Mixed reaction to scuttled Skye Halifax project

There’s mixed reaction from residents the morning after Halifax Regional Council voted to kill a controversial downtown development project.

The proposed Skye Halifax condo towers would have stood 48-storeys tall on the former Tex Park site, but council voted 9-6 against the project as it exceeds Halifax By Design height restrictions and sight guidelines.

“It’s not a bad thing they voted it down,” Halifax resident Devin told News 95.7 Wednesday morning, on Spring Garden Road. “Forty-eight stories, it’s just too much. 12 maybe, but 48? I don’t know how many units they were planning to put in there, but it’s not necessary. Halifax doesn’t need that.”

Developer United Gulf had proposed building a mixed-use property, consisting primarily of residential units, but also including a hotel, office, and retail space. The developer’s proposal said the residential units would have a “mixed range of prices and design flexibility to accommodate families, couples, and individuals.”

Some HRM residents argue, with the developer, that’s exactly what is needed at the corner of Sackville, Granville and Hollis and that downtown height restrictions are prohibiting downtown density and encouraging urban sprawl.

“United Gulf is proud of the beauty of Halifax and also felt very strongly about protecting the views,” said the developer in its application. “Then we found, that the rampart height restriction essentially prevents any modern, affordable, flexible multiple residential projects because it forces buildings to be built in a short and wide configuration with large building footprints. This is the opposite formula from the eco-density formula that is so successful today.”

Some people disappointed with council’s decision took to Twitter and Facebook following the decision.

“(The) real downtown Halifax ghost town should be a tourist draw like the ones in the wild, wild west,” wrote one HRM resident.

“(The) rejected Skye project leads me to believe that this will come back in five years,” said another Halifax woman on Twitter. “Moncton will have 10 awesome buildings by then.”

“(It’s a) sad day,” said Joseph. “The Skye condo project slated for downtown Halifax was voted against 9-6, ass backwards. We are so behind the times.”

Others saw the project as the first step in making Halifax the East Coast equivalent of Toronto and welcomed council’s decision.

“I do not want to have to look out my apartment window and not be able to see the ocean, or not be able to see Dartmouth,” said Elizabeth. “I think it’s really crazy that they would even consider putting it there.”

“Maybe it’s a little too big for Halifax,” said Terry – a Toronto transplant, “especially with some of the Historic Properties that they are tearing down, not my favourite direction.”