Nova Centre developer holding public meeting on Wednesday

Halifax developer Joe Ramia will be asking for public feedbackthis Wednesdayon proposed changes to the Nova Centrethat will affect neither the cost or completion date of the project.

"There's no change in height," he says."It's just the look."

The architects for theNova Centre have come up with a list of 14 changes to the approved design.Among them are changes in the design of service doors on the Market Street side.

There are also plans to change the colour of the street-level brick on the Market and Prince streets sides from grey to a more traditional reddish brown.

Ramia says the architects thought the colour change would be a better match withNova Centre's neighbours.

"If you look at the Prince George [Hotel], it's brick. If you look atthe buildings across the street from us, they're brick," said Ramia.

Meeting requirements

The tower directly across the street from the Carleton Music Bar and Grill will also feature a brick grid-shaped panel over the glass exterior also to help it blend in with the surroundings.

City spokesperson Brendan Elliot says any changesmust be approved by the city's design review committee.

As well, Ramiais required to hold an open house, which is happening this Wednesday at Cambridge Suites at 7 p.m.

"It's a requirement for the developer to hold a public consultation meeting to answer questions from the public on any of the changes that they're proposing," said Elliott.

Ramia and his architects, IBI Architects Atlantic, will meet with the city's design review committeeon Thursday.

Contentious changes

Also on the agenda at that meeting will be some changes to the project the city took issue with in early March.Those involve an increase in height at the corner of Sackville and Market streets.

Architects say due to changes inside the building, the height at one corner of the Trade Centre will increase by 1.2 metres.

If the design review committee rejects the proposed changes, Ramia can appeal to regional council.