Case 24359: 2537-2539 Agricola Street

Request

Request
Application by EcoGreen Homes on behalf of a property owner, requesting to enter into a heritage development agreement on lands at 2537-2359 Agricola Street, Halifax (PIDs 00169516, 00169508) to permit a 30 unit, 27.3 metre (8-storey), mixed-use addition to the registered heritage property.

Background
The applicant has applied to enter into a development agreement on the property to permit a 30 unit, 27.3-metre (8-storey), mixed-use addition to the registered heritage property. This development agreement is being sought in accordance with Policy CHR-7 of the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy (SMPS), which permits Council to consider a development agreement on any lot containing a registered heritage building to encourage the conservation and adaptive re-use of registered heritage buildings.

Heritage Significance
2539 Agricola Street, Halifax, also known as the Open Mic House, was registered as a municipal heritage property in 2020. The property contains a two-storey wooden building which is a highly representative example of the late Victorian Plain (Halifax Box) style, designed and constructed by an unknown builder between 1900 and 1905. Historically, Open Mic House served as middle- and working-class housing for most of its existence, but from 2008 to 2016 it served as a local music venue, gaining substantial cultural significance, as well as its colloquial name of “Open Mic House”.

Proposal

The applicant is proposing the construction of a mixed-use addition to the Open Mic House containing 30 residential units, 383 square metres of commercial space including a ground-level piazza and a second-storey balcony, one level of underground parking with 10 spaces (2 of which are accessible), and bicycle parking for 18 bicycles (also underground). A key element of the proposal is the restoration and continued use of the registered heritage building. The rear half of the registered heritage building will be removed to accommodate the mixed-use addition and the front half will be fully restored and used as commercial space. The commercial component of this mixed-use development is proposed to include a restaurant use, and the applicant notes their intention to restore the Open Mic House’s culturally significant function as a local music venue.

If approved, the development agreement would allow the property owner to: 

• Create a 27.3-metre, mixed-use building in addition to the existing Open Mic House, which will be altered and restored for new use.

If approved, the development agreement shall require the property owner to rehabilitate the registered heritage building at 2539 Agricola Street in accordance with the Substantial Alterations Application (HRTG-2023-01146) reviewed by the Heritage Advisory Committee and approved by Regional Council on February 6, 2024 and to follow specific building control parameters for the mixed-use addition, which will include such controls as height, mass, architectural design, lot coverage, and others.  

Process

Development agreements are discretionary applications, meaning that they require the approval of Community Council to proceed. Details of the proposal were published to the municipal website, a sign was posted on-site, and public feedback was solicited via a fact-sheet mailout, distributed to residents within a 250m radius of the subject site in May of 2023. Having collected and reviewed public feedback, staff have negotiated a development agreement with the applicant and have prepared a staff report and recommendation for Halifax and West Community Council to consider. Before Community Council can make any decision about the proposal, a Public Hearing shall be held, and advertised in a local newspaper as well as through mail-out notifications sent to residents within a 250m  radius of the site.

Staff have processed a simultaneous application for Substantial Alterations to the municipally registered heritage property which were reviewed by the Heritage Advisory Committee and approved by Regional Council on February 6, 2024.

Status

A virtual public hearing will be held on Tuesday, August 13, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.  All oral and written submissions will be considered at that time. This meeting will occur in a virtual setting so attending in person is not possible. Written submissions are welcomed and encouraged in advance of the hearing itself. These submissions are distributed to all Councillors and considered at the time of their decision.

Written submissions may be forwarded to the Municipal Clerk by e-mail; by fax, 902-490-4208; or by mail, P.O. Box 1749, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 3A5. Written submissions must be received by the Municipal Clerk’s office as early as possible and not later than 3:00 p.m. on August 13, 2024. Please allow sufficient time for delivery.

The virtual public hearing will be webcast and viewed online.  Individuals seeking to speak at the hearing should contact the Municipal Clerk’s Office no later than 4:30 p.m. on Monday, August 12, 2024 to be added to the speaker's list.  We encourage all residents who have any desire to speak at the meeting to ask to have their name added to the list. Individuals who do not want to speak, at a later time may ask to have their name removed from the speaker's list. 

To be placed on the speaker's list:

• Send an email; or
• Call 902.490.4210; or
• Send a fax to 902.490.4208

In your message, please include the meeting body (Halifax and West Community Council), the planning Case number # (Case 24359) or civic address, in addition to your name, community of residence, email address, and telephone number. If you have questions about the process of the virtual public hearing, please email or call 902.490.4210 the Office of the Municipal Clerk. Should you have questions about the nature of the application itself, please email or call the planner directly at 902.719.9604.

View the staff report. If you have questions about how to access the staff report, email or call 902.490.4210 the Office of the Municipal Clerk. If the internet is unavailable to you, a paper copy of application materials can be sent to you by mail, contact the Planner to make the arrangements.

This notice was posted to this site on July 24, 2024 in accordance with the requirements of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter. 
 

Documents Submitted for Evaluation

All documents submitted for evaluation may be reviewed in the Staff Report. View the staff report.