The Cogswell District Project is a $122.4M project converting 16 acres of aging road infrastructure in Halifax’s downtown core into a new vibrant, mixed-use neighborhood, reuniting communities separated by the existing interchange lands.
The urban street grid will be reinstated and create development blocks capable of supporting a residential and commercial environment for 5000+ people. High quality dedicated cycling lanes, multi-use trails, new parks and open spaces, a reimagined on-street transit hub, and a significant central urban square will transform this vehicle-centric area into a livable, pedestrian friendly area for people to live, work and play.
Encouraging thoughtful community input and feedback has been a cornerstone of the Cogswell District Project. Inclusive engagement during each design stage and now during construction, ensures the project maintains a high level of support from local businesses, abutting property owners, residents, communities, and elected officials.
Demolition and reconstruction of the Cogswell lands began in 2021 and is expected to take four years. Development of the lands will occur over an additional five to ten years and will change the cityscape of the downtown region. Opportunities exist to recover a significant percentage of project costs from the sale of development lands as well as provide for much needed affordable housing in the rapidly growing urban center.
This transformational project aligns with People. Planet. Prosperity. Halifax’s Inclusive Economic Strategy for 2022-2027 and the municipality’s Integrated Mobility Plan and Centre Plan, supporting economic and population growth, the movement and people and goods around the city, and regional centre planning.
Highlights and outcomes of the Cogswell District project include:
- A roundabout with signature landscaping will define the entrance to the district and downtown. The new street network will reconnect the neighborhood with surrounding areas, eliminating the chasm created by the former interchange.
- Forty percent (40%) of the district will be devoted to parks, open space, and enhanced public areas. Five hundred street trees will “green” the new neighborhood and contribute to the municipality’s urban forestry and climate change goals.
- A multi-use path and bikeways will introduce the first “all ages and abilities” active transportation network into the downtown.
- Transit-only lanes will give Halifax Transit service priority in the district and a reimagined on-street transit mall will provide an inviting hub for transit users.
- The at-grade street system will extend the fine-grained block structure of the existing downtown, with the resulting development blocks encouraging more people to live and work downtown while supporting new street level business portunities.
- Affordable housing will be a key component of the new neighborhood.
- Flood mitigation measures will be implemented to ensure protection from coastal inundation and storm surge events.
- A district energy system will recover heat from the nearby wastewater facility effluent stream will provide green energy.
- Based on a preliminary assessment, the project will be eligible for Rick Hansen Foundation gold certification for accessibility.
- Details regarding the district’s art and commemoration plan continue to be developed, in collaboration with local African Nova Scotian and Indigenous communities.
- Lastly, an established social benefits program is directing the project contractor regarding targets for workforce and supplier diversity and inclusion.
Construction Progress
The Cogswell Project is on track for completion in December 2025. Phase One was completed in October 2023 and the project is currently six months into Phase Two which focuses on removing the remaining aerial overpasses/bridges from the former interchange, construction of new Cogswell Street at grade, implementation of detour roads, and the reconstruction of the on-street transit hub on Barrington Street. By the end of 2024, the roundabout and new aligned Barrington Street will be open to traffic as well as the new on-street transit hub.
The third and final phase of the project will see the completion of the remaining street network, three additional parks, active transportation greenways, landscaped streetscapes throughout the district, and development blocks readied for disposition.
Stay up to date on the Cogswell District project via the Cogswell District mobile app or by visiting:
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