Nova Centre

Nova Centre is a mixed-use commercial development under construction in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. It comprises a hotel tower, two office towers, the new Halifax Convention Centre, retail space, and Grafton Place, a public pedestrian arcade that was formerly part of Grafton Street. It is being developed at a cost of $500 million by Halifax developer Argyle Developments Ltd.[1]

Nova Centre
Nova Centre (glass towers in background) in July 2017
General information
StatusUnder construction
LocationHalifax, Nova Scotia
Topped-outJanuary 2016
CostC$500 million
Design and construction
ArchitectNoel Fowler Architect
Architecture firmIBI Architects Atlantic
DeveloperArgyle Developments
Website
novacentre.ca

History

The Nova Centre development occupies two city blocks in downtown Halifax. One block was formerly home to the longtime headquarters of the Halifax Chronicle-Herald newspaper.

The project has received federal, provincial, and municipal public funding as it will house, in the podium levels and basement, the new Halifax Convention Centre operated by the Crown corporation Trade Centre Limited (TDL).[2]

In 2014, Halifax Regional Council approved the sale of a section of Grafton Street, running through the Nova Centre site, to Argyle Developments at a cost of $1.9 million. This section will remain open to the public as a covered pedestrian arcade, and will be rented out for events by the developer.

In October 2015, the Bank of Montreal signed a 10-year lease agreement and naming rights deal. The bank will establish their Atlantic Canadian headquarters in the office tower, and one of the towers will be named BMO Tower. The bank's flagship downtown branch will also be relocated to the ground level of the building.[3]

In April 2017 it was announced that Grant Thornton had signed a lease for 36,000 square feet (3,300 m2) of space in the complex and would move there from the Cogswell Tower.[4]

Elements
The complex under construction in 2016

Office towers

The two office towers are actually connected, and the floorplates can be combined, but the towers have separate cores. They are called the BMO Tower and South Tower respectively. Each tower offers 14,000 square feet of space per floor, or a combined 28,000 square feet per floor.[5]

Convention centre

The Halifax Convention Centre is a conference centre that replaced the nearby World Trade and Convention Centre as the main convention venue in the city. The new, larger convention facility houses 120,000 square feet (11,000 m2) flexible event space that allows Halifax to accommodate conventions and events that the former convention centre could not handle. The convention centre opened on December 15, 2017.

Hotel

One of the towers will house a 300 to 350-room luxury hotel.

Grafton Place

The section of Grafton Street purchased by the developer will function as both a pedestrian passageway and as an 18,000 square foot events space.

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References
  1. O'Kane, Josh (12 January 2015). "Can downtown Halifax put wind in its sails?". The Globe and Mail.
  2. Morgan, Jamie. "EllisDon – Nova Centre". Building and Construction Canada.
  3. "Atlantic BMO headquarters to call Nova Centre home". Global News. 23 October 2015.
  4. "Nova Centre in downtown Halifax announces new office tenant". Metro Halifax. 14 April 2017.
  5. "Floor plans". Nova Centre.

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