Thaddeus Holownia Commissioned to Create Place-Specific Art for Queen's Marque Installation

Famed local photographer selected for his ability to capture the natural world

Halifax, Nova Scotia – July 17, 2018 – The Armour Group Limited (The Armour Group) has selected celebrated national photographer, Thaddeus Holownia, to create an original work of art to be integrated into the Queen’s Marque façade.

Holownia was engaged due to his evocative body of art which reflects the environment and the interaction between natural and unnatural elements through time; themes which inspired the shapes and design of Queen’s Marque.

"Thaddeus’ photographic artwork is the natural choice for this monumental, contemporary ‘shroud’ at the foot of George Street," said Brian MacKay-Lyons, Partner, MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects Limited. "The piece will introduce the public to the waterfront and express the developer’s ambition for the public life of our city."

After exploring the ethos and idea behind Queen’s Marque, Holownia selected an aquatic theme as his subject for the piece.

"Water represents itself in the minutia; a drop in its state is as large as an entire ocean, all at once," said Thaddeus Holownia, Photographer.

The original photograph will be translated into an abstraction and embedded into the perforated metal panels applied as an overlay on the Queen’s Marque’s façade. The result will be an abstract mural depicted through shadow and colour within the copper-infused metal. A series of images from this commission will also be displayed throughout the Queen’s Marque district, creating a cultural tableau that speaks to the power of place.

"The reason aquatic images are so profound is the macro of water is like looking at the whole ocean. There is an infinity to it. Whether looking at the ocean from an airplane, or staring at a puddle in the wind, the effects of water are common. By bringing the image to ground level and at a human scale, we are subconsciously asking someone to be sensitive to something that is so common," commented Holownia.

This is the first of several commissions of original works planned for the Queen’s Marque district to be created by many different artists representing varying genres. The intent of developing and integrating works of art at Queen’s Marque is to cultivate a layered and meaningful city centre.

Photo credit Denis Duquette

New Delta Dartmouth Wins HAC Award of Excellence

Hotel Association of Canada Recognizes Delta Dartmouth With Most Impressive Hotel Repositioning Award

The Armour Group Limited (The Armour Group) is pleased to announce the new Delta Hotels by Marriott Dartmouth has received the HVS Most Impressive Hotel Repositioning Award from the Hotel Association of Canada (HAC). The new Delta Dartmouth was fully renovated from an outdated mid-range hotel into a 174 room contemporary corporate-class hotel. Opened on September 14th 2017 in the Burnside Business Park, the Delta Dartmouth is the only full service hotel of its class in the area.

The HAC is the leading voice of the Canadian hotel and lodging industry, representing 8,178 hotels, motels and resorts that encompass the $18.4 billion Canadian hotel industry. Every year the HAC hosts a national Awards of Excellence conference honouring accommodations that have enhanced guest experience and significantly impacted the hotel industry. This year they are recognizing the Delta Dartmouth as the most impressive major renovation, re-branding, and hotel transformation that capitalizes on the dynamics of a market.

The complete revitalization of the property focused on guest experience and comfort, leading to an exemplary finished product that goes above and beyond Delta brand standards. The hotel offers an expansive 7,000 sq. ft. wellness centre, four times the size of the previous property, featuring first-class exercise equipment, a spin room with Fitness On Demand™ classes and a dedicated yoga studio. Food and beverage at the Delta Dartmouth was designed to provide fresh, executive chef-prepared items in a casual and collaborative setting. The main eatery, Pitch & Pivot Social Room, is a welcoming space where guests can feel comfortable having a coffee and working on their laptop or enjoying a full locally-inspired meal with wine parings. This is achieved through open space with varied seating of traditional restaurant tables, loungers, bar stools and couches. The modern décor of the hotel is truly representative of its surroundings, incorporating lake and paddling themes within the custom artwork throughout the guestrooms and showpiece art installation in the main lobby.

