Here’s a classic response from the federal government to my last post of This Should Be Housing. 176 Portland St. Dartmouth. The feds are in the “process of divesting” or selling it. To whom? For what to be built exactly? For how much? All a secret. What we do know is that taxpayers paid for this building to be built and operated for about 30 years. We paid for lights, heating, air conditioning and we even subsidized the parking. We paid the city taxes. And now we are left with someone or some company buying this “surplus” (to the feds) building and we as a community get nothing for it. We need safe, affordable housing desperately. But we know 176 Portland will likely not be affordable housing.

And we can guess that the new building will not be for “institutional” or public use such as a school, or a community centre — it would be announced to great fanfare if it were. We can guess that a private developer will not build a park or kiddies’ playground. We can guess the new building will include no public green space. How tall or how massive will it be? Will this be another paean to some rich developer? I’d be happy to be wrong. Feel free to call glen.cluett@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca /902-880-5364– maybe he’ll tell you.

Sara Cook <Sara.Cook@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca>	Tue, 19 Jul, 15:43 (17 hours ago)
to me

Hi Judy,

Thank you for your inquiry concerning the property located at 176 Portland Street, Dartmouth, NS.  Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) is in the process of divesting of this property and we are currently completing all required due diligence activities, including consulting on any priority interests, prior to listing this property for sale to the public.  Please check your local real estate listings, and the building itself, for the sales listing if/when the building is listed for sale.

If you have any additional questions, please contact Glen Cluett, Senior Assigned Real Estate Manager, at glen.cluett@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca /902-880-5364. 

Thanks, Sara

Sara Cook (she/elle)

A/Regional Manager

Real Estate Services, Atlantic Region

Public Services and Procurement Canada

1713 Bedford Row, PO Box 2247, Halifax, NS B3J 3C9

sara.cook@pwgsc-tpsgc.gc.ca Tel: 902-233-6529

Featured Image: “Homewrecker” by Australian artist Rone. This is part of his “Empty” exhibition. A woman looks through the rubble of a torn-down house in Melbourne.