Downtown Update

[thistleclub]

Glad to see City Centre is getting some action. Things have really drastically changed over the last five years.

Agreed. Would eventually be nice to see private sector tenants take over the public sector foothold in the CC, as it was back in the day.

With lifestyle amenities (recreation/entertainment/fitness) coming online, maybe we'll be seeing announcements about tenants in the high-tech and creative industries (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=5339890&postcount=8) before long.

[CaptainKirk]

28 Lister Chophouse Grill update

https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1/1920354_272248206273520_1412899654_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1/1958326_272248199606854_1660152248_n.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/t1/1794714_272248202940187_1337374394_n.jpg

[CaptainKirk]

28 Lister Chophouse Grill update


On their facebook page

All the construction is completed inside! We are working to have the hood-vent put in - we just now need mother nature to help us with a few sunny days. Hamilton help us with good thoughts for sun!

[davidcappi]

Looks great! It'll definitely make that corner a lot more lively once the place is open.

[LikeHamilton]

Fire tears through apartment building at Bold and MacNab

The Hamilton Spectator,Teviah Moro

Crews on scene at Pasadena apartments on Bold Street. Crews were called to a fire just after 8 p.m. Thursday.nextplay/pausepre3/5
By Teviah Moro
A historic Durand neighbourhood apartment building has been ravaged by fire, leaving its residents displaced.

Fire crews were called to the Pasadena apartments at 27 Bold St., between MacNab Street South and James Street South, Thursday night shortly after 8 p.m. The building carries a heritage designation.

Dave Christopher, of the Hamilton fire department, said the fire is believed to have started in the boiler room and spread through the building.

"With these old buildings we have to try to pull down the ceilings to try to find the fire," he said, noting the fire was moving laterally.

As of 9 p.m., the fire had reached the third floor of the three-storey, 18-unit building.

By nearly midnight, thick black smoke was still pouring out and flames were still shooting out of the roof. Christopher said "virtually the entire roof will be gone."

The fire department had 18 units on scene fighting the fire.

At one point, two aerial fire trucks were providing a two-pronged attack on the roof. Several people had gathered to watch the fire while crews battled the blaze in intermittent rain.

City spokesperson Mike Kirkopoulos said just after 11 p.m. that an HSR bus was on scene with about 50 people in it and that accommodations may have to be found for people. About 30 to 40 people live in the building.

He said the city was working the Red Cross and were continuing to monitor the situation.

An initial report said no one hurt was hurt in the fire and one firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion.

Christopher said the fire department expected to be on scene for several hours.

Tenant Rena Kissell said she and her daughter, Amber, were only able to save their dog and one cat.

"And we have three other cats."

Rena, 68, said they've lived in the building for 10 years, but Thursday night there was no way they were going to sleep there.

"They said no way. This is not going to be habitable."

Huddled in the rain, with a couple of bags and their pets, Rena and Amber said they were waiting for a friend from Toronto to come pick them up.

Smoke billowed from windows of the old brick apartment block, which is near the corner of MacNab Street South.

"Amber, look that's our place! How are the cats going to survive that?" Rena yelled, pointing at plumes pouring out from the third floor of the building.

Christopher said the building was like an "open channel" from the basement to the top floor so fire was able to travel easily.

According to the website Historical Hamilton, the building was erected in 1914.

http://media.zuza.com/4/1/41d095d7-5df4-4284-9a4b-a45318517b1d/B821536208Z.1_20140221005207_000_G2R16D21A.4_Gallery.jpg

[ScreamingViking]

What a horrible experience that must be for the tenants.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

A shame and one of our finest old apartment buildings, too.

[Berklon]

It's good that no-one was hurt - which really is the most important thing.

It sounds like the building is essentially a tear-down now. Hate to see the city losing yet another old building.

[flar]

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/newdurand/00045.jpg

[Flippinhamilton]

Anyone know the year it was built?

[NortheastWind]

@Flippinhamilton, the last sentence in the Spec article says the building was erected in 1914.

[thomax]

oXUqz4RZvHw

[hammergirl]

A member of another forum I belong to lives in that building and she is absolutely devastated and in shock. She was out at the time so she essentially has the clothes on her back and doesn't know if anyone was able to rescue her cats.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Dreadful.

[StEC]

This is horrible, my heart goes out to all those people! :(

[Beedok]

Considering how close some of those buildings are we should be glad it didn't spread.

I am very glad to hear that no people were hurt, although I'm sad to hear that might not have been true for animals.

