193 King Street East | ? | ? | Under Construction

[SteelTown]

Concert hall, parking lot, hotel part of core revival

Nicole Macintyre
The Hamilton Spectator
(Nov 9, 2007)

Three major private projects promise to boost downtown Hamilton with lights, music and better parking.

The demolition of the old HMP dealership at the corner of Bay and Main streets is underway to make room for a new Hilton Homewood Suites. Developer Darko Vranich is behind the 15-storey hotel.

Just blocks away, Vranich's son Denis is planning to tear down a burned out apartment building at the corner of Hess and King streets to build a concert theatre the size of Toronto's Massey Hall.

"What it will do for Hess Village is huge," said Gord Moodie, the city's co-ordinator of downtown municipal incentives

He said the building's previous owner was proposing an 18-storey condo tower that didn't fit with the neighbourhood. The concert theatre, based on the House of Blues venue in Dallas, will make the village an attraction year round and help with noise complaints by bringing music inside, said Moodie. "I think we'll see a lot more restaurants instead of bars in the village."

Moodie expects the approximately $15-million project, which would qualify for a tax break, to start in the spring and take about 18 months to complete. A new parking structure already approved between Hess and Caroline will be perfectly placed to serve concertgoers, said Moodie.

On the other side of downtown, the city's new development corporation has made its first offer on a parking lot behind the old Sandbar Tavern.

Moodie said the $15-million to $20-million proposal features multiple floors of parking combined with retail and residential units.

The activity is a boost for Councillor Bob Bratina.

After months of promising action on the Hilton hotel, he was pleased to see the bulldozers last week.

The hotel will bring life and light to a dark corner. "By 2010, the downtown should be radically different," he said.

[DC83]

On the other side of downtown, the city's new development corporation has made its first offer on a parking lot behind the old Sandbar Tavern.

Moodie said the $15-million to $20-million proposal features multiple floors of parking combined with retail and residential units.

Sweet!! Will retail face King William then?

And seeing as (Dennis) Vranich has so much time of his hands for the next 6 months, let's hope he spends his time wisely and gets this deal done ASAP!

[matt602]

Sounds very good indeed.

[raisethehammer]

yup, retail at Walnut and King William.

[DC83]

yup, retail at Walnut and King William.

Sweet! Hopefully they put a nice restaurant or something in the retail. there's lots of nice places to eat along Walnut. Another one would be welcome!

[SteelTown]

Here's the rendering!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/Appster/kingwilliam.jpg
You're looking at it from King William not King St E

A city-owned parking lot at King William and Walnut streets is set to become a mixed-use parking structure. The draft design features six levels above ground and another two below. The complex, which would incorporate the old Sandbar, would also have retail and residential features.

[block43]

Very nice.

[matt602]

Shouldn't the Lyric Theatre be behind there somewhere?

[raisethehammer]

this new building blocks the view of Lyric. it is behind it.
this looks great...similar to the drawing I saw a year ago, except now they've moved 2 floors of parking underground. good idea IMO.
IF all this stuff goes ahead, downtown will be radically different in a few years.

[SteelTown]

I'm looking forward to this project.

But one thing I find a bit odd is that the development corporation, think it's called something like Bank of Hamilton, is making an offer on a CITY owned parking lot. Shouldn't the city be giving the city owned parking lot for a dollar or something to it's own development bank?

[DC83]

I really like it, too. it really fits in scale-wise with the rest of the street.

And ya, you'd think the city would be so happy to have a downtown lot developped they'd hand it over for nothing!?

[the dude]

here's the old sandbar. really looking forward to seeing this project get underway but i'm guessing the lyric would have to go. not that it would have ever been developed anyway.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/IMG_0404.jpg

[raisethehammer]

just found out that the city is waiting on the Police to decide if they want office space in this project. If so, it will go ahead.
Then, the plan is for the city to close the parking lot across from Central Fire Hall on John and develop that lot into an urban park. This new parking garage will make up for the lost spaces on John.

