26-Storey Tower Planned for the Heart of Downtown Dartmouth
DARTMOUTH – A local developer is moving forward with plans to build a 26-storey tower on the site of the former Dartmouth post office.
The property sits at 53 Queen Street, in the heart of downtown Dartmouth.
In 2021 Canada Post sold the vacant property for $5,850,000 to a numbered company owned by Jim Lawley. Lawley is a businessman who owns fast food franchises throughout the Maritimes and sits on the board of directors of Killam Properties Inc.
At the time of the sale, Global Partners Inc. advertised the property as a “potential mid- to high-rise redevelopment site in the heart of the vibrant and desirable neighbourhood of Downtown Dartmouth.”
Now, RHAD Architects has submitted plans, on behalf of the property owner, that capitalizes on that vision.
According to documents RHAD filed with the city, the plan is to build a 142-unit, mixed-use building. The main feature of the project will be a 26-storey tower that stretches 90 metres high.
But that doesn’t mean the old post office will be destroyed.
The property was registered as a municipal heritage property in 2020. That means there are special rules that govern development on the site – including requirements that the character of the building is preserved.
Because of those rules, the developer plans to incorporate the old post office building into the project, essentially making it part of the tower.
It also plans to use and build on historic elements of the post office in the overall project. For example, RHAD says one of the original portions of the post office was a clock tower that was removed after falling into disrepair. The developer plans to restore and reintegrate the clock into the public space of the new development.
It also plans to move the Canada coat of arms crest and integrate it into the new apartment building vestibule so it is visible from the street.
RHAD argues the developer’s plan will have “minimal” physical or aesthetic impact on the historic, post office building.
“Our team [chose] to locate the majority of the new development in the adjacent parking lot and on top of the 1960s ‘Annex’ addition, which is the least historically significant portion of the building,” its proposal reads. “Impacts on the original Post Office will be positive and relatively minor, with the majority of the work focusing on building code upgrades.”
RHAD’s plans for the old post office follow a recent trend in Halifax of large-scale developments on heritage properties.
Already, the Waverley Inn on Barrington Street and Victoria Hall on Gottingen Street are being altered in similar proposals.
In each case, developers agree to pour money (in some cases millions of dollars) into revitalizing heritage buildings in exchange for the privilege of putting massive towers on the property.
RHAD’s proposal will require a normal development proposal, as well as a separate heritage application. Both applications must be approved before work can be done on the site. City staff is reviewing both the development agreement application and heritage application and will soon prepare a recommendation for council.
Before council can make a decision, it must hold a public hearing on the matter. Staff says a public open house with more information about the project will happen in “early spring.”
Trevor Nichols is Huddle’s editor, based in Halifax. Send him your feedback and story ideas: [email protected].