The Nova Scotia has signed off on a request from Halifax Regional Municipality that will allow underground construction to move ahead on the Nova Centre project in downtown Halifax, reports The Chronicle Herald.
Halifax regional council gave Argyle Developments Inc. the green light last week to start construction on the convention centre plaza, although planning staff and politicians have yet to approve the updated design.
The work is likely to involve building two levels of underground parking below Argyle Street and the lower floor of the convention centre.
The firm, a local subsidiary of Joe Ramia’s Rank Inc., wants to begin construction on the lower parts of the convention centre now because getting approval for the proposed updates to the design could take eight months and push the project past its fall 2015 deadline.
On Aug. 2, the province said it is agreeing to a request from the city to give it more flexibility so work can continue while changes to above-ground plans are considered.
“The Nova Centre is important to the entire province,” Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations Minister John MacDonell said in a news release.“We are ensuring initial work can move forward while revised plans for upper floors go through municipal approval and consultations.”