[the dude]

we're so obessed with parking. somebody should let city hall know that we've got enough, thanks.

as a nature lover this may sound strange but i think city parks are highly overrated. creating a proper park in an appropriate location is a real science. do it wrong and it's a nightmare. that said, i think the proposed location blows. i walk along rebecca fairly frequently and it's a sketchy street, especially at that location. tonnes of mentally ill, drug addicted dudes staggering up and down the street using the services in the area. that park will just fill up with these people rendering it unfriendly or even unsafe for others. i've seen people shooting-up and smoking crack next to the treatment centre on john and rebecca. i'd prefer the city focus on providing more park benches and generally beautifying our downtown streets.

[raisethehammer]

the new park location fits in with the long term plans to see all the empty lots around it redeveloped into housing.
It could be a great urban park like the little ones all through Montreal...even in TO, there are a couple that I like - one on Jarvis/Sherbourne area?? lots of homeless and the like, but lots of other people too. Montreal's little downtown parks were awesome...every type of person you can imagine all sharing a nice, treed spot.
The only spot downtown that I don't like the vibe of is Ferguson North by Wesley Centre...that's crazy. not like Vancouver, but bad enough.
And the fed halfway house on York has to go....otherwise, I'd like to plop in another 10,000 'middle' class folks to downtown and then the percentages of 'crazy' looking types will diminish a little.

[the dude]

i'm looking only at that specific part of downtown, not the whole thing. in other parts of downtown crazies mingle with others, so the effect is not that profound. but the ratio of crazy to not-crazy in the john-rebecca area is about 10:1. rebecca acts as a magnet with its health facilities, drug treatment and mental health centres. so you are correct that we'd need to add thousands of new middle class residents downtown. perhaps one day that will be the case.

[flar]

Hamilton's got so many messed up people. What do you do with them? Not a rhetorical question, really, what do you do with them? They definitely scare middle class people and are a problem as far as downtown's image goes, but they're here.

[SteelTown]

Need to spread them out, not placing them all in one area, mainly the downtown core. But you get NIMBY like Salvation Army at King St. Put some in Stoney Creek, Mountain and Ancaster they all have decent HSR coverage.

I do see King William being a hotspot in the future for condos.

[DC83]

^^ Beasly is full of these types.
I think that's why the city is trying to "beautify" the area.

You think Rebecca is bad at night? Ever walk Ferguson bet Cannon/Barton!?!?!

[raisethehammer]

i'm looking only at that specific part of downtown, not the whole thing. in other parts of downtown crazies mingle with others, so the effect is not that profound. but the ratio of crazy to not-crazy in the john-rebecca area is about 10:1. rebecca acts as a magnet with its health facilities, drug treatment and mental health centres. so you are correct that we'd need to add thousands of new middle class residents downtown. perhaps one day that will be the case.

this is the problem...the ratios. middle class folks don't feel to comfortable if they look around and see nobody that looks 'like them'. All homeless or druggies etc....
I'm not sure what the solution is...take care of them as best as we can, spread their services through the city a little better in an effort to re-integrate them back into society instead of cramming them all in one area like a mini-ghetto.
Most of all though, I think we need more middle class folks downtown 24-7.
Homeless and poor will always be here...they always have existed through history and I don't see that ever changing. Let's welcome them and accept them.

[SteelTown]

King William Street Mixed Use Parking Structure:

The design concept pictured below features a 408 space parking structure with ground level retail with office/residential space on the upper floors. The project represents a value of $17,000,000 office/residential and $3,000,000 retail space for a total of $20,000,000. The development would utilize an existing parking lot at King William and Walnut Streets and incorporate 193 King Street East (the former Sandbar property). The parking structure would address, in part, the direction of the Downtown Transportation Master Plan that recommends the development of strategically located parking structures in the Downtown to address future pressure when existing surface parking lots are developed for residential/commercial use. This project will complement the Downtown Secondary Plan that identifies the existing surface parking lot at John and Rebecca Streets as an urban park. The park project is identified in the Downtown/West Harbourfront Co-ordinating Committee’s 10 Year Capital Budget Plan and, in 2007 the Division co-ordinated a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) on the site in preparation for development of a park and is moving forward with a Phase II ESA in 2008.

