Comments on: The death of Barrington Street?

By: Nora

Nora — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 05:26:45 +0000

Why in this entire message has the name “starfish properties” been left out? This article seems to imply that the city and current landlords are working together on a long term plan. Yet if you look closely at any of these vacant properties little starfish dance across every window. Obviously, purchasing properties and sky-rocketing the prices to force current business out is their long-term plan. The plan to kill Barrington st. to the point where HRMbydesign is desperate for a solution is the long term goal. And a long and slow death it is. Dooley’s large space has been vacant for serveral years now along with other spaces. Having their investments sit there vacant for months or years on end would normally send buyers into a panic. But they keep on purchasing space which can only lead me to believe that the beautiful historic properties which draw people to this city are doomed to be dimished as new, modern (yet not unique) buildings and chains take their place.

By: Leave the Present Moment Alone · Faltarego.com

Leave the Present Moment Alone · Faltarego.com — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 16:54:52 +0000

[...] of guest posts over the time she's been blogging, the most recent of which, entitled "The Death of Barrington Street?" and written by Paul MacKinnon (Twitter handle @downtownpaul), was a really interesting [...]

By: Steve Lionais

Steve Lionais — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:30:30 +0000

Note: I left this comment on the ‘Mourning Barrington Street’ post, but I thought it was apt here too.

I think part of the reason why we’re seeing the street ‘die’ before the revitalization has a lot to do with the planning guidelines pre-HRMbyDesign. What we’re seeing now is the result of a pent up demand for redevelopment that couldn’t have feasibility occurred under the old planning guidelines.

It’s unlikely that as much of the street would be papered up pending new developments if these landlords were able to feasibly develop their properties over the previous 10 years. Normally this sort of thing will happen to different buildings over time with buildings going vacant, being re-developed, and repopulated at different points in time. The impact of one building being vacant of course being much less noticeable to the whole street.

Now these landlords have clear guidelines on what they can build coupled with incentives to retain historical elements that have released much of this demand on to the market at once. Unfortunately it means we have to wait out the process while these spaces are brought back online again for retailers, office dwellers, and condo owners.

I believe the end result will be a much more revitalized street indeed.

By: Mourning Barrington Street « Community. Identity. Stability.

Mourning Barrington Street « Community. Identity. Stability. — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:36:44 +0000

[...] Mourning Barrington Street Today Paul MacKinnon, the Executive Director of the Downtown Halifax Business Commission did a guest blog on East Coast By Choice questioning the recent Twitter ‘panic’ about the death of Barrington Street. [...]

By: Giles (Webconomist)

Giles (Webconomist) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:47:56 +0000

Great article and some good questions.

I think part of what will contribute to Barrington St.’s regrowth will be the addition of high-density residential facilities. People living close to downtown, as was the case in the 50′s and 60′s.

The lack of and high cost of parking remains a challenge. Issues normal to the growth of a city. I’d like to see a second High Street evolve. Wandering through downtown just before Christmas with a fresh snowfall is magical, as is a foggy summer night. Be great to see it come alive again.