Public Service Announcement
HRM by Design to present Preferred Downtown Scenario for Halifax
(Tuesday, November 27, 2007) - HRM by Design project staff and consultants will present the Preferred Downtown Scenario for Halifax to the public on Wednesday, November 28 at the World Trade and Convention Centre.
The Preferred Downtown Scenario for Halifax is the result of feedback and priorities defined by participants in previous public forums, in particular at Forum 4 held in September. Over 500 residents attended the opening session at Forum 4 to hear about, and to discuss, the "Ten Big Moves" and three alternate development scenarios for downtown Halifax.
The Preferred Downtown Scenario provides a more detailed vision of how downtown Halifax will look and feel once the HRM by Design plan is implemented. This includes recommendations on heritage protection and preservation, direction on appropriate building form and massing, increasing the capacity for residential and commercial development, and clear direction on building heights. You will have the opportunity to hear about the Preferred Downtown Scenario at a public open house and presentation. Details of the event are:
Where: World Trade & Convention Centre, Room 200 C
When: Wednesday, November 28
6-7 pm Open House
7-8 pm Presentation of Preferred Downtown Scenario
8-9 pm Questions & Answers
HRM by Design's overall objective is to promote "Good Urbanism", which includes fostering a positive development climate downtown, making a beautiful public realm, improving heritage protection, investment in public open spaces, well designed streetscapes and many others.
For more information on the Preferred Downtown Scenario, or the HRM by Design project, visit www.hrmbydesign.ca.
- 30 -
Contact:
Andy Fillmore
Project Manager - HRM by Design
902-490-6495
Tiffany Chase
Communications Specialist
HRM by Design
902-490-5057 HRMbyDESIGN
Regional Centre Urban Design Study
***************************************************************
OPEN LETTER
To all HRM by Design stakeholders:
In advance of Wednesday's public open house and presentation, I believe it would be useful for all stakeholders to be updated on the "Preferred Downtown Scenario" that has been developed by the Urban Design Task Force (UDTF) and the HRM by Design project team. In recent weeks a number of substantial misconceptions regarding the Preferred Downtown Scenario have been circulating in the community, and erroneous information has been repeated in the local print media and at local community meetings. I write to correct these misconceptions by providing a summary of the key aspects of the Preferred Scenario being presented at 6pm on Wednesday, November 28 at the World Trade and Convention Centre.
As a bit of background, HRM by Design is a project mandated by the municipality's Regional Plan, and is tasked with developing an urban design strategy for HRM's Regional Centre. A key objective is the creation of a shared vision and comprehensive development approach for Downtown Halifax. Since the inception of the project nearly two years ago, the HRM by Design project team and the UDTF have involved thousands of residents and stakeholders in a step-by-step planning process. This public engagement approach has involved one-on-one meetings with, and presentations to, interested stakeholders and organizations; public forums and open houses; targeted stakeholder workshops; and, the inclusion in project recommendations of a vast volume public feedback and suggestions received via letters and e-mails.
After nearly two years of such research and consultation, HRM by Design held Public Consultation "Forum 4" in September of this year. Over 500 residents attended the opening session at Pier 21, with several hundred more attending the workshops that followed, to discuss the emerging vision for downtown and the three alternative development scenarios with which to give form to that vision. At the conclusion of Forum 4 the project team and UDTF had two important pieces of information in-hand: First, that there was broad public support for a development strategy which accommodated new growth distributed throughout the northern, central and southern downtown while putting in place unprecedented protection and support for our valued historic buildings. Second, that a great number of mitigating comments were gathered from the public that would serve to refine and enhance the development strategy. In response the project team indicated that they would form a Preferred Downtown Scenario based on these priorities, and present it back to the public later in the season. That presentation is the subject of the November 28 public meeting.
Summary of the Preferred Downtown Scenario:
• Improved development policies to include: predictability, clarity and expedience of the process; sustainability in building and land use practices; and mechanisms ensuring that a variety of public benefits are derived from private development (such as public space, public art, affordable housing, heritage assistance, etc.). These improvements provide a huge incentive for reinvestment in our downtown.
• Unprecedented heritage protections to include: the introduction of up to seven Heritage Conservation Districts (none currently exist), which will include tools such as financial incentives for preservation and re-use (none currently exist), design guidelines, demolition controls, and historic streetscape preservation. The Preferred Scenario preserves all existing view protection regulations, and will enhance the essential character of our city.
• The accommodation of up to 14 million square feet of new commercial and residential development distributed throughout the downtown over the 25-year life of the plan, which is an increase of 1 million square feet over the scenarios presented at Forum 4.
• Excellent short-term development capacity in the central downtown the Preferred Scenario encourages development of currently vacant and underutilized sites in that area thereby improving the overall appearance of the downtown and increasing its desirability as a place to live and do business. The Preferred Scenario can immediately accommodate in excess of 1 million square feet of Class A office space in the central downtown alone.
• Design guidelines ensuring excellence in architecture and public space design, yet permitting and encouraging great creative freedom by designers.
• Increased public investment in the public realm to include: the creation of a variety of new public spaces, visual and physical connections between the city and the waterfront, and design improvements to key downtown streetscapes.
The overriding aspiration of HRM by Design is the provision of good urbanism, which promotes a liveable city with inviting streetscapes and public open spaces. HRM by Design balances a multitude of sometimes competing objectives and responds to numerous complex pressures, but throughout good urbanism will be the foundation of the project, giving strength and lending credence to all of its diverse components.
I therefore encourage you to attend the public presentation on November 28 to see and hear for yourself how this project will bring vibrancy, beauty and prosperity to our downtown. Participating in this public process is the most effective means of ensuring that your voice is heard in the final recommendations being made to Regional Council in the new year.
The Preferred Downtown Scenario will be presented on Wednesday, November 28 at the World Trade and Convention Centre, Room 200C.
6-7 pm…Open House
7-8 pm…Presentation of Preferred Downtown Scenario
8-9 pm…Questions & Answers
I look forward to seeing you on Wednesday.
Sincerely,
Dale Godsoe
Chair, Urban Design Task Force