[davidcappi]

http://oi59.tinypic.com/25isq5u.jpg

Snapped this tonight. There were firemen circling the property. You can't really tell in the photo but the windows are badly charred. Such a loss.

[hammergirl]

A member of another forum I belong to lives in that building and she is absolutely devastated and in shock. She was out at the time so she essentially has the clothes on her back and doesn't know if anyone was able to rescue her cats.

Update! One of her cats was found alive in the closet of her destroyed bedroom this morning. He is at the vet's for observation but has no signs of burns or respiratory issues.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Can the Pasadena be saved (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/owner-hopes-to-restore-historic-burned-out-pasadena-apartments-1.2549814)? It's not a write-off yet: soon enough engineers and architects will pass judgement on the building's fate.

[matt602]

Although the damage is pretty bad, I think it can be. The actual structure aside from the interior walls, floors and roof seems to still be solid. It would obviously be a multi-million dollar renovation but it is a heritage building and it is in a fairly well off area of the city. I'm sure the rents weren't that cheap even before the fire.

[Frankenrogers]

I don't know if the roof is solid. I walked by it last night and thought that I could see the sky through the windows. Although, I could be thinking of the Herkimer house near Locke.

[markbarbera]

From what I understand, the fire traveled from the basement to the top floor through the double-bricked exterior walls. Seeing as buildings from this period used timber support beams, this does not bode well for salvage-ability. You are looking at a building that may still have brick outline, but now has compromised support beams. If ti can be saved, it would be a very expensive undertaking. I hope the owners had good insurance coverage on the building.

[ihateittoo]

Well it looks like they want to try:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/owner-hopes-to-restore-historic-burned-out-pasadena-apartments-1.2549814

'Our preference would be to repair it and have everything go back to the status quo.'- David Nevins, vice-president of CLV Group

[matt602]

I don't know if the roof is solid. I walked by it last night and thought that I could see the sky through the windows. Although, I could be thinking of the Herkimer house near Locke.

No, you're right. The roof is destroyed. I was just referring to the actual brick and mortar shell of the building. Anything built of wood or plaster was definitely destroyed. I'm pretty sure that more than half of the roof completely burned through or collapsed.

[lucasmascotto]

HECFI privatization spurs legal showdown
The Hamilton /spectator
By: Matthew Van Dongen

Unionized ex-HECFI workers are seeking "thousands and thousands" of dollars in compensation over the "messy" privatization of the city's money-losing entertainment venues.

The city turned over Copps Coliseum, Hamilton Place and the convention centre to private operators last year to try to end millions of dollars in public subsidies for the aging facilities. Global Spectrum took over the two performance venues while Carmen's manages the convention centre. Both promised to honour existing collective agreements.

But the union representing 11 maintenance and electrical workers for the venues says its members have been effectively "locked out" of the convention centre as a result of a "messy" contract dispute between Global Spectrum, Carmen's and the city.

"Our people are caught in the middle of this while the city and (the operators) point fingers at each other," said Greg Hoath of Local 772 of the International Union of Operating Engineers. As a result, he said the union has filed grievances over alleged lost work and is also pursuing damages at the Ontario Labour Relations Board from both companies and the city.

"The city has been publicly patting itself on the back for this deal – but apparently it's not willing to enforce its provisions," Hoath said. He suggested the celebrated money-saving privatization could spur "thousands and thousands" in legal costs and potential compensation orders for the city.

Local Global Spectrum spokesperson Scott Warren declined to comment Tuesday on the "ongoing legal matter." Similarly, Hamilton Convention Centre by Carmen's spokesperson Debby Russ said she couldn't comment on "transition-related issues" without jeopardizing a hoped-for resolution "in the near future." The company has hired retired city treasurer Tony Tollis, who helped broker the HECFI privatization, as a consultant.

In formal responses to the labour board application, however, both companies acknowledge they haven't reached a "shared services agreement" required under the facilities management contract signed by all parties, including the city.

Global Spectrum argues it is owed "charge back" payments from Carmen's in return for "lending" unionized maintenance workers to the convention centre.

Carmen's labour board reply denies locking out workers but noted they refused to acknowledge the convention centre as their employer. It concludes the "sharing" of unionized maintenance workers is "untenable."

The city says it no longer has a legal obligation to the union following the privatized management agreement – or the authority to enforce contract provisions.

"It's really up to the (labour) board to ensure the parties are honouring their obligations," said city labour relations director Lora Fontana, later adding the city would provide "support" to the union as a hearing intervener, if possible.

"I don't think the board will let the city off the hook that easily," said Hoath, noting he originally asked the city to keep his members on the public payroll to avoid confusion.

