Halifax councillors vote to approve 25-storey Willow Tree development

Halifax councillors voted in favour of passing Armco Capital‘s Willow Tree development proposal on Tuesday.

The night vote came after tens of people voiced their opposition to it in the second public hearing on the matter.

Ping-ponging between Halifax Regional Council, municipal staff and the developer for years, the proposal was previously presented in different forms, including 20- and 29-storey design options.

The development will be able to stretch as high as 78 metres, constituting 25 storeys in this case.

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Adam McLean, a spokesperson for Armco, said 25 storeys would be the required minimum height for the company to deem it financially viable under the current parameters. A shorter building would have to be wider to be viable, he said.

Municipal staff recommended a 20-storey building at Robie Street and Quinpool Road site; the current building there will be torn down.

READ MORE: Halifax holds public hearing on Willow Tree development

Opponents’ grievances include the shadows that would be produced on the Halifax Common by the structure, the fact that councillors have to make special exemptions to the rules for the development to be approved, and the structure’s overall height.

“I heard a number of people, both councillors and also members of the public, members of the media say, ‘Fewer people here this time. I guess they’ve given up.’ They’ve given up. That deeply concerns me as a citizen of this city,” Mary-Jo MacKay, a speaker, said, appearing to reference the more densely-populated first hearing.

Speakers, several of whom live near the site, at Tuesday’s hearing against the development, significantly outnumbered the speakers in favour of it.

“That oval has been one of the best things we’ve done here, but there’s people in this room that probably will never agree that that oval was a good idea until tonight because they’re worried about the shadow to go over top of it,” Coun. Tony Mancini said during the debate.

Mancini was one of 10 councillors to vote in favour of the project; the other six in attendance voted against it.

READ MORE: ‘That corner calls for height’: Halifax developer ‘fighting’ for 25-storey tower

The development comes with density bonusing, including money for a number of affordable housing units, which critics said was lacking.

“The biggest thing is the public benefit. I still feel we’re missing the mark on that,” said Coun. Lindell Smith, who voted against the motion.