Developer Hopes To Build 26 City Blocks On Shannon Park Site In Dartmouth
HALIFAX – If all goes according to plan, Canada Lands Company is planning to spend “tens of millions of dollars” to develop the 87- acre Shannon Park area in Dartmouth into 26 city blocks.
Under the proposal, which is now open on Halifax’s municipal website for public feedback, Shannon Park will have 3,000 residential units (housing up to 7,000 people), 145,000 square feet of commercial space, and 15.5 acres of parks.
Trying to turn this proposal into a reality has been a long journey for the developer. Canada Lands originally purchased Shannon Park in 2014. The current design for the 26 city blocks was put together in 2016. The following year, the company demolished 41 buildings on the site that were vacant since 2004 and in poor condition.
As most people know, however, there was two-year a period where Shannon Park was the prime location for a new CFL football stadium. Following public pushback on the idea, however, the stadium idea for Shannon Park was scrapped. So now it’s back to being a residential and commercial area.
According to Chris Miller, senior director of real estate for Canada Lands, another reason the project has been delayed is because of the Centre Plan. He says the company was told that if they waited for the city’s Centre Plan to be implemented, it would be the most efficient process towards project approval. It took the city, however, longer than anticipated to implement the Centre Plan.
“They originally envisioned 18 months, and it took them five years,” said Miller. “So, rather than initiate a standalone amendment process to the existing planning regulations, we understood that the centre plan would address Shannon Park specifically.”
“So, we agreed to hold off submitting a standalone application, and didn’t appreciate that the Centre Plan process wouldn’t be able to move forward as originally scheduled.”
Canada Lands won’t be building any of the units themselves. They will lay the groundwork, such as streets sewers and other services, and then sell lots of land to other developers.
The company was hoping to have already started construction by 2018. Because of the delays, Miller says the residential units will be more expensive to build now compared to three years ago. During that time, the housing market has become red hot and the cost of building materials have skyrocketed.
Miller estimates that it will cost $200,000-$250,000 to construct a 1,000 square foot unit.
“The longer it takes…the more challenging it is overall for the project,” said Miller. “We undertook the demolition of 40 of the 42 buildings in 2017 and had the site more or less ready for the commencement of construction of streets and services and the end of 2018.”
“In the meantime, the regional economy has changed, the need for housing is extremely significant and pressing in the HRM region. And, for argument’s sake, had we been able to advance our development in 2018-19, we could actually have dwelling units on the ground right now.”
Miller says much of what’s included in the final design – such as a transit hub and plenty of community green space – came out of long community consultations in Dartmouth. For 18 months, the company asked residents what they wanted to see.
The HRM is amid an affordable housing crisis, with low vacancy rates and increasing rent prices. So, the community would love to see some affordable housing units at Shannon Park.
Miller, however, could not say whether or not there would definitely be affordable housing units in Shannon Park, under the current design plans. He did say, however, that Canada Lands will have to pay a density bonus to the HRM for Shannon Park. The city could, in theory, use that density bonus money towards affordable housing initiatives in the city, notes Miller.
He also stated that Canada Lands works closely with groups that have a mandate to increase affordable housing across the country.
“We too hear the same thing from the community. What Canada Lands does is look at opportunities for specific developments. What we’ll do is reach out to groups who can access funds through programs…and see how we can assist them.”
“We do not have a mandate ourselves…to build affordable housing units…”