Cogswell District has reached an important project milestone, as all major land negotiations have been finalized and the construction tender has been issued.

“This is an historic day, for an historic project,” said Mayor Mike Savage. “The Cogswell District will bring our community closer together by improving connectivity while advancing Halifax as a top destination to live, work and visit. I’m excited to watch an underutilized area of our municipality transform into a spectacular space over the next few years.”

The Halifax Regional Municipality has entered into a land exchange agreement with Crombie REIT (Crombie) to facilitate the development of Granville Park, a new Transit Hub and the planned Proctor Street connection as part of the Cogswell District project.

The agreement includes the municipal acquisition of a large parcel of Crombie-owned land at the end of Granville Street (between Barrington and Hollis Streets) and three small parcels of land in exchange for a newly-created parcel of municipally-owned land where the Cogswell Interchange now stands (see attached map). The land exchange allows the municipality to complete a number of signature design pieces at the south end of the Cogswell District, anchored by the planned Granville Park. It also provides Crombie with a comparable development opportunity within one of the biggest city-building projects in the history of Halifax.

The construction tender has been released to three pre-approved bidders. The tender is expected to be awarded by the end of summer 2021. Construction is anticipated to begin in the fall of 2021.

“The Cogswell District will be home to thousands of residents and it’s important that the project – as well as the place – reflects the diversity that makes our community so strong,” said Jacques Dubé, Chief Administrative Officer. “This transformative project will forever change our municipality’s landscape with the creation of a safe, inclusive space, inspired by the values of our community.”

As set out in Administrative Order 2020-004-ADM, adopted by Council in July of 2020, staff have identified social procurement opportunities to include contract requirements in the tender that aim to achieve social benefits/impact, specifically regarding workforce development and supplier diversity. Staff have been engaging with the Mi’kmaw and African Nova Scotian communities as well as the construction industry to determine what can practically be achieved in this regard.

Source: Release #notw