Deco "Discovery Centre" could be demolished

[Dinerman]

Built in 1939 and originally a Zellers, the current Discovery Centre is facing the potential of demolition. Plans include building a 16 story appt. building on the site.

Zellers Building
1593/95 Barrington Street, Halifax
Built:Opened 1939
Style:Art Deco
Architect:Gratton D. Thompson
Owner:1595 Visitors Centre Ltd.

The former Zellers building is the best example of the Art Deco style in HRM.
Three storeys high and constructed of sandstone, the building occupies the western end of the block
bounded by Barrington, Sackville and Granville Streets. Its Barrington Street facade is divided into
a 2-5-2 window arrangement, which is subtlyaccented on the upper storeys bystylized pilasters and
a slightly projecting roofline parapet. A decorative band of parallel lines and floral motifs divides
the ground floor from the upper floors, and there are similar geometric motifs above the second
storey windows and in a continuous band at the roof line.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

It looks like a neat building. Wherre is it located?

 

[Dinerman]

Downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Thanx, but why did they decide it needed to be demolished?

 

[Dinerman]

There's big money to be had in downtown development. The facade may be saved, which is better than complete demolition. They've done this elsewhere in town, but I can't say I'm impressed.

Halifax could be home to a new 20-storey apartment building or a 15-storey office tower.

"It depends on the market," Frank Medjuck, president of 1595 Investments Ltd., the company that owns the building at 1595 Barrington St., said in an interview on Tuesday.

Mr. Medjuck said plans to enter into a development agreement to allow for a 200-foot mixed-use commercial-residential building on the downtown site were sent to Halifax Regional Municipality staff in December.

"There’s a big demand by government for downtown development," he said. "We’ve put it on the table and we’ll see what happens."

Mr. Medjuck said the project would cost $15 million to $20 million. He expected it would be four years before anything new is built on the site, a former Zellers department store that his company bought 25 years ago.

The building is now home to the Discovery Centre, a hands-on science centre that Mr. Medjuck said could be part of the proposed new development.

"They’ve been good for Barrington Street," he said of the centre.

"They’re safe and sound for the time being."

Mr. Medjuck said the proposal complies with all municipal bylaws and harbour view-plane requirements.

While the art-deco building, which was built in the 1930s, doesn’t have a heritage designation, he said the plans include retaining its carved facade "in a gesture to the street."

 

[Dinerman]

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I sure hope they deciede to save at least the facade.

 

[Tomasso]

The facade may be saved, which is better than complete demolition. They've done this elsewhere in town, but I can't say I'm impressed.

I've seen good and bad, more the latter. But why no heritage designation?

 

[Dinerman]

I've seen good and bad, more the latter. But why no heritage designation?

I don't know if it has anything to do with it- but it's one of the newer buildings in the downtown area. Most of downtown dates from the 1880s-1915 period, and most of those do have heritage designations.

The heritage designation doesn't seem to protect much, however, just the facade. Here's one a couple blocks down and two over. Heritage properties which have been gutted- a high rise will fill their shell.

 

[dhermann1]

Hearst Building

Here's another example of the same thing here in New York.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearst_Tower_(New_York_City)

 

[Silver Dollar]

Unfortunately, we get stuck in between modernization and history. the problem is that we want both at the same time. I hate when they destroy some of that old Art Deco architecture. Being originally from NYC, those old buildings are what gives the city its signature look. Can you imagine if somebody tried to knock down the Chrysler Building or the Empire State Building? That not only would be a tragedy but an out and out crime.

 

[cookie]

Heritage Schmeritage

This is a heritage building where they have destroyed the side wall of an 1820s building?.

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

Ughhh....

Horrid. It seems to me that if the 'price is right' it is, as the last poster said 'Heritage Schmeritage'

Sickening.

On a personal note, what was Zenners? I look after the grave here in England of a RCAF pilot from Truro and he attended college in Halifax. It was nice to see a building that he may have seen...

 

[Dinerman]

Ughhh....

Horrid. It seems to me that if the 'price is right' it is, as the last poster said 'Heritage Schmeritage'

Sickening.

On a personal note, what was Zenners? I look after the grave here in England of a RCAF pilot from Truro and he attended college in Halifax. It was nice to see a building that he may have seen...

Zellers is a department store. They've been around since 1931.

 

[Kitty_Sheridan]

Thanks Dinerman.
K

 

[Dinerman]

Here's the inside of the Zellers after 1945 VE day riots and looting.