Historical Hydrostone

From the ashes of the catastrophic Halifax Explosion, which shattered the City’s North End on 6 December 1917, rose the Hydrostone District, a splendid example of an English-style garden suburb. Completed in 1920, this well-preserved neighbourhood was designed according to the most-up-to-date yet practical principles of town planning. The buildings, all variations on the same architectural theme and all constructed with “Hydro-Stone” concrete blocks, are aesthetically arranged along each side of wide treed courts. The houses and landscape contribute to a remarkable sense of time and place. The neighbourhood  is an important achievement by the influential town planner Thomas Adams.

Some of the most accurate evidence of the District’s architectural majesty can be found at The Hydrostone Market.

Under the direction of Larry Swinamer, Larex Properties acquired the Young Street commercial buildings in 1993 and tastefully and authentically restored them with minimal architectural invention. For its efforts Larex Properties Inc was the successful nominee of Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia‘s, 1995, Built Heritage Award. The ensuing remerchandising of this shopping area has created a  “retail theatre” of unique shops,eateries and services and has become a lively, vibrant place to shop, eat out, and enjoy the Hydrostone.