Dartmouth's Main Street redesign planned by local business group

"Change is good. Transformation is better" is the approach the Main Street Business Improvement District (BID) is taking to its design plans to improve the area in East Dartmouth. 

The private business association is hosting an event on Sunday to celebrate change and show off new buildings and plans for Main Street.

'Main Street Food Truck Eat and Greet' is also celebrating the 70th anniversary of The Garden View restaurant — a Dartmouth icon which will be closing and torn down to make way for the new developments. 

Restaurant owner Greg Fong is on board with the changes, serving as president of the association. 

"It's going to be very sad, taking it down, but again, there's such a critical need for multi-generational housing that we're happy to see where it's headed in the future," said Fong. 

"The whole idea is to recognize the fact that in the future, Nova Scotians have to live in closer proximity to one another because the cost of transportation is going to go higher and higher and higher."

Fong says they're turning Main Street into "vertical villages," offering people the amenities, services, and healthy lifestyles they need. Plus, with more than 40 health care services nearby, Fong said the area is well suited to residents of all ages. 

The group says they'll have the best of metro's food trucks joining with the Dartmouth community on Sept. 6 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the parking lot of the Garden View restaurant at 174 Main St. 

A 3D video by the Main Street BID on its website takes viewers through what's described as "a possible development scenario in the Main Street Dartmouth are approximately 20 years in the future."

According to Main Street BID, the district has been one of the Halifax region's busiest shopping districts for more than 50 years, becoming one of eight BIDs within the Halifax Regional Municipality in 2008. 

The privately-funded association aims to facilitate community and infrastructure development in the area, as work is underway for redevelopment of the area. 

Main Street BID executive director Graziella Grbac said business owners and community members have worked together for years creating this plan — getting new zoning bylaws from Halifax Regional Municipality in 2013 to allow mixed-use residential and commercial development. 

"Just like the olden days, the way it used to be — family units used to live all together on one property. We're looking to do that here, to create another village," said Grbac. 

She said they're calling the new area "Village on Main St." to reference that goal — and are continuing community engagement.

New zoning rules for the area were finalized by HRM council in 2013, guiding the area to a mixed-use town centre.