Sunday Morning
Services
10:30 am
SPIRIT Place at Windsor and Willow:
St John's Redevelopment Project |
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Spirit Place Open House, April 2010. A public information session was held at the Maritime Conservatory in April and was well attended. Click here to download the report on our Spirit Place Open House. Architects Workshop, November 28, 2009. Our Implementation Team and the Architects held a 2 hour gathering/workshop on Saturday November 28 at St. Andrew's Church Hall. We began preliminary design of our new Sanctuary and Church space. It was an opportunity for members of the St. John's United congregation to provide input into what our new church facilities might look like. Click here to download the full workshop report: Workshop Report Nov09.pdf News and Notes from the Implementation Team. New FAQ, May 2010... Why does Spirit Place need to be 7 stories high? Could it be smaller? In order to have the quality of building we envision this is the height (and the number of units) required to make it financially viable. Why does the HRM process take so long? The process involves 18 steps including plan review, staff reports, public consultation, public hearing, and decisions by both Community Council and Regional Council. Is one level of parking going to be enough? Typically residents in seniors buildings own fewer cars than other apartment dwellers so underground parking for 35 – 45 cars should be adequate. Will there be green space included in the design? Green space will be identified both at ground level as well as at higher points above street level. Mature trees will be saved and incorporated into the landscape. Rooftop gardens are a possibility. Why are some neighbours concerned about the height when it is only marginally higher than the current building? Feedback from some neighbours is that they feel the mass of the building is significantly larger than the current one and they do not want to live near a large apartment building. What are the plans for the section on the first floor facing Windsor Street? At present, this space is identified as a “Non Profit Hub” for charities, community workers, offices for associations that have NPO status and the like. Is there data to support the need for seniors housing in the proposed rent range? A review of market data and demographic projections in Halifax has led to the conclusion that more affordable and modest accommodations for seniors will be required. Is there evidence to suggest what the impact of seniors housing has on a residential neighbourhood? The research that we have found is about affordable housing in Canada. The results indicate that property values do not decrease, and neither the character nor the safety of the neighbourhood is negatively affected. As for whether churches (and other faith centers) are good for communities, the research indicates that churches provide communities with strengths, resources and resiliency. Is there anyway to make the current design more in keeping with the existing neighbourhood? The exterior design and finishes have yet to be completed. Early sketches merely showed that some possible design and color alternatives were being considered. The sanctuary is on the west side giving the best transition from the higher building down to our residential neighbours as well as allowing light to continue to flow to adjacent homes and gardens. We are looking to use materials and small scale ‘bumps’ along Willow Street to respond to the colors and scale of the homes across the street. The key is to provide variety and interest at street level to create an interesting and inviting path along the new streetscape. Was the Open House useful? It seems that the objectives of sharing information and getting feedback were met. 85% (24 of 28) of the attendees who completed the evaluation forms said it was useful. Neighbourhood Newsletters. Issue 2, April 2009 Issue 1, December 2008 More Frequently Asked Questions... Will the new apartment complex be low or subsidized rental accommodation? The “mix” of units is yet to be determined. Overall funding and ability to finance the project will play a major role. Apartments are to be in the affordable price range. Will the apartment units be high-end condo type? Apartment rents will be set in the affordable range and not high-end rentals. Will the apartments be only for the GLBT community? No, they will be open to all in keeping with our church vision. Will non-United Church people be allowed to rent? Yes, they will be open to all, in keeping with our church vision. Will St. John's United Church pay for the space the church uses? Yes, we will be tenants in the building; albeit with a preferred status. Who will oversee the filling of vacancies, collecting rents, fixing/maintaining the complex? Our service provider, Saint Vincent’s. How do I keep up to date on the progress? There are new updates in our church bulletin every 3 weeks. You can also check this page on our website for the latest information. What has the Implementation Team been working on lately? Recent work has involved communicating with Michael Napier Architects Ltd and Saint Vincent’s to develop the design brief, working on the incorporated ministry bylaws, initiating the Community Liaison Committee, submitting loan applications, and meeting with interested groups and individuals. When will the project proposal be going to the city for approval? In order to make the application to HRM for a development agreement we need to have more design work done. We expect the application to be filed sometime in the 2nd quarter of 2010 to start the process. We understand that the process can take as long as 18 months. Are we eligible for any government funding associated with the stimulus packages? We are anxiously waiting for new programs to be announced but we have not been eligible to apply for any money yet. How do we know that there will be people wanting to live in the building? The work done by our consultant in 2008 indicated that the demand for seniors housing on the peninsula is expected to remain strong for the foreseeable future. How can $1,800/month be called affordable when I can live at Northwood for $800 with assisted care? Our research (Nov/09) shows that studios at Northwood with Assisted Living start at $1,065/mo.; 1BR $1,159/mo. Our rates were preliminary at best and based on a very large 1 bedroom unit. What do the people in the neighbourhood think of the redevelopment? In general the neighbours are supportive of what we are planning and are looking forward to knowing what the building will look like. There is some concern about building height and parking. We hope that the Community Liaison Committee will be a good place where these concerns can be addressed. What will the new complex be called? We are making application for the name Spirit Place. St. John’s United will still be our church within the building. Will this be a building and church for seniors? The apartments will be attractive to seniors; the Church will be attractive, as it now is, to people of all generations and encourage a multi-generational, friendly, Christian environment. Will the new facility be wheelchair and “walker” friendly? The new facility (both church and apartments) will be designed to be fully “accessible” to everyone, including the washrooms. Community Liason Group Terms of Reference for the Design of Spirit Place
Project Overview and Schedule Click here to download the overview and schedule in a pdf file. Contact Us Please let us know if you have any questions, concerns or ideas for us as this process continues. You can contact us via the church email address: stjohnsunited@eastlink.ca |
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