[SteelTown]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/Appster/kingwilliam-1.jpg

[matt602]

That would be absolutely wonderful for that corner. The Theatre Aquarius patrons would have a much more pleasant walk out of/into the theatre.

[raisethehammer]

yup...that's the drawing they've had for 2-3 years. any construction timelines??

[HAMRetrofit]

I think one of these complexes will also be needed on James North right across the street from the new GO and VIA station. Perhaps the condo there should be slightly taller. I think these will have many positive spin offs for the cultural and retail establishments in the surrounding area.

[raisethehammer]

ahh, found the report with all this great info:

http://www.myhamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/B75289D8-2CD1-4AB8-AF45-03746BB691EB/0/Apr01PED08075.pdf

[SteelTown]

Opps I was gonna add a link, just ran out of my lunch break time. It also helps that Moodie is related to my mom and lives nearby lol.

[the dude]

any specific mention of the century theatre? i guess it's a goner. too bad, though i never liked the idea of converting it to residential. typically, i'm confused and agitated by the city's 'supposed' need for parking but whatever...i guess i'm pleased by it.

[matt602]

I'm depressed about it as well, but I've been in there and seen it first hand. The place is decrepit. The walls are starting to lean outwards, the roof has completely collapsed onto the fake ceiling over the auditorium and many parts of the ancient wooden floor in the office area are un-safe to walk over. I have fallen through it myself, getting saved by a support beam. One of my friends was not so lucky and took a tumble back down to the floor under. Thankfully he wasn't seriously injured.

This isn't to say it would be impossible to save but it would take somebody who is seriously dedicated to restoring old theaters and has very deep pockets. The building would have to be essentially stripped down to the structural supports (or what's left of them) and a new roof would have to be manufactured. That or the auditorium could be isolated from the rest of the building and a structural shell built around it... but I personally think that defeats the purpose of even bothering in the first place. The offices and lobby are just as much the heart of an old theater as the auditorium is.

[raisethehammer]

Theatre Aquarius looked into it a year or two ago...for a dinner theatre type place.
they found the work required simply too much.

[SteelTown]

http://www.myhamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/30653EC5-38F3-4B85-95C0-838CC5DC4EDB/0/Aug10PED09226.pdf

The City is about to sell the property to Hamilton Realty Capital Corporation Inc. at a determined fair market value.

[realcity]

Here's the rendering!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/Appster/kingwilliam.jpg
You're looking at it from King William not King St E

A city-owned parking lot at King William and Walnut streets is set to become a mixed-use parking structure. The draft design features six levels above ground and another two below. The complex, which would incorporate the old Sandbar, would also have retail and residential features.


I can't wait until this is done!!!

[DC1983]

This site has been rumoured (by the City's EcDev folks) to be home to a new Downtown Grocery Store.

I hope they don't build it a-la Shoppers at Cannon/Wellington ie: entrance facing sideways into large pkng lot over a street-facing entrance.

[SteelTown]

Looks like the Public Health department will be the main tenant.

[SteelTown]

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=5369698&postcount=673

[SteelTown]

Hamilton police may set up shop in infamous Sandbar Tavern

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/629690--hamilton-police-may-set-up-shop-in-infamous-sandbar-tavern

Hamilton police are looking at moving in to the notorious Sandbar Tavern, once the downtown’s busiest crackhouse.

The Hamilton Realty Capital Corporation recently gave up on a $100-million redevelopment plan that would have used the former Sandbar as the “piazza entrance” to a mixed use project featuring condos, a grocery store, medical centre and offices for the city’s public health department.

A recent report on the corporation, a public-private partnership formed to pursue downtown redevelopment, says the HRCC gave up its purchase option on both the Sandbar property and the nearby city parking lot on King William Street “in favour of Hamilton Police Services.”

Glen Norton, the city’s urban renewal manager, said the building is being considered “for something along the lines of community policing.”

