A proposed addition to the old post office in downtown Dartmouth got a nod of approval from HRM’s heritage advisory committee.

At a virtual meeting on Wednesday, HRM’s heritage advisory committee voted to recommend that Halifax regional council approve the proposed addition to the Edwardian Baroque-style building at 53 Queen St.

The post office was built between 1914 and 1917, and was added to HRM’s heritage registry in 2020. 4328644 Nova Scotia Ltd., which is owned by James Lawley, bought the building from the federal government in 2021 for $5.85 million.

As the Examiner reported in March, HRM posted an application from RHAD Architects on behalf of Lawley’s company for a development agreement on the property that included a 142-unit, 26-storey tall tower.

Lawley’s Halkirk Properties Limited restored Keith Hall on Lower Water Street in Halifax before selling the property to Killam in 2015.

Warning signs hang on a fence in front of a historic stone building. The signs says "construction area" and "work overhead." The front step of the building is in crumbles and the words "post office" are carved into the stone above the door.
The old post office on Queen Street in Dartmouth. Credit: Suzanne Rent

Construction already underway at site

On Wednesday, Elizabeth Cushing, a heritage planner with HRM planning and development, made a presentation on the proposed changes to the building. Construction is already underway at the site, including the removal of the granite stairs, which will be built to meet current codes.

An addition to the building that was constructed in 1961 called the Annex will be rebuilt to create townhouse units, which will include the existing window openings. An existing ramp will be removed and a new ramp will be constructed to meet current accessibility standards.

Streetscaping on Queen Street will include new planters and seating areas. A war memorial currently at the site will be moved to a spot between the old post office and the Annex building.

Besides a mixed-use 26-storey tower, two townhomes will be built at the Queen Street level. A breezeway will connect the new addition to the old post office on its second floor. All of the character-defining elements of the post office will be rehabilitated and preserved.

The proposal now goes to Halifax regional council for review and approval.

Suzanne Rent is a writer, editor, and researcher. You can follow her on Twitter @Suzanne_Rent and on Mastodon

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  1. Any thoughts of bringing the clock tower back or some architectural recognition that there was a tower on the Wentworth street side of the building. I understand the clock faces are with the Dartmouth museum