"The city brokered this agreement, signed this agreement and still owns the facilities, but they have no way to intervene? I disagree. I think they could pull the plug (on the agreement.)"

Councillor Scott Duvall, a former steelworkers union leader, said he's trying to arrange for council to talk about the long-running dispute.

"We were told this was a smooth transition (to private operators) and it turns out that wasn't the case," he said. "Now it looks like we've left these workers in a very awkward position."

Councillor Sam Merulla said he doesn't think the city should be liable for the contractual dispute between private businesses. But he added the "optics are terrible" that the city's former top staffer on the file is now advising Carmen's.

[CaptainKirk]

Dan Jelly ‏@KingAndJames 5h
This is news: building where Sirloin Cellar was has been sold and new owner will restore/reuse. #hamont


Joey Coleman ‏@JoeyColeman 5h
Core Urban purchased the building that housed Sirloin Cellar on James North btwn King and King William - Heritage Cmte.



Joey Coleman ‏@JoeyColeman 5h
Confirmed at Heritage Cmte:
@ChucksBurgerBar is opening downtown at Hughson and King William

[Dr Awesomesauce]

More great news! Waiting for news on the corner shop (King and James). With Mac on the other corner, that block/ intersection is slowly taking shape.

[Jon Dalton]

Wow, I guess the owners of the Sirloin Cellar finally threw in the towel. That is sad.

At least the City is not playing favourites and they're equally putting the screws to their own tenants at the Lister Block steakhouse.

I don't blame the owners for giving up. Dealing with the city is only worth the risk to your health up to a point.

[davidcappi]

Keeping my fingers crossed for that corner building to be fixed up. It's in rough shape though. The outside is totally cracked, and you can see right into the upstairs and it's a total wreck.

That is my usual variety store though, so I hope he stays :)

[Katrillion]

Which building will Chucks be in? The variety store or the one with the new elevator shaft? (Hopefully the variety store so that they can fix that building up)

[Jon Dalton]

I heard the owner of the variety store and former Reardon's is trying to get everyone out of the building so they can fix it up and charge more. If that's the case I don't think they would be doing a new lease at this point.

[coalminecanary]

chucks is going into the empire building (exposed elevator shaft renovation)

[HillStreetBlues]

I can't recall if the Shopper's Drug Mart proposal for King and Dundurn has been discussed here before, but Raise the Hammer had a good write-up (http://raisethehammer.org/article/2125/kingdundurn_shoppers_drug_mart_plan_moves_to_omb) the other day after the last public meeting. It is being sent to the Ontario Municipal Board.

Very disappointing proposal, and even more disappointing that the OMB may well approve it with little further public input. I sometimes find it difficult to sympathize with residents who oppose a piece of development because they think it will increase traffic on their street, but this one is bad in many ways. It's extremely frustrating to see the King streetwall not only not progressing very quickly, but in cases like this one, actually being made worse.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^A proposal fit for a highway service road. Yes, disappointing indeed. But then that's what that section of King has turned into. A shame.

[HillStreetBlues]

Fit for a highway service road is dead right.

This is King Street: that intersection is already one of the busier transit hubs in the city. One day it will have a light rail station there. It's bad enough that, now, it's a KFC; a drive-through; a gas station; and a bill board for an ambulance chaser with a goat path underneath it. At least there's hope for improvement. If all a sudden one of the corners has a brand new "drive thru" and massive parking lot on it, we don't even have any hope.

[bigguy1231]

Fit for a highway service road is dead right.

This is King Street: that intersection is already one of the busier transit hubs in the city. One day it will have a light rail station there. It's bad enough that, now, it's a KFC; a drive-through; a gas station; and a bill board for an ambulance chaser with a goat path underneath it. At least there's hope for improvement. If all a sudden one of the corners has a brand new "drive thru" and massive parking lot on it, we don't even have any hope.

Not saying that any of the businesses at that corner are good or bad but most of them have been there for a very long time. A gas station has been on that corner for probably 75 years. That billboard has been there almost as long. I remember seeing a picture of my father under the sign there when he was a kid back in the 30's.

The location of the proposed Shoppers was a paving company yard when I was a kid growing up in that area.The corner where the drive thru is was a run down apartment block with stores at ground level. The KFC has been there probably 30 years and before that it was a parking lot for a church down the street on Dundurn. As for the Fortino's plaza it is way better than what was originally there, Slater steel. Slater took up almost the whole block of land except for a few houses located on Dundurn. The place was loud and smelled.

[Jon Dalton]

I would like to see what the apartment block at King and Dundurn looked like.

