouts) intrusion into the "sight lines" from the Citadel is slowing down redevelopment of Fenwick Tower. Downtown (and peninsular Halifax generally) needs development, residential and commercial, and it needs investment from the city and province. The new Central Library is an excellent start - how about a new Discovery Centre? More recreation facilities? Revamped transit terminal? Mandate that new office construction occur here?

Anyway, I'll start off with downtown with likely a brief foray up to Spring Garden. Then maybe the North Commons/Gottingen or Quinpool. I've seen a lot of great things happening in Halifax over the last decade and especially in the last four years - but there's much more to do.