Case 20761 - Robie, College and Carlton Streets

Request

Application by Zwicker Zareski Architecture & Planning, on behalf of 3088962 Nova Scotia Limited, to enter into a development agreement to allow relocation of an existing heritage building (5969 College Street) and another building with heritage value (5963 College Street) to the rear yards of 1452 and 1456 Carlton Street and to develop a 29-storey/90 metre (plus penthouse) and 28 storey/87 metre tower (plus penthouse) mixed-use building at: PID 00473009, PID 00472993; 1389 and 1377 Robie Street; and 5963, 5969, 5977 and 5989/5991/5993 College Street, Halifax.

Proposal

ZZap Consulting Incorporated, on behalf of 3088962 Nova Scotia Limited, is applying to amend the Halifax Municipal Planning Strategy and Halifax Peninsula Land Use By-law to allow mixed-use (residential and commercial) development for lands fronting Robie Street, College Street and Carlton Street, Halifax.  If approved, the proposed amendments would allow for future consideration of a development agreement for mixed-use development, consisting of: towers up to 90 metres in height and 750 square metres in size; streetwalls and building podiums between 13 metres and 16 metres in height; and a total floor area ratio (FAR) of 8.0, while maintaining prescribed setback distances from, and integrating the overall development with, registered heritage properties located along Carlton Street and College Street.

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Heritage Application/Proposal:

The subject site includes three registered heritage properties (5969 College Street, 1452 Carlton Street and 1456 Carlton Street, Halifax).  On January 29, 2019, Halifax Regional Council approved substantial alterations for the 3 registered heritage properties (5969 College Street, 1452 Carlton Street and 1456 Carlton Street) associated with the proposed development site.  The substantial alterations included the following:

•    Moving the Gold Cure Institute building (5969 College Street) from its current foundation and relocating it to a new foundation at the rear of 1452-56 Carlton Street;
•    Removing an addition to 1452 Carlton Street and the rear ell of 1456 Carlton Street, and rehabilitating the rear walls and connecting the buildings by a glass stairway;
•    Removing a 1990’s addition to the Gold Cure Institute building, and rehabilitating the rear wall; and
•    Moving the McCoy Building (5963 College Street) onto a foundation with sunken terraces within the rear yard of 1452-56 Carlton Street and connecting the building to the Gold Cure Institute building in the form of a glass stairway.

The substantial alterations were reviewed by the Heritage Advisory Committee on December 12, 2018.

Process

The application is a request for new planning policy and development agreement. Additional information regarding the process can be found in the 2019 staff report. Additional information regarding the proposed development agreement can be found in the 2021 staff report to the Heritage Advisory Committee.

Status

2021

September 10, 2021 - Halifax and West Community Council approved a development agreement for PID 00473009, PID 00472993; 1389 and 1377 Robie Street; 5963, 5969, 5977 and 5989/5991/5993 College Street, and 1452 and 1456 Carlton Street, Halifax, following a virtual public hearing on September 7, 2021.

Any aggrieved person, the Provincial Director of Planning, or the Council of any adjoining municipality may appeal to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (902-424-4448) in accordance with the provisions of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter. The appeal period for this matter ends on September 25, 2021.

View the staff report considered by Halifax and West Community Council. 

On June 23, 2021, this application was reviewed by the Heritage Advisory Committee. View a copy of the staff report. 

2020
On July 2, 2020, municipal staff received updated materials from the applicant as part of the active development agreement proposal for this application. As per the information provided, the applicant is proposing a mixed-use development consisting of:
•    577 residential units; 
•    approximately 12,500 square feet of ground floor commercial space;
•    approximately 30,500 square feet of underground commercial space; and 
•    an underground parking garage consisting of 511 parking spots.  
In the weeks ahead, the municipality will conduct an internal review of the submitted updated materials.  These materials will also be reviewed by the Halifax Peninsula Planning Advisory Committee. 

2019
The Heritage Advisory Committee (HAC) reviewed this application on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, at 3:00 p.m. at Halifax Hall, City Hall, 1841 Argyle Street, Halifax.

Regional Council hosted a public hearing on July 15, 2019 at Halifax City Hall.  Following the hearing, Regional Council passed a motion to adopt the proposed MPS and LUB amendments. The amendments have been reviewed by the Provincial Director of Planning and are now in effect.  The amendments allow for the consideration of development through the development agreement process.

A copy of the 2019 staff report may be obtained by contacting the office of the Municipal Clerk at 902-490-4210.

2018
This application was reviewed by the Halifax Peninsula Planning Advisory Committee on August 20 and September 24, 2018. (Staff Presentation to Halifax Peninsula Planning Advisory Committee). 

As part of the public engagement strategy for this application, Halifax Peninsula Planning Advisory Committee and municipal Planning Staff held a public meeting on Monday, June 4, 2018 (Public Meeting Notes).

2017
On August 1, 2017, Regional Council directed staff to consider this application as a site-specific amendment to the current Municipal Planning Strategy policy.  Specifically, Regional Council directed staff to continue to process this request for site-specific secondary municipal planning strategy amendments subject to the proposals: (a) generally aligning with the June 2017 Centre Plan document relative to Urban Structure, Height and Floor Area Ratio, and (b) addressing the planning principles of transition, pedestrian-orientation, human-scale, building design, and context-sensitive as noted the report. 

Documents Submitted for Evaluation

The applicant has submitted the following plans and studies required by municipal staff to properly evaluate the application. 

Updated Materials Submitted in July 2020:

•    Design Rationale – Updated (PDF)
•    Site Plans – Updated (PDF) 
•    Building Drawings – Updated (PDF)
•    Preliminary Landscaping Plans (PDF)
•    Perspective Views (Phase 1) (PDF)
•    Perspective Views (Phase 2) (PDF)
•    Shadow Analysis – Updated (PDF)
•    Surveyor Letter – Rampart Requirements (PDF)
•    Servicing Schematic (PDF)

1. Final Pedestrian Level Wind Study
2. Traffic Impact Study (PDF)

Materials Submitted Before July 2020: 
•    Proposed Design Rationale (Superseded - October 2018)  (PDF)
•    Proposed Design Rationale (Superseded - July 2018) (PDF)
•    Perspective View - North West View (Superseded) (PDF) 
•    Perspective View - Robie Street (Superseded) (PDF)
•    Perspective View - College Street (near corner of Carlton and College streets) (Superseded) (PDF)
•    Perspective View - College Street (near the corner of Robie and College Streets) (Superseded) (PDF)
•    Perspective View - Carlton Street (Superseded) (PDF)
•    Traffic Impact Study - (Superseded) (PDF) 
•    20761 Application Package (Superseded) (PDF)
•    20761 Site Plan (Superseded) (PDF)
•    20761 Shadow Analysis (Superseded) (PDF)
•    20761 Wind Statement (Superseded) (PDF)