Developer considering options for downtown site
HALIFAX — The developer behind the Skye Halifax project says he still believes in his vision of a “magical, iconic” building for the downtown site – despite the council decision to stop the project in its tracks.
Navid Saberi of United Gulf said Wednesday he was disappointed by regional council’s 9-6 vote against sending the 48-storey twin towers to a public hearing.
“We wanted the public hearing, we wanted councillors to listen to the public,” he said. “We just never guessed it wouldn’t even go to the public hearing.”
Council members who voted to stop the proposal in its tracks cited the importance of adhering to the HRMbyDesign guidelines.
Saberi said he respects HRMbyDesign, but said council could – and should- have considered an exception for his proposal.
“HRMbyDesign doesn’t work every time, and when it doesn’t work, you make an exception,” he said.
Mayor Mike Savage warned that approving Skye Halifax would return a “degree of chaos” to the downtown development climate, but Saberi dismissed that argument.
“There’s no one else asking for these exceptions,” he said. “There’s only so many sites downtown to build something magical and something iconic.”
Saberi said the Skye towers were designed to maintain the square footage of the original Twisted Sisters structures and lower the price of residential units. He said a 20-storey structure that complies with HRMbyDesign would face logistical problems that would inevitably raise the cost of condos and apartments.
Saberi said he’ll sit down with architects in the next few days to examine the options for the site – but after six years of planning, he said he may have to consider calling it a day.
“What do you do, you’re sold on a idea and we’ve spent a lot of money on this project,” he said. “At some point, do you walk away? That’s a decision I’ll have to make.”