But spokeswoman Catherine Martin couldn’t confirm what uses Hamilton police are considering for the former tavern. Instead, Martin said the board is still looking for ways to solve a “space deficit” that includes inadequate room for forensic labs and parking.

Police haven’t confirmed any plans for the city-owned building, she added.

The boarded-up property hosted two brutal homicides in the early 2000s and was eventually seized by the province in 2006 under the Civil Remedies Act and turned over to the municipality.

[SteelTown]

I know for a fact that the Police department is working on a funding request from the Province for a new forensic lab. It'll be the main forensic lab for Hamilton/Brant/Haldimand and Niagara area.

Friend of mine provided them a quote for a new lab late summer.

[durandy]

well that's great. I'm not sure which is worse for neighbourhood revival, a crackhouse or a forensics lab.

[markbarbera]

Seriously, you think the socio-economic impact a neighbourhood experiences from a regional forensics lab employing well paid scientific professionals is similar to the impact of a crackhouse? Kirkendall is doomed, then, now that the CANMET lab is open...

[durandy]

this is prime downtown real estate. I wouldn't want Canmet there either.

[palace1]

The bricks and debris at the Century Theatre site were being removed and the site levelled off this week.

Is this still a separate property held by the owner who demolished the theatre? or has it been purchased by the Police Dept.?

[Duckyboy]

well that's great. I'm not sure which is worse for neighbourhood revival, a crackhouse or a forensics lab.

Crackhouse. It's not even a contest. One employs people, the other...

[durandy]

literalists. Everyone please take a look at the rendering of what was supposed to go on this site and then try to understand my nonexcitement about a bunch of cop geeks locating downtown.

[markbarbera]

Actually, if memory serves, this site was planned for police office use when it was first handed over from the Ontario AG office to this city back in 2006. Then this HRCC rendering was done up as an alternative a couple years later which included residential and commercial as well as office space, but a firm commitment for private sector involvement in those aspects never gelled, even with the promise of Public Health as anchor tenants. Given the tepid results of other neighbouring mixed used developments (Terraces on King, The Gore Building) along with the onset of the credit crunch, it isn't a big surprise that people shied away from commitment to the concept.

The pragmatic side of me is glad that there will be a significant owner making an adaptive reuse of the existing building. The streetwall is preserved and there is an influx of professionals who will be injecting fresh business to the BIA. And there is nothing to prevent a future intensification project in the area when market forces are more favourable to that idea.

[SteelTown]

Police to pitch $15m forensics building

http://www.thespec.com/news/local/article/671536--police-to-pitch-15m-forensics-building

Hamilton police want to build a new, state-of-the art forensic lab in the heart of the city’s downtown.

And they want City Hall to pick up most of the $15-million price tag.

The facility, which police say is desperately necessary, will house the forensics lab and other key departments in the plot of land between Mary, Rebecca, Wilson and Catharine streets.

On Wednesday, police will attend the general issues committee meeting to ask for $750,000 towards a $1.5-million design study.

Councillor Lloyd Ferguson, one of the city’s strictest fiscal conservatives, says he’s happy to contribute to the study.

However, when it comes to funding the rest of the project, he thinks the police department will have to wait its turn during next year’s budget process.

“It will have to get in line with all of the other capital requests we have for 2013, which includes aging infrastructure, our Hamilton Housing infrastructure that needs repairs, our lodges, our seniors’ centres,” Ferguson said.

Superintendent Mike Shea says the move is a key part of a plan to modernize the forensics lab, especially because inquiries after cases involving high-profile criminals such as Paul Bernardo and Guy Paul Morin have called for stricter separation of forensic evidence during police investigations.

The new lab will have three, self-contained examination areas — one for any evidence associated with the victim, another for evidence associated with the scene, and a third for evidence associated with the suspect. To prevent possible cross-contamination, all three rooms will have separate exhaust systems.

The police considered renovating the existing forensic laboratory, but found there wasn’t enough space to make the necessary upgrades.

“It’s in such a confined space, there’s just not the geography available,” Shea said.

The land proposed for the new forensics facility has a contentious history of its own. Both the police and the Downtown Mosque were interested in the property, which was formerly owned by the province.

