Honda hopes to level homes for parking lot

The May Street homes painted red, yellow and blue will soon make way for something new.

It won't be the first time properties in the north-end Halifax area have been purchased to make way for Colonial Honda to expand its car dealership.

In 2016, 17 properties along Fern Lane and May, Robie and Mccully streets were bought and demolished by Steele Auto Group, which owns Colonial Honda, to allow for a bigger parking lot for the dealership.

And they're back at it again. Dynamic Properties Company Limited recently bought the red, yellow and blue units listed at 5792, 5796 and 5800 May St.

Rob Steele, director and chief executive officer of Steele Auto Group, is also listed as the director and CEO of Dynamic Properties.

In an emailed statement Monday, Colonial Honda confirmed it had purchased the two-storey, three-unit residential condominium on May Street.

“The condo units involved were housed in a single building on the south side of May Street, adjacent to the Colonial Honda parking lot,” the statement said.

“Colonial plans to take down the building and expand the parking lot, which fronts on the Robie Street commercial corridor. This part of Robie is home to several auto dealership, service and repair centres.”

The building, which sat vacant on Monday, cannot be demolished until a demolition permit is approved.

A spokesperson for Halifax Regional Municipality said an application had been made for a demolition permit for 5792 May St. but remains in the application stage.

TIM KROCHAK • THE CHRONICLE HERALD Colonial Honda wants to demolish these condo units on May Street in Halifax in order to expland its parking lot. The dealership demolished houses in 2016 for the same purpose.