{"id":3595,"date":"2010-03-08T09:30:49","date_gmt":"2010-03-08T13:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacingatlantic.ca\/?p=3595"},"modified":"2013-01-21T04:47:35","modified_gmt":"2013-01-21T08:47:35","slug":"fenwick-developer-seeks-to-set-new-precedent-in-halifax","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/atlantic\/2010\/03\/08\/fenwick-developer-seeks-to-set-new-precedent-in-halifax\/","title":{"rendered":"Fenwick developer hopes to set a new precedent in Halifax"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Co-written by Rachel Caroline Derrah<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

HALIFAX – <\/strong>Fenwick Tower<\/a>, the 40-years unfinished, 33-storey butt of the anti-development community’s \u2014 nay, everyone’s \u2014 jokes is going through an identity overhaul. And, if all goes according to the proposed plan, it’s taking the city with it. For decades skeptical fingers have pointed in the building’s direction, naming it a quintessential example of bad development \u2014 a living argument against changing Halifax’s height restrictions.<\/p>\n

But\u00a0Joe Metlege of Templeton Properties<\/a> \u2014 7-month owner of the infamous high-rise \u2014 aims to “flip that.” He sees potential in Fenwick Tower to become an example of development gone right, envisioning fingers across the country pointed Halifax-bound, towards a new precedent in innovative renovation of the Le Corbusier-inspired\u00a0‘tower in the park’ design, which was prevalent in the 1960s and 70s and is widely critiqued for its brutality and context insensitivity.<\/p>\n

This Tuesday, March 9th, Templeton’s application to amend the\u00a0Municipal Planning Strategy<\/a> and\u00a0Peninsula Land Use By-law<\/a> to allow for mixed-use re-development of the Fenwick site will come before Regional Council.<\/p>\n

An\u00a0earlier Spacing Atlantic article<\/a> on the development \u2014 admittedly tinged with cynicism towards large luxury developments \u2014 asked what type of vitality the renovated high-rise might bring to the South end, and how changes to this iconic building might impact the city’s identity.<\/p>\n

We’re pleased to report that questions just like these have been used to guide the design and consultation process. Templeton\u2019s engagement process intentionally brought together some of the most notorious pro- and anti-development groups to discuss, contribute to, and take ownership over the design proposal.<\/p>\n

“The team has looked at lots of models all around the world, but ultimately it came down the community and what they wanted to see here\u201d reports Metledge. Rather than present a proposal upfront, Templeton opted to involve community stakeholders from stage one. \u00a0\u201cWe literally came [to the community] with nothing. We had the site boundaries, we had the site plan showing the parameter of the building, and that was it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Using\u00a0dotmocracy<\/a>, a transparent group decision-making tool, a focus group composed of 13 local organizations was invited to take part in visioning and designing the development. After further consultation with 4 local councillors, and\u00a0two open house events each hosting over 200 people, it became clear that public approval was a priority. Such extensive community engagement by a developer is rarely attempted in Halifax.<\/p>\n

Pioneering \u2014 in both consultation and design \u2014 seems to be an explicit aim for Metlege. “I know for a fact a lot of people are watching what happens here. Legislatively they’re watching but also architecturally they’re watching,” he says. “The architectural flare to the site is unique.”<\/p>\n

\"14758_219481169808_506599808_4152584_1982336_n\"<\/p>\n

The design adds a glass shell to the existing tower, as well as a street-scale addition that stretches forward to meet Fenwick Street. Two new buildings \u2014 10 and 8 storeys, respectively\u00a0\u2014 will flank the high-rise, simulating a gradual height transition.\u00a0From an environmental standpoint, the design proposes a 50% reduction in emissions, and aims for LEED<\/a> equivalency, including a number of green roof locations, a greywater system<\/a>, and energy-efficient lighting and appliances.<\/p>\n

While the majority of residential units will be geared at middle and high-income renters, and a portion may be alloted to condos, 10% will be designated affordable housing.<\/p>\n

From a community perspective, perhaps most interesting is the pedestrian walkway which will weave through the three buildings, linking Fenwick to South Street. Using Halifax’s Hydrostone<\/a> neighbourhood as a model, shops and restaurants will line the walkway, with opportunities for ten public art displays already identified. This pedestrian thoroughfare will connect neighbourhoods and promote the local economy, through, according to Metlege, a mandate of hosting local businesses.<\/p>\n

\"14758_219468419808_506599808_4152363_147069_n\"<\/p>\n

Heading into tomorrow’s Regional Council meeting with high hopes, Metlege continues to seek out vocal community support for the proposal. He hopes that HRM will apply priority to the site, acknowledging the potential impact on the city, and recognizing their “responsibility on getting the process going.”<\/p>\n

It could be added that it is our responsibility as citizens to continue to be bold with our own visions for Halifax, for us to engage in this shared processes of city building, and to hold private and public sector leaders accountable to the visions they engage us in. The proposal for Fenwick Tower is a good place to start.<\/p>\n

Photo by Dean Bouchard<\/a>, member of the Spacing Atlantic flickr pool<\/a>. For more photos of Fenwick, see derivative’s series of photos<\/a> of the iconic tower.
\nRenderings courtesy of\u00a0Templeton Properties<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Co-written by Rachel Caroline Derrah HALIFAX – Fenwick Tower, the 40-years unfinished, 33-storey butt of the anti-development community’s \u2014 nay, everyone’s \u2014 jokes is going through an identity overhaul. And, if all goes according to the proposed plan, it’s taking the city with it. For decades skeptical fingers have pointed in the building’s direction, namingContinue reading “Fenwick developer hopes to set a new precedent in Halifax”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4070,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[362,5860,344,341],"tags":[338,373,1815,347,2047,994,2049,351,2046,415,828,1497,2048],"class_list":["post-3595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-architecture","category-community","category-politics","category-urban-design","tag-community-development","tag-construction","tag-dean-bouchard","tag-development","tag-energy-efficient-lighting","tag-fenwick-tower","tag-focus","tag-halifax","tag-joe-metlege","tag-municipal-plan","tag-rachel-caroline-derrah","tag-regional-council","tag-transparent-group-decision-making-tool"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nFenwick developer hopes to set a new precedent in Halifax - Spacing Atlantic<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/atlantic\/2010\/03\/08\/fenwick-developer-seeks-to-set-new-precedent-in-halifax\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Fenwick developer hopes to set a new precedent in Halifax - Spacing Atlantic\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Co-written by Rachel Caroline Derrah HALIFAX – Fenwick Tower, the 40-years unfinished, 33-storey butt of the anti-development community’s \u2014 nay, everyone’s \u2014 jokes is going through an identity overhaul. 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