City council voted last spring to purchase a portion of the property on behalf of the police. At that time, the police said they were interested in building a storage unit in the area.

Ferguson said one of the reasons he’s keen to fund the design study is because it will boost the city’s chances of getting funding for the project from the upper levels of government.

“Let’s get this stuff ready, because there’s always funding that can come out from other levels of government and we want to make sure it’s shovel-ready,” he said.

[lucasmascotto]

Does anyone have any sort of updates on this project? What's happening?

[Dr Awesomesauce]

It involves the City - let's check back in a decade or so. Perhaps they will have filed the paperwork by then.

All dickishness aside, the City needs to put this property up for sale and just get out of the way. The City could easily kill any momentum downtown has if they are not careful - this property is just one example.

[palace1]

CBC Hamilton reported today that the Downtown Mosque will be moving to the former Barn supermarket at Hess and York.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/after-miracle-deal-downtown-mosque-is-on-the-move-1.2559559

[ScreamingViking]

Does anyone have any sort of updates on this project? What's happening?

In the mosque story there was a link to another from CBC from November 29: Design work beginning on downtown forensics lab (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/design-work-beginning-on-downtown-forensics-lab-1.2444439).
There's a city information report (http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/1842D896-1558-4518-88E2-0E74F46F4A1E/0/Dec04517CM13018.pdf) from Dec 4 that confirms they're issuing the RFP.

I don't see any further updates so they're probably still in the RFP process.

As for 193 King E. and the lot behind it... ??? It was supposed to be going up for sale (http://www.thespec.com/living-story/4333695-artists-see-soul-on-king-street/). Late last year the BIA had wanted it torn down (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/bia-wants-former-crack-den-demolished-1.2462377).

[thomax]

Does anyone have any sort of updates on this project? What's happening?

These are the most recent renderings for any of the proposals for the site. They were never posted here, but they're from 2010:


"A proposal for the development and construction of an approximately 50,000 sf facility consisting of a cultural centre, a health centre and a college (the “Facility”) for the Centre français Hamilton inc. and Centre de santé communautaire Hamilton/Niagara. The facility would be built on the site of the recently demolished Century Theatre."

http://dpai.ca/system/files/93/medium/King%20William%20Street%20Proposal.jpg
Source (http://dpai.ca/projects/6)

http://dpai.ca/system/files/92/medium/King%20%20Street%20East_%20Proposal.jpg
Source (http://dpai.ca/projects/6)

http://dpai.ca/system/files/52/medium/King%20William%20Street%20Proposal_Plan.jpg
Source (http://dpai.ca/projects/6)

[Dr Awesomesauce]

That looks very ambitious...but great! I see part of the plan was the replicate the former street wall.

How did these pics not make it onto this site? Perhaps it's best they didn't.

[SteelTown]

Buyers interested in transforming derelict Hamilton crack den

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/buyers-interested-in-transforming-derelict-hamilton-crack-den-1.2606178

City councillors will vote next week to put the former Sandbar Tavern— once a violent crack den—up for sale with several interested buyers eyeing the long derelict downtown property.

The general issues committee will vote Wednesday to declare the one-time tavern property at 193 King St. E. surplus, which means it would be sold at fair market value. There are about three parties interested in buying it, said Coun. Jason Farr of Ward 2.

Farr wouldn’t elaborate on who the potential buyers are, except to say that the property could be commercial or a mix of business and residential.

But recent coverage of the Sandbar’s future—with the International Village demanding some action, even going as far as tearing it down—has led to “easily three or four people with a real legitimate interest” in buying it, he said.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if two of them became part of some kind of tender.”

The Sandbar building has long been a bane for the International Village. It was a common site for police calls, violence and drug activity. Since 2001, two people have been beaten to death there.

In 2006, the province seized it under the Civil Remedies Act because of the crime there, and gave it to the city. It was so celebrated that Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant attended the ceremony. But the property has sat vacant ever since, remaining a stain on the King East streetscape.

Hamilton police have debated using it since 2011 but have turned their attention to vacant land on Wilson Street.