The hotel features a new splash zone with indoor pool, water slide, hot tub, sauna and splash pad; making it the perfect weekend destination for families.

The Delta Dartmouth fills a market demand for a corporate-centric hotel in the Burnside Business Park. It is ideally positioned in the business park with easy access to Halifax, Dartmouth Crossing and the airport. The hotel’s deluxe amenities and focus on guest comfort create a seamless experience for business travel through the week and leisure travel on the weekend.

The Armour Group Limited Announces Extensive Plans For The Expansion Of Westway Park

Construction to begin immediately on 175 Western Parkway with an overarching plan and new name revealed

The Armour Group Limited (The Armour Group) announced today the details of an extensive development plan of their Western Parkway site, located off Innovation Drive and Hammonds Plains Road and currently home to two office buildings and a state-of-the-art amenity building. The development, formerly known as Eon Square, is being rebranded as Westway Park to recognize its broader scope. Expansion of the Park is beginning immediately with the construction of a third office building.

Westway Park

Since purchasing the 50 acre site in the summer of 2014, The Armour Group has secured an additional 12 acres of surrounding land to allow for the creation of a creativity-driven suburban node. To reflect what will become a fully-serviced lifestyle park, the campus has been renamed Westway Park. The new name captures the forward momentum of this growing site and better represents the future of the property as a comprehensive park with urban offerings in a suburban setting.

When complete, and subject to planning approvals, the Westway Park node will include a residential offering of contemporary townhouses and apartment buildings; two business class hotels; boutique style shopping and services; and a mix of food and beverage offerings. The finished park will provide a fully-realized urban community in the middle of the rapidly growing western suburbs of Halifax.

175 Western Parkway

Construction of 175 Western Parkway, the third office building on the Westway Park campus, is set to begin this month. The four-storey project will feature a modern cantilevered design, echoing the architecture of the surrounding corporate community. The new building will be suspended over a ravine to take advantage of the remarkable basin and city views. Strategic west-facing placement and a long, narrow form maximize window-glazing surfaces and optimize light exposure. The result provides naturally bright and comfortable interior office spaces and continues Westway’s “right to light” philosophy. The sophisticated design for 175 Western Parkway was created by architects Fowler Bauld & Mitchell Ltd. to seamlessly integrate into the creative and collaborative hub of the Westway Park campus.

175 Western Parkway will be composed of over 54,000 sq. ft. of AAA commercial space with an enclosed two-level parkade. Over one-third of the premises has been pre-leased to a leading institutional tenant. Tenants of the building will have full access to the impressive on-campus amenities, including a bike storage and repair room to allow for an active commute; a modern fitness facility outfitted with high quality equipment, including shower and change rooms; food and beverage offerings; and shared state-of-the-art meeting rooms. The building will be immediately adjacent to the recently announced Metro Transit hub to be constructed on Innovation Drive.

The project offers an efficient and eco-conscious environment with a gentle footprint. By design, 175 Western Parkway is strategically placed to maximize solar heating in the winter and minimize summer heat gain. Sustainable themes are carried through to an accessible green-roof with living lawn and open space for tenants to enjoy.

Construction on 175 Western Parkway will begin in late December 2017, with an anticipated completion date of early 2019.

Queen's Marque Selects Wallace Quarries Ltd. for Historically Relevant Facade

One of the largest purchases of Nova Scotian sandstone in the last century

The Armour Group Limited (The Armour Group) is pleased to have secured locally quarried sandstone from Wallace Quarries Ltd. (Wallace Quarries) to be used as the main cladding material for the Queen’s Marque development now taking shape on the Halifax Waterfront.

This substantial procurement makes it the largest order for Nova Scotia sandstone in over 50 years. Wallace Quarries dates back to 1863 and represents an important legacy of locally founded, owned and operated Nova Scotian business. The choice of Wallace sandstone demonstrates Queen’s Marque’s commitment to being shaped by Nova Scotia’s past, present and future by incorporating the region’s natural resources in a respectful and artful manner.

