Uptown District could be home to 5,000-plus housing units in north-end Halifax
HALIFAX, N.S. — Parking lots and puddles could be replaced by sky-high residential towers supported by rapid transit and bike lanes.
This is the vision for the 11.8 hectares of underused land in Halifax’s north end between Young Street, Robie Street, Almon Street, and Windsor Street.
According to a staff report presented to Halifax Regional Council this week, this area is considered a future growth node (FGN) and is “affectionately” called the Uptown District or Uptown.
It is “envisioned to be developed into a comprehensively planned, complete community containing several thousand dwelling units,” staff wrote in the report.
HRM staff told council on Tuesday that height limits remain to be seen but they are exploring going up to 120 metres (about 35 storeys), where right now in the Centre Plan the limit is 90 metres (about 26 storeys). As planning continues, staff will be looking at the capacity of the nearby road network and the infrastructure.
The province provided a grant for the development of the Young District Infrastructure Plan, which includes this FGN, and will assess the existing water, power, roads, stormwater and more for recommendations on upgrades and new projects. Consultants will also do environmental and archaeological resource impact assessments.
It was in front of council on Tuesday because under current policies, all property owners in a FGN must be in a single development agreement (there are 11 FGN sites in the regional centre). That’s not a problem when a FGN like Mic Mac Mall or Shannon Park is owned by a single entity, but in this case there are five property owners.
There will also be a public participation program that will include mailouts, information sessions, a web page and a public hearing.
Hot property
This neighbourhood is currently home to the Canada Post processing facility, the Mayflower Curling Club as well as retail, offices, parking lots and a gas station.
“The biggest occupant in this area is Canada Post,” said Coun. David Hendsbee (Preston – Chezzetcook – Eastern Shore). “The best place for them is out in Burnside so they’ve got the most valuable piece of property on the peninsula in my opinion, which I think they should be making the federal government some money by selling off the asset.”
SaltWire sent a request to Canada Post to ask about any future plans for the building but have not yet received a reply.
Rapid transit and bike lanes
One reason this property is ideal for at least 5,000 new housing units is because HRM is already planning for rapid transit and bike lanes in the neighbourhood.
Young and Robie Streets are considered transit priority corridors for rapid bus routes.
HRM staff are working with landowners to buy properties on Young and Robie as part of the Rapid Transit Strategy. Plans are in the works for a rapid transit station near the Young and Robie Streets intersection.
Staff are also working on the designs for protected bike lanes along Almon Street that will run adjacent to the Uptown District. In the report, staff said construction is expected to begin sometime next year.
“The anticipated redevelopment of the Uptown area presents a strategic opportunity to create a high-quality and complete transit-oriented community with supportive pedestrian-oriented streets, an efficient transit network, and a formalized and fine-grained block pattern that includes generous parkland to serve future residents,” staff wrote.