In December, the International Village BIA passed a motion asking the city to do something with it, whether it be tear it down to build a parkette or some other option. Farr has been working with the BIA and the city ever since.

The International Village BIA is "ecstatic" about next week's vote, said Susie Braithwaite, executive director.

"It's been something looming over our BIA for seven or eight years now," she said. "It's nice to see something finally being done."

As for what she'd like to see, she lists specialty shops, a market, a cinema - "anything as long as it's a good fit with our BIA."

Braithwaite has described the tavern as "a part of our history that we’d love to forget and move on from.”

The BIA's pressure move led to “a greater public conversation” that prompted interested parties to step forward, Farr said.

Farr plans to include a stipulation that the future buyer must start developing it within a year or it will revert back to the city.

[lucasmascotto]

City council: Saying goodbye to a former crack den
CBC News: Hamilton

The city will rubber-stamp its decision Wednesday evening to put a former crack den on the market.

Councillors will vote to sell 193 King St. E., former home of the Sandbar tavern. The building has been a notorious site of criminal and drug activity.

There are buyers interested in turning the building around, said Coun. Jason Farr.

The general issues committee voted on April 16 to sell it. City council will finalize that decision at a meeting that starts at 5 p.m.

CBC Hamilton reporter Samantha Craggs will tweet live from the meeting. Follow her at @SamCraggsCBC or in the window below.

[davidcappi]

Core Urban has to be interested. Seriously though..

[markbarbera]

Another month or so and we should know if anyone will pick up on this offer (https://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/E4A55DF0-0A56-411A-A358-66C4D4F15584/0/193KingStE.pdf). It seems like an odd way for the city to sell off property. I really had to dig to find the offer to sell, and what is with no set price? It doesn't sit well to just say "give me an offer" on what should be prime real estate.

The way that this is being offered on the down-low is causing a bit of concern. I certainly hope some sweetheart backroom deal isn't being arranged. I wonder if all the offers will be made publicly available. Perhaps any local media type who scan this forum can make some enquiries about how this sale is being conducted and report back to us.

[SteelTown]

Two bidders vie for former Sandbar Tavern property

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4725569-two-bidders-vie-for-former-sandbar-tavern-property/

The city is weighing two redevelopment offers for the building that housed the infamous Sandbar Tavern.

Both purchase offers involve plans to "repurpose" rather than tear down the dilapidated former crack den at 193 King St. E. for commercial and residential development, said city real estate manager Bill Farkas.

Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr said he was "encouraged" by the quality of the offers, but added he can't reveal any details while the city is reviewing the bids.

"We had a lot of showings, a lot of interest," he said.

Farkas said it will probably be September before a winning bid is announced.

But neighbours are already buzzing about the prospects for the notorious flophouse where two people were fatally beaten before the building was seized by the province and turned over to the city eight years ago.

"We're all pretty excited about something finally happening," said Melanie Amato, co-owner of Modify Your Closet on King Street East.

The property has been pitched unsuccessfully as an LRT stop, the portal to a failed $100-million condo, grocery store and medical centre development and, most recently, as a part of Hamilton police's planned new forensic lab.

The history of failure prompted some King Street businesses to ask the city to consider tearing down the deteriorating building to create a parkette — a controversial suggestion that ultimately helped spur the city to seek a buyer.

Destruction is not the first choice for businesses along the strip, Amato said.

"If it absolutely can't be salvaged, well, tear it down," she said of the building, which has been without heat for years. "But I think we all would like to see it reused, to preserve the streetscape. It's bad (inside), but the bones are there."

Amato added she was enthused about a proposal for a wine bar from the new owners of two neighbouring buildings.

Peter De Sotto and Mary Kennedy bought 189 and 191 King St. E. this spring and are planning to live in the renovated upper floors while sprucing up the retail storefronts.

Reached by phone, Kennedy confirmed the couple was interested in the Sandbar property, but added she believes they had been outbid.

Farkas said the city was seeking "fair market value" for the building, but is also requiring potential buyers to submit a development plan that must begin within a year of purchase.