The unpretentious, yet beautiful, Wallace sandstone will suggest the rugged and resilient shoreline that inspired the architecture of Queen’s Marque. The colour and texture of the material is a nod to notable historic buildings in Halifax such as the Dominion Building, Halifax City Hall, and the Nova Scotia Legislature.

Intentionally selecting a stone indicative of Nova Scotian terrain allows Queen’s Marque to positively impact the region and local businesses. Requiring over nine months and 10 people to quarry from a seaside site in Wallace, NS, the stone will help build a form that is born of this place. Queen’s Marque is dedicated to being a deeply local endeavor from initial concept through to completion.

“We at Wallace Quarries are very excited to have been chosen as sandstone supplier for this major and prestigious project in our home province of Nova Scotia,” said Tom Flynn, Owner, Wallace Quarries.

Queen’s Marque will represent an almost $200 million private investment in Nova Scotia by The Armour Group with a target completion date in 2020.

New Delta Dartmouth Officially Opens Today In The Burnside Business Park

Delta Hotels by Marriott Expands Into Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

The Armour Group Limited (The Armour Group) and Delta Hotels today announced the official opening of the new 174 room Delta Hotels by Marriott Dartmouth (Delta Dartmouth) located at the gateway of the Burnside Business Park and adjacent to Dartmouth Crossing in Dartmouth, NS.

The new Delta Dartmouth is the first full service hotel in the area. Featuring a premium aesthetic and a contemporary take on comfort, the hotel caters to corporate travelers offering a streamlined experience with free WiFi, in-room network televisions, Grab & Go meals and Starbucks® coffee. The common area features the Pitch & Pivot Social Room, a bar and eatery with a casual, yet sophisticated, atmosphere so guests can feel comfortable having a craft beer while checking emails or enjoying a locally-inspired meal prepared by an executive chef and sommelier.

The Delta Dartmouth boasts the largest conference facility in Burnside, with over 10,000 square feet of elegant event space. The largest of the seven banquet rooms can accommodate up to 400 people. Smaller business groups can choose from 11 state-of-the-art breakout meeting rooms. All functions are fully serviced by the hotel’s professionally trained events staff.

Deluxe amenities include a contemporary wellness centre, Pitch & Pivot Social Room, Grab & Go coffee bar, library and pool zone. The expansive 7,000 square foot ultra-modern wellness centre features first-class exercise equipment, Fitness On Demand™ classes and a dedicated yoga studio. The pool area offers the leisure traveller a weekend destination for their family to enjoy an indoor pool, waterslide, hot tub and a new splash zone, opening later this fall.

“The Delta Dartmouth marks the beginning of a period of exciting growth for the award-wining Delta brand,” said Gregory Durrer, Global Brand Leader Delta Hotels. “Delta’s design and service enables guests to have a seamless travel experience that allows them to focus on what’s important. It is simple made perfect.”

“The new Delta Dartmouth continues our multi-decade investment into the Dartmouth and Burnside area,” said Scott Armour McCrea, CEO of The Armour Group Limited. “This is an important and rapidly growing place to do business. We are proud to bring Delta Hotels by Marriott, a leading and trusted corporate brand, to Dartmouth and to be so clearly reflecting a Dartmouth sense of place in our offering.”

The hotel is truly representative of its surroundings incorporating lake and paddling themes within the custom artwork throughout the hotel and showpiece art installation in the main lobby. Dartmouth iconography extends to the food and beverage offerings to create an authentic local experience. Focusing on truly meaningful elements that provide guests with a memorable and frictionless journey, the Delta Dartmouth delivers what you need, where you need it.

Marriott Rewards members will also earn points for their stay at the Delta Dartmouth and can redeem for hotel stays across the Marriott Rewards portfolio of brands. To learn more about Delta Dartmouth, please visit DeltaDartmouth.com.

The Armour Group Welcomes Stewart McKelvey To Queen’s Marque

The Armour Group Limited (The Armour Group) is pleased to announce Stewart McKelvey as the first commercial tenant in Queen’s Marque, a district shaped by the distinct character and experience of this province and currently being constructed on the Halifax Waterfront.

As Atlantic Canada’s preeminent regional law firm, Stewart McKelvey is a natural fit for a project striving to be a forward-looking architectural representation of Nova Scotia. The union will positively impact the region and local businesses and help to shape the waterfront as a bustling public gathering space.

The Queen’s Marque District includes areas to work, live, eat, stay and explore. Food and beverage leasing is actively taking place, with an emphasis on local providers looking to create an experience ‘Born of This Place’.

“Queen’s Marque is proud to have been chosen by Stewart McKelvey as its new Nova Scotian home,” said Scott Armour McCrea, CEO of The Armour Group Limited. “We are looking to create a deeply local place with a combination of regional integrity and vision, two values that we believe are also fundamental to Stewart McKelvey. Like our firm, Stewart McKelvey has an ongoing dedication to furthering Atlantic Canada.”

Lydia Bugden, CEO and Managing Partner of Stewart McKelvey, noted the long history of both firms as significant contributors to the region and the project as heralding Atlantic Canadian excellence, saying, “This was a significant decision for our firm. We look forward to sharing our new, creative environment with clients and staff.  Queen’s Marque allows us to pay homage to the past while embracing our future – a collaborative and innovative work space on the waterfront.”

The project offers the law firm an efficient and eco-conscious environment with a gentle footprint. By design, Queen’s Marque is strategically placed to maximize solar heating and minimize summer heat gain. The primary heating and cooling systems for the district utilize chilled beam and heat pump technology, where water is drawn in from the harbour and circulated throughout, creating a comfortable environment while dramatically lowering energy usage and costs.

Stewart McKelvey is the first tenant announced for Queen’s Marque and will occupy almost 75% of the office component of the project. Queen’s Marque will represent an almost $200 million private investment in Nova Scotia by The Armour Group with an overall target completion date in 2020. For more information visit queensmarque.com.

RBC Waterside Centre Achieves LEED® Gold Certification

The first new multi-tenanted building within downtown Halifax to receive this sustainability level

Integrated real estate investment firm, The Armour Group Limited (The Armour Group), achieved LEED® Gold certification from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) with its RBC Waterside Centre multi-tenant commercial building on Hollis Street, the first such designation for a new multi-tenanted building in downtown Halifax.

Innovative design elements contributing to the high sustainability rating include harbour seawater air-cooling in tenant spaces, high efficiency gas boilers, limited solar heat gain glass and super high efficiency lighting. RBC Waterside Centre used low emitting materials of a recycled content when feasible and 25% regional materials. The combined impact of these sustainable features, beyond their contribution to a low footprint environment, is tenant operating costs that are 33% lower than other “A” class buildings.

Implementing these innovative aspects led to a water use reduction of close to 33% and an over 50% reduction in overall energy consumption above the baseline standard set by CaGBC and reflected in the majority of buildings within downtown.

“We believe greater sustainability is essential in a modern development and can achieve both business and community goals,” said Scott Armour McCrea, CEO, The Armour Group. “The Armour Group places a high importance on designing for a gentle footprint in our buildings and believe in an elevated environmental standard for our industry.”

Designing and developing buildings with a gentle footprint is a key organizational principle of The Armour Group and is at the forefront of all current projects. RBC Waterside Centre is the latest Armour Group property to receive a high environmental achievement standard.

The Armour Group Limited Announces Queen’s Marque: A Project “Born Of This Place”

A Project “Born of This Place”

Queen’s Marque, a district on the Halifax Waterfront, tells the story of Nova Scotia through form and place

Halifax, Nova Scotia – May 9, 2016 – The Armour Group Limited (The Armour Group) and Waterfront Development today unveiled the Queen’s Marque district, a project shaped by the distinct character and marked experience of this province and its people. With a strong deference to our region’s origins, Queen’s Marque tells the story of Nova Scotia through form and place employing design, architecture, materials, and art to convey both our heritage and a forward looking sentiment that honours the experience of being Nova Scotian.

Named after the Queen’s Letter’s of Marque, the monarchy’s authority to legally claim bounty and establish settlements, the name symbolizes a return to a time of reaching out into the world and seizing opportunities. Queen’s Marque is located on the Halifax Waterfront, to the east of Lower Water Street and bounded by George Street, running south to Prince Street. The site covers almost five acres at the very centre point of the city. Known historically as Queen’s Landing, and steeped in a rich military, marine, and mercantile history, the location is rooted in the fierce independence that defines the Maritime spirit.

The lived experience of Nova Scotia is reflected in the architecture and design of the over 450,000 square foot Queen’s Marque district, united with a progressive outlook for a prosperous future here. The inspiration for Queen’s Marque began with marine forms, the grand sweep of a vessel, the graceful bend of a bow, and aimed to elevate something utilitarian into something beautiful. The main forms, adorned in copper and glass, protrude through the Lower Water Street façade, where they support a sandstone bar, as if carrying the cargo of Nova Scotia high above the ground. The floating sandstone form is articulated with a series of projecting and angled ‘chocks’, providing support and a sense of anchoring. Wharf vernacular and ship shapes in the buildings are communicated through contemporary architectural choices, which speak to Nova Scotia’s shipbuilding past, present, and future.

Contextual and solid materials honour the district’s surroundings and are grounded within the downtown. The use of Sandstone references the iconic buildings in the city core and the workmanship ingrained in our past; the granite apron evokes the rocky coast and a familiar rugged character without flash; while copper, reimagines the oil-can hull of marine vessels and speaks to the copper cables used historically at cable wharf. Layered into these materials are subconscious expressions of a shared maritime experience. The forms and materials are overtly “born of this place”.

Above all, the district of Queen’s Marque is for the public. A driving ethos of the project is ‘democracy of place’, where the community can embrace, and feel an ownership over the space. The design balances the relationship between built form and open public spaces as essential and reciprocal, each informing and responding to the other. New landscaped squares will be created at George Street and Prince Street, enhancing the waterfront experience. Most notably, expansive gates above the boardwalk, and several intimate passages from Lower Water Street, referred to as ‘Between the Hulls’, open onto a grand European-style central plaza. In total, 75,000 square feet of public space will be created.

Off of the large central plaza in the middle of the District is the ‘Rise Again’ wharf building. ‘Rise Again’ is a gradually rising pier building, breaching the waves of the harbour and suggesting a consistent motif of resiliency in our culture marked by the famous lyrics of icons like The Rankins and Stan Rogers. ‘Rise Again’ is scalable and creates a natural amphitheater for community use. The unique structure acts as a symbol of Nova Scotia rising again today. At its apex is the yet to-be-named and designed “harbour light” art installation – a proud and emblematic piece which is intended to allow people to enter, climb and interact as part of a glowing art piece.

Next to the ‘Rise Again’ building is a reimagining of the site’s historic slipway, ‘Queen’s Landing’ with granite steps that gently descend into the sea. ‘Queen’s Landing’ allows the public to fulfill the natural inclination to get close to the water. The interplay between ‘Rise Again’ and the reimagined ‘Queen’s Landing’ pays homage to Nova Scotia’s enduring nautical legacy.

Art is an integral part of the district’s design. The art created will be inspired by the place-specific stories of the region and embedded into the site. International caliber and emerging local artists will be commissioned to interpret and visually depict the lived experience here.

Queen’s Marque programming includes areas to work, live, eat, stay and explore. With a distinctly Atlantic Canadian character, the office space is designed to be one of the most progressive AAA buildings in the country. The district’s southern edge features Atlantic Canada’s first luxury class boutique hotel, which shares premium amenities with the rental residences overlooking the Halifax Harbour. The entire ground level of the district, and much of the second floor, is dedicated to numerous food and beverage, retail, and cultural offerings, most with a distinct regional flavour. The destinations of Queen’s Marque will be conveniently served with approximately 300 underground parking stalls.

The entire project is fundamentally designed to be sustainable and healthy, maximizing solar heating and minimizing summer heat gain by placing the primary buildings on a north/south axis and shading larger glass sections to the west. The primary heating and cooling systems for the District will use chilled beam and heat pump technology where water is drawn in from the harbour and is circulated throughout Queen’s Marque, creating a comfortable environment while dramatically lowering energy usage.

Queen’s Marque is a deeply local endeavour. Wherever possible, Atlantic Canadian resources are and will be used in order to provide an authentic expression of place. The design is led by the development team at The Armour Group Limited, with primary design architecture from MacKay Lyons Sweetapple Architects Limited and its Principal, Brian MacKay-Lyons. Overall project architecture is led by Fowler Bauld & Mitchell Architecture through its President, George Cotaras.

“The idea of Queen’s Marque is to form an expression of our authentic selves in a modern way; to reflect the broader experience of being Nova Scotian in a manner that connects, inspires, and encourages people to be a part of this place” said Scott Armour McCrea, CEO of The Armour Group Limited.

“Queen’s Marque is an example of the new age of Nova Scotia and together we are building on our competitive advantages in this province for a prosperous future,” said Internal Services Minister Labi Kousoulis. “This project is Nova Scotian to its core and stands up on the world stage.”

“Waterfront Development works to develop Nova Scotia’s highest potential properties to create the optimal combination of private business, public infrastructure and community partners to flourish. This partner and this project are shining examples of what is possible,” said Jennifer Angel, Acting CEO, Waterfront Development. “The Queen’s Marque project is transformative for this place, at once both forward facing and reminiscent, as well as an embodiment of confidence and possibility for Nova Scotia. We applaud the vision and commitment of Armour Group to bring this idea to life. “

Queen’s Marque will represent an almost $200 million private investment in the region with a target completion date in 2019.

The Armour Group Ltd. Announces EON Square, An Innovation Campus At Former BlackBerry Site

Bell Aliant welcomed with key data centre investment

Halifax real estate investment firm, The Armour Group Limited, announced the creation of EON Square, a campus encompassing the former BlackBerry facility at 50 Innovation Drive and an additional 50 acres on the high profile corner between Highway 102 and Hammond’s Plains Road.

CEO Scott Armour McCrea described his vision for the campus as an innovation, creativity and collaboration hub for Halifax. Including a state-of-the-art Bell Aliant data centre, the site will encompass one million square feet of commercial space that incorporates the existing structure at 50 Innovation Drive. IBM Canada already resides at 50 Innovation Drive with more than 250 employees providing remote consulting service support to over 20 leading Canadian clients. Armour announced that it will commence construction immediately on the second building in the campus, a seven story structure totaling 120,000 sq. ft., with expected completion at the end of 2015.

Perched on one of the highest elevations in Halifax, overlooking the basin, EON Square is built around the “right to light” architectural movement – one that values natural light exposure for all inside and a new workplace format. Long, narrow, west-facing structures maximize window-glazing surfaces, flooding interior spaces to the core with sunlight. This further minimizes artificial light sources, and uses the power of nature to support LEED certified passive heat and cooling systems.

The private-sector investment is valued at over $200 million and McCrea hopes it will respond to the national and global opportunity to bring together local start-up businesses and world class organizations, fostering a community of innovation and collaboration.

“EON Square is a great example of what gets accomplished when the private sector leads economic development,” said Economic and Rural Development and Tourism Minister Michel Samson. “This unique development will bring together high-tech local start-ups with world-class companies, encouraging the exchange of ideas, mentorship, and future partnership and growth.”

Bell Aliant today announced that it plans to invest up to $7 million to modify and upgrade the existing data centre at EON Square. The investment will ensure the new Bell Aliant facility meets the highest standards for security, reliability and energy efficiency. Together, Bell Canada and Bell Aliant offer customers access to the nation’s largest network of data centres. Today’s announcement brings the total to 26 data centre locations across the country, including five in Atlantic Canada.

“We are committed to making investments that foster innovation and growth in our region,” said Dan McKeen, Vice Chair, Bell Aliant, who announced the company’s plans at the EON Square ceremony today. “The scale of our data centre business enables us to deliver unparalleled reach, reliability, capacity and peace of mind to our public and private sector data centre customers – and now even more value to all of our customers in Atlantic Canada. With this new Halifax centre, our data services just got better.”

McKeen noted that EON Square Innovation Campus will be a great addition to Bell Aliant’s existing mix of space across the municipality, the province and the region, including downtown Halifax, where the company will continue to be headquartered.

“Armour is excited to welcome Bell Aliant, one of the region’s innovation leaders, to EON Square,” said McCrea. “We see huge potential to cluster people and companies with similar interests within the campus and to deliver an outstanding experience to all our tenants.”

Located at 50 Innovation Drive, EON Square will be developed with both world class organizations and local start-ups in mind. It will incorporate the latest technology infrastructure, maximize natural light and work spaces that encourage collaboration. The amenity rich campus will eventually be comprised of 6 to 7 new LEED® Gold certified (projected) free standing office buildings, along with a business class hotel, restaurant and retail space accommodating top talent. Workers across EON Square will meet up, collaborate, and re-energize in a comfortable, healthy and motivating work environment that offers a wide array of support services from a bike repair room to fitness centres to on-site eating establishments, fruit stands and common meeting rooms. EON Square will be the largest campus of its kind east of Toronto.

“More than ever before, Nova Scotians are engaged in a conversation about how we want to shape our economic future,” continued McCrea. “There is a lot of focus on improving our regional capacity for innovation. We envision EON Square as a centre of excellence, propelling future-oriented sectors to expand, supporting local talent and attracting future growth.”

EON Square is just one of The Armour Group’s major investment in Greater Halifax in the last several years, which most recently has included the grand opening of the RBC Waterside Centre in downtown Halifax and the completion of the Park Place Tower V and Park Place campus in Burnside.

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Construction Begins On Waterside Centre – Downtown Halifax’s First Office Building In Over 20 Years

The Armour Group Limited aims to develop Halifax’s most sustainable building

By the fall of 2013, tenants will be welcomed into a new office building in the heart of downtown Halifax. Formal construction began today on Waterside Centre – the first private office building to be built downtown in over 20 years.

Located on the corner of Duke and Hollis Streets and overlooking Historic Properties, the centre will be built, owned and managed by local developer, The Armour Group Limited. “We’re very excited to be proceeding with this project,” said Armour Group CEO, Scott Armour McCrea. “We couldn’t be more pleased to make a long overdue investment in our downtown core.”

As a registered LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) project, the building is designed to be downtown’s first Gold Certified building. “Armour Group is striving to develop one of the most sustainable buildings in the city,” explained McCrea. “The structure will incorporate many energy efficient and environmentally friendly practices, including conditioning systems that integrate sea-cooled air, supplied right from our harbour.”

With a goal of developing a centre that is state-of-the-art, while still preserving the building’s historic past, the new nine-storey Waterside Centre represents a $25 million dollar investment. The Armour Group plans to incorporate the original three and four-storey heritage buildings at its base, with the addition of a contemporary glass tower and basement parking facility. Other modern systems that will be unique to the downtown market include day-lighting technology, high efficiency air handling and heat recovery ventilation systems that will provide an extremely low cost operating environment.

Future tenants in the approximately 100,000 square feet of the class ‘A’ rentable office and retail space, will have unobstructed views of the Halifax Harbour from three sides of the tower. Armour Group predicts that the centre will be able to open its doors as early as November of next year.

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