The new Shoppers proposal looked good to me until I realized the whole front was massive parking. If they just built to the street (more or less) and had parking behind that would alleviate so much opposition and allow the developers what they want as well.

What complicates that otherwise easy fix is that the have townhouses to the rear adjoining the main building with a balcony over top. How they got this through zoning is a feat in itself but it doesn't allow parking in between the building and the townhouses. Building both uses together also makes it more energy efficient and economical as more systems can be shared.

They wouldn't put the parking in front of the townhouses because noone would buy into that kind of environment to live in. Yet we're all expected to deal with it at street level at one of our most iconic (and known to be dangerous) intersections. There must be a better way.

[HillStreetBlues]

Thank you, bigguy, for the history. I guess I shouldn’t be characterizing anything as bad, either, but just because something is a better use than something else, doesn’t mean there aren’t better uses still, and uses on which we should insist. A strip mall with a sea of parking is better than a steel factory, definitely, but it’s not suitable for a busy intersection near the downtown of a large city (and one planned for transit-oriented development in the future). I’ve got no problem with KFC, but if it were on the ground floor of a mid-rise residential building, that would be a much better and more efficient use than single-story retail set back from the street behind parking.

What I truly cannot understand is why the land isn’t worth more. Surely this should be a prime intersection to develop into retail and residential, and the opportunity cost of having a parking lot or a low-rise retail building would be really high…

The article on Raise the Hammer mentions that Tim Horton’s is guaranteed not only to keep its drive-through (I don’t understand how), but also unobstructed visibility to King, which means the Shoppers building cannot be built to the street. That leads me to believe that the reason the retail and residential buildings were built together in the first place was because the retail had to be set back so far. The logical thing would be for the townhouses to be built to the street, and the Shoppers to be built to the street, and some parking to be between them both. The owners of Tim Horton’s will not accept that because of reduced visibility.

[bigguy1231]

Just to add to what I mentioned in my earlier post. In the location of the Pioneer gas bar there was a factory/ warehouse for the billboard company E.L. Ruddy. It was a 30 foot high and about 100 foot long brick building with no windows facing King St, just an entrance in the centre.

[ScreamingViking]

Slater Steel... I'd forgotten all about that plant but have vague memories from childhood. It came right up to Dundurn didn't it? And was gone in the early '80s?

It's a shame that the Hortons dictated what could happen on the north-east corner. I could imagine a redevelopment where they would have had the corner unit in a 2-3 storey building incorporating the SDM, with the drive-thru running behind (which is exactly what the site plan proposes now)

[bigguy1231]

Slater Steel... I'd forgotten all about that plant but have vague memories from childhood. It came right up to Dundurn didn't it? And was gone in the early '80s?

It's a shame that the Hortons dictated what could happen on the north-east corner. I could imagine a redevelopment where they would have had the corner unit in a 2-3 storey building incorporating the SDM, with the drive-thru running behind (which is exactly what the site plan proposes now)

There were a few houses on Dundurn in front of Slater. The last of which was demolished just a couple of years ago when the owner died. Remember that one house surrounded by the plaza parking lot. The Slater building had a bigger footprint than the current plaza.

[Frankenrogers]

I remember that house. I remember as a teenager thinking that it would be cool if you had a house party b/c nobody would complain about the noise.

Also, the shoppers used to be a Harvey's or Burger King. A fugitive from America's Most Wanted got spotted there and eventually caught.

[matt602]

I believe it was a Harveys. I vaguely remember it.

[ihateittoo]

ya it was for sure a harvey's I remember being sad when it closed because after the one in jackson by the market closed there was no longer a harvey's in downtown. Harvey's is crucial for vegetarians, like myself, when we have a craving for fast food because their veggie burger is actually pretty good. Plus the fresh toppings make it the best of the fast food joints... but yes its still fast food.

I wonder if they will ever return downtown... I wonder when some big brand fast-food will come back to the core. I heard Subway was coming to the new building at James N and Vine.

[bigguy1231]

I believe it was a Harveys. I vaguely remember it.


Before it was Harvey's it was Dundurn Ford Lincoln.

[ScreamingViking]

That Harvey's had an upper level dining area, didn't it?

[Beedok]

If it's the one I'm thinking of then I believe so, but it's been a long time.

[movingtohamilton]

... I wonder when some big brand fast-food will come back to the core. I heard Subway was coming to the new building at James N and Vine.

I personally hope that Subway will never come to the core! Their franchises are spreading like a virus. I know it's hard to argue against their value proposition. But I'd prefer more Eh! Panini shops (which just opened on King William) than the Subway behