Robie Street development meeting attracts dozens

The shadowsa proposed25-storey building on Robie Street would cast on the Halifax Commonconcerned some people who came out to a public meeting on the development Thursday night.

WestwoodDevelopments wants to build a structurethat would be part apartments, part hotel and part commercial space at2032-2050RobieStreet.

"If tall buildings are not suitable inthis location, then really,where are they suitable?" askedDanny Chedrawe, president ofWestwoodDevelopments.

Chedrawe said the location, whereCruikshank'sFuneral Home used to be,is ideal because it is close to the Common and other tall buildings in the area.

"It's on the widest street on the peninsula of Halifax. Robie Street is over 100-feet wide. It's a major transportation route into the city and also a major public transportation route," he said.

Morethan 90 people showed up to a meeting Thursday night to voice their concerns.

Traffic woes

Judith Fingard lives near the Halifax Common. She said she is concerned about increased trafficand shadows the building would cast across the Common.

"I mean, it would just destroy the playing fields in dark shadows, it would be colder, of course, than it needs to be for large portions of the year." said Fingard.

David Smith also attended the meeting andsaid the added densitywould further complicate an area where it's already difficult to find on-street parking.

"According to the plans, there are 106 parking spaces for 112 apartments and 81 hotel units, now that strikes me as being roughly twounits for one parking space. I don't really think that's enough,the area already has a paucity of on-street parking." said Smith.

The development is still in its early stages. City staff will review the feedback from the meeting and then the next step will be to get input from the planning advisory committee.

"We're looking forward to feedback and trying to demonstrate to the public that, you know, we can build tall buildings in our city in the right location [with] the right design that will have minimal impact on existing neighbourhoods," said Chedrawe.

"It's up to me to prove that and I think we have the right thing, the right design."