www.cbc.ca
Open in
urlscan Pro
23.199.199.42
Public Scan
Submitted URL: http://cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-nova-scotia-affordable-housing-downtown-office-conversion-sidewa...
Effective URL: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-nova-scotia-affordable-housing-downtown-office-conversion-sidewa...
Submission: On December 08 via manual from CA — Scanned from CA
Effective URL: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-nova-scotia-affordable-housing-downtown-office-conversion-sidewa...
Submission: On December 08 via manual from CA — Scanned from CA
Form analysis 1 forms found in the DOM
<form class="searchForm"><span class="search-autocomplete">
<div role="combobox" aria-haspopup="listbox" aria-owns="react-autowhatever-gn-search-autocomplete" aria-expanded="false" class="react-autosuggest__container"><input type="search" value="" autocomplete="off" aria-autocomplete="list"
aria-controls="react-autowhatever-gn-search-autocomplete" class="searchInput" name="query" id="gn-compact-search" placeholder="Search CBC.ca" aria-label="Search CBC.ca">
<div id="react-autowhatever-gn-search-autocomplete" role="listbox" class="react-autosuggest__suggestions-container" aria-label="Choose a suggestion"></div>
</div>
</span><button class="searchButton">Search</button></form>Text Content
Skip to Main Content
Menu
Search
Search
Sign In
QUICK LINKS
* News
* Sports
* Radio
* Music
* Listen Live
* TV
* Watch
* news
* Top Stories
* Local
* COVID-19
* Opinion
* World
* Canada
* Politics
* Indigenous
* The National
* Business
* Health
* Entertainment
* Science
* CBC News Investigates
* Go Public
* Shows
* About CBC News
* More
* Business
* Health
* Entertainment
* Science
* CBC News Investigates
* Go Public
* Shows
* About CBC News
Developer plans to convert downtown Halifax office space into housing | CBC News
Loaded
Nova Scotia
DEVELOPER PLANS TO CONVERT DOWNTOWN HALIFAX OFFICE SPACE INTO HOUSING
Sidewalk Real Estate Development plans to convert about half of the Centennial
Building at 1660 Hollis St. in Halifax into apartments. Thirty-eight of 100
units will be rented 20 per cent below market value with the help of a
provincial subsidy for affordable housing.
SOCIAL SHARING
* FACEBOOK
0
* TWITTER
0
* EMAIL
0
* REDDIT
0
* LINKEDIN
0
RENT ON 38 OF 100 APARTMENTS WILL BE SUBSIDIZED BY THE PROVINCE
Taryn Grant · CBC News · Posted: Nov 30, 2021 6:00 AM AT | Last Updated:
November 30
The Centennial Building in Halifax takes up half a downtown block from Sackville
Street northward, between Hollis and Granville streets. (Robert Short/CBC)
77
comments
A Halifax development group is planning to convert vacant downtown office space
into apartments.
The conversion will happen at 1660 Hollis St., a 54-year-old office tower known
as the Centennial Building.
Elliot MacNeil, president of Sidewalk Real Estate Development, said about 30 per
cent of the building was vacant when purchased earlier this year and he expects
that rate to increase to about 50 per cent with upcoming lease expiries.
As those commercial tenants clear out, about half the building will be renovated
into one-, two- and three-bedroom loft apartments.
The project is one of three announced by the province last week as the
recipients of more than $6 million to partially subsidize rents on some units.
The Centennial Building has entrances on Granville and Hollis streets. (Robert
Short/CBC)
Sidewalk, formerly known as the Bruno Group, redeveloped several buildings on
Portland Street in downtown Dartmouth over the past few years.
"1660 Hollis is one of our larger redevelopment or adaptive reuse projects that
we have coming up," MacNeil said in an interview.
He expects the flip to be complete in the next 18 to 24 months. The building is
already zoned for residential use.
According to property records, the Hollis Street building was bought in August
for $16.65 million.
COST OF RENT TO BE DETERMINED
Sidewalk vice-president Joe Nickerson declined to say how much he expects the
conversion will cost, as designs are not finalized. He said the $1.9 million
from the province is the only government funding the project has received so
far; it is otherwise funded by "an appreciated group of investors."
