Cogswell Interchange demolition project director sought in Halifax

The Halifax Regional Municipality plans to hire a recruitment company to find an experienced manager to lead the demolition of the Cogswell Interchange and the reconstruction plans for the area.

The city issued a request for proposals this week to hire a director to oversee the plan for the next five years and act as the "face of the project to the community, the municipality and developers."

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The call for a recruitment company ends on Dec. 12. While the documents don't indicate when the municipality wants to hire a new director, officials say "time is of the essence" because the manager will report to the city through the upcoming review process and every two weeks while the work is underway.

The current tangle of overpasses and underpasses where Cogswell, Barrington and Upper Water streets intersect was constructed 45 years ago to accommodate a harbourside expressway that was never built.

Advocates for the downtown area and urban planners have argued the concrete structure should be torn down and replaced with a regular street grid to revitalize the city core, reconnect it with the north end of the city and allow residential and commercial development to take place.

In the spring, the master plan regarding the Cogswell lands was presented to regional council and they approved the start of the process so detailed engineering plans could get underway.

Estimated cost of demolition: $15 million

Because the Cogswell Interchange is located in the heart of downtown Halifax's business and commercial district, city officials warn the structure must be taken down and a new street grid constructed in a way that minimizes disruption.

Approximately 90,000 vehicles drive through the area every day.

While the municipality doesn't expect the new manager to be an expert on all aspects of the plan, they would be required to assemble a professional team and handle all the co-ordination.

Estimated value of public works: $45 million

The total size of the property is 6.5 hectares 2.4 hectares will be used for the new street grid and 1.6 hectares will be set aside for bike lanes, greenways and public spaces.

The request for proposal says the successful candidate should have experience with three similar projects over the past 15 years because the city wants someone who has a "proven track record."

Estimated value of the land for sale: $65 million

Once the Cogswell Interchange is down and the new streets are established, the city wants the land parcels redeveloped. The new project director will not be responsible for assessing the value of the lots created or for any land sales.