If that doesn't happen, the city reserves the right to buy back the property.

[thomax]

193 King Street East has sold. Peter De Sotto and Mary Kennedy, who were mentioned in the article above, are the ones that have bought the building...

Hello Vintage Hamilton,
My husband and I recently bought 189 191 193 King St East Hamilton. The strip of buildings are currently being fast tracked as heritage buildings and we are thrilled of this. We were wondering if there are any old photos of that strip of property from your archives that we may be able to look at and use as references. We were given your Facebook page from David Premi and Jeff Feswick who we took threw our buildings the other day.

Please keep in touch,
all the best,

Mary Kennedy
Peter DeSotto

- Vintage Hamilton - Posts to Page (https://www.facebook.com/VintageHamilton/posts_to_page)




And the parking lot behind it, where the CMFH building was proposed (see post #50 above), is for sale....

212 King William Street, Hamilton - $2,495,000
(http://realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?PropertyId=14018458)

http://cdn.realtor.ca/listing/reb82/highres/2/x28202521.jpg
Source (http://realtor.ca/propertyDetails.aspx?PropertyId=14018458)

[Pearlstreet]

According to the Vernons City of Hamilton book, Sterling Meats were on the main floor and a shoe store upstairs named 'Upstairs Shoe Store'.
https://archive.org/stream/vernonhamilton00vernuoft#page/n161/mode/2up

[movingtohamilton]

More on this on The Spec site. Great news. Happy to see a private tax-paying enterprise buy the property, rather than yet another public property use (like a police bldg).

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4965754--people-died-in-this-place-new-owner-has-hope-for-former-sandbar/

[interr0bangr]

I see that 191 King was just renovated and looks absolutely amazing. New huge storefront windows, flooring and exposed brick throughout.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Photo?

[interr0bangr]

Will take one when I walk by tomorrow.

[matt602]

I'm guessing thats the place I asked about in another thread a few weeks ago. Whats the store?

[interr0bangr]

It's for rent. No store yet.

I have pictures but I can't upload them til i get home tonight.

[interr0bangr]

http://i.imgur.com/DZiHDs8.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2AahxYa.jpg

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Nice little space. Thanks for that!

[davidcappi]

Cute. Happy to see King East is getting it's share of building care.

[thomax]

http://i.imgur.com/UpUJhH8.jpg
Twitter | April 21, 2015 (https://twitter.com/TheJetCafe/status/590537504081707008/photo/1)

[Katrillion]

What's going on at the old tavern? Who bought the property?

[thomax]

What's going on at the old tavern? Who bought the property?

It's being restored & renovated by Peter De Sotto and Mary Kennedy. Here's some info I posted on the previous page...


193 King Street East has sold. Peter De Sotto and Mary Kennedy, who were mentioned in the article above, are the ones that have bought the building...

Hello Vintage Hamilton,
My husband and I recently bought 189 191 193 King St East Hamilton. The strip of buildings are currently being fast tracked as heritage buildings and we are thrilled of this. We were wondering if there are any old photos of that strip of property from your archives that we may be able to look at and use as references. We were given your Facebook page from David Premi and Jeff Feswick who we took threw our buildings the other day.

Please keep in touch,
all the best,

Mary Kennedy
Peter DeSotto

- Vintage Hamilton - Posts to Page (https://www.facebook.com/VintageHamilton/posts_to_page)

[thomax]

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/519/19401502060_a9a179e961_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/vyrLCd)
193 King Street East Renovation - July 10, 2015 (https://flic.kr/p/vyrLCd) by Joe (https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/), on Flickr

http://i.imgur.com/tIq8ot5.jpg
193 King Street East Renovation - July 13, 2015 (https://twitter.com/RebuildHamilton/status/620698248970403840) by Rebuild Hamilton (https://twitter.com/RebuildHamilton/status/620698248970403840), on Twitter

http://i.imgur.com/5WXRB7n.jpg
193 King Street East Renovation - July 9, 2015 (https://twitter.com/thismustbeseema/status/619343900906532864) by ThisMustBeThePlace (https://twitter.com/thismustbeseema/status/619343900906532864), on Twitter

[Katrillion]

Looking good! King East is so cool now. But, one thing I would've done differently is change the brick colour. It just looks so light and fake-ish. I'm gonna wait until the finished product though to finally judge!