Nickerson said it's also too early to put an exact figure on what residential
tenants will be charged in rent. Generally, though, he said rents will be on par
with market rates for the area.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation survey of the private rental market
in 2020 found average rents for the southern half of the Halifax peninsula were:
* $1,270 for a one-bedroom apartment.
* $1,758 for a two-bedroom apartment.
* $2,029 for a three-bedroom apartment.
As part of the provincial deal, Sidewalk has agreed, for the first 20 years, to
rent 38 of 100 apartments for at least 20 per cent below the average rate
reported by CMHC. Nickerson said there will be no design differences between the
units designated for affordability and the other 62 apartments.
A vacant floor at 1660 Hollis St. on Nov. 26, 2021. Within a year, the new
owners of the building expect it to be 50 per cent vacant. (Robert Short/CBC)
Last week, Advanced Education Minister Brian Wong, speaking on behalf of Housing
Minister John Lohr, said it would be up to landlords to make sure units
designated as affordable "are going to the right people that qualify."
Nickerson said Sidewalk is waiting for more guidance from the province on how it
should do that.
"Part of our pitch for this funding was that we're not looking to do … ultra-low
income housing in the downtown core," he said. "What we are looking to do is
create a more affordable unit for the people that create a healthy downtown."
Nickerson said he imagines that will include university students, artists, new
entrepreneurs and people who work in bars and restaurants.
MORE TOP STORIES
* N.S. reports 2 deaths, 59 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday
* Q&A
Infectious disease expert explains COVID-19's new variant of concern, omicron
* Here are all the potential COVID-19 exposure sites in Nova Scotia
* Stretch of Cabot Trail to reopen in 1-2 weeks, says Parks Canada
* 12 inmates found guilty of aggravated assault in brutal attack at Burnside
jail
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Taryn Grant
Reporter
Taryn Grant is a Halifax-based reporter and web writer for CBC Nova Scotia. You
can email her with tips and feedback at taryn.grant@cbc.ca
* Follow Taryn on Twitter
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News
Report Typo or Error|Corrections and Clarifications
COMMENTS
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will
appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in
children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be
permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and
publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note
that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this
story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome
while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.
BECOME A CBC MEMBER
Join the conversation Create account
Already have an account?Log in
Newest
Most Liked
1. Oldest
2. Most Liked
3. Most Replies
4. Most Active
5. Editor's Pick
77 Comments
0
Commenting is now closed for this story.
← Show all comments
Show More
FOOTER LINKS
MY ACCOUNT
* Profile
* CBC Gem
* Newsletters
* About CBC Membership
CONNECT WITH CBC
* Facebook
* Twitter
* YouTube
* Instagram
* Mobile
* RSS
* Podcasts
CONTACT CBC
* Submit Feedback
* Help Centre
Audience Relations, CBC
P.O. Box 500 Station A
Toronto, ON
Canada, M5W 1E6
Toll-free (Canada only):
1-866-306-4636
TTY/Teletype writer:
1-866-220-6045
ABOUT CBC
* Corporate Info
* Sitemap
* Reuse & Permission
* Terms of Use
* Privacy
* Jobs
* Our Unions
* Independent Producers
* Political Ads Registry
* AdChoices
SERVICES
* Ombudsman
* Corrections and Clarifications
* Public Appearances
* Commercial Services
* CBC Shop
* Doing Business with Us
* Renting Facilities
* Radio Canada International
ACCESSIBILITY
It is a priority for CBC to create a website that is accessible to all Canadians
including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges.
Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on
CBC Gem.
* About CBC Accessibility
* Accessibility Feedback
*
* ©2021 CBC/Radio-Canada. All rights reserved.
* Visitez Radio-Canada.ca
now
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CBC Caffeine Player 17.16.1
INFORMATION ABOUT COOKIES
Please know that cookies are required to operate and enhance our services as
well as for advertising purposes. We value your privacy. If you are not
comfortable with us using this information, please review your settings before
continuing your visit.
Learn moreClose