Preserving ageless architecture and style with precast concrete

Garden Crest Tower and Villa were designed around a historic rooming house located on the site that was required to remain due to heritage regulations. The historical look of the existing rooming house was reflected in the two new towers, an eleven story condominium complex and a twelve story residential and commercial complex.

The precast concrete wall panels were coloured to match a light sandstone colour with a light sandblast finish. The building was accented with medium sand blast bands. The shapes of the panels varied from flat rectangular panels to eye catching bay window panels and appealing rounded balcony panels.

The existing rooming house, which had been refurbished, created limited access for the erection of the front lower floor panels of tower one. Despite this restriction, the erection of the lower four floor wall panels proceeded without any problems.

The total erection time for the wall panels of tower one was eleven days. Tower two took thirteen days. The main supports to carry the panels were cast into the structural concrete floor slabs. Pockets were cast in the panels to receive the supports. Panel tie back connections were part of the main support connections.

The use of precast concrete panels enabled the two towers, a total of twenty-three floors to be enclosed in less than one month providing shelter from the weather for the interior contractors to proceed with their work in mid winter.

The buildings overlook the Public Gardens and historic Citadel Hill in beautiful downtown Halifax. The second 12 storey tower is just now being finished and will be a rental unit building. It is connected to the condo and two other low-rise buildings on the site as part of the historic requirements of the city.

Construction began September 2002 reached substantial completion in July 2004

Architect: Paul Skerry and Associates Limited, Halifax, NS
Structural Engineer: Campbell Comeau Engineering Limited - Halifax, NS
Precaster: Strescon Limited - Bedford, NS