[davidcappi]

Looks fantastic! I like the brick colour. It adds a new colour and therefore diversity to the streetwall.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Wow! Now why did that take a decade exactly? ;)

[realcity]

This city defines "snails' pace".

[interr0bangr]

Can we get a thread title update to reflect the official name?

http://193kingstreeteast.com

http://193kingstreeteast.com/images/demo/banner.jpg

http://193kingstreeteast.com/images/demo/6.jpg

[thomax]

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5707/22858383080_3d8656550a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/APVbV7)
Theatre Lofts - 11/18/2015 (https://flic.kr/p/APVbV7) by Joe (https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/), on Flickr

[palace1]

Interesting marketing description: "Your opportunity has arrived to live in one of Hamilton's most talked about buildings!"

When I first saw the name "Theatre Lofts" I was hoping that the Century Theatre property across the alley was included in the development.

But it looks like it will be seven loft units on the third floor of the former Sandbar building.
Will they be condominium ownership?
I assume the For Lease signs are for the commercial space on the first floor? What about the second floor where it looks like there are two balconies?

[Jon Dalton]

"Eat. Drink. Reside." Yes those are things you can do in a condo.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

I'm fascinated by language especially that which is used in marketing. I guess they thought 'Eat, Drink, Live' sounded cliche. Reside just doesn't work, however. Great looking project, though! ;)

Incidentally, you'll notice that that wonderfully renovated shop house next to this project is just a kinder, gentler pawnshop. The more things change, well, you know the rest...

[interr0bangr]

I'm fascinated by language especially that which is used in marketing. I guess they thought 'Eat, Drink, Live' sounded cliche. Reside just doesn't work, however. Great looking project, though! ;)

Incidentally, you'll notice that that wonderfully renovated shop house next to this project is just a kinder, gentler pawnshop. The more things change, well, you know the rest...

The Kind Exchange is not even remotely close to a pawn shop, but OK.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Just looked it up - I stand corrected. Maybe things are changing in the International Village after all. ;)

[HamiltonBoyInToronto]

I'm fascinated to see all of the negative comments towards a project that is actually really amazing for this area. The renovated commercial spaces which brought new businesses into the area and the renovation and restoration of historically significant buildings should be met with positivity and enthusiasm, not pessimism and negativity. Getting caught up on the wording of the marketing material, which is meant to sell these spaces seems petty and immature. After all, isn't this exactly what most of us on this forum have been asking for over the years?

[king10]

uhhhhh. "Eat, Drink, Reside"

Time to fire the marketing manager

Love the project though. Great Addition.

[realcity]

Eat. Drink. Love. oh wait that's Wolfgang Pucks. I can guess the marketing agency, I won't say who but they are from St. Catharines. Same as Royal Connaught's marketers.

[davidcappi]

Eat. Drink. Love. oh wait that's Wolfgang Pucks. I can guess the marketing agency, I won't say who but they are from St. Catharines. Same as Royal Connaught's marketers.


Nope. The person who did these works out of CoMotion on King

[Dr Awesomesauce]

I'm fascinated to see all of the negative comments towards a project that is actually really amazing for this area. The renovated commercial spaces which brought new businesses into the area and the renovation and restoration of historically significant buildings should be met with positivity and enthusiasm, not pessimism and negativity. Getting caught up on the wording of the marketing material, which is meant to sell these spaces seems petty and immature. After all, isn't this exactly what most of us on this forum have been asking for over the years?

Point taken but don't mistake pettiness for a lack of optimism or excitement for this project and for the city as a whole. I'm quite sure everybody's thrilled, if not stunned, by what's happening at the old Sandbar and those involved deserve credit for getting it done at long last.

[atnor]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qP9p_3t0gKA

[NortheastWind]

Are 191 King and 193 the same building? The video titles say 191 but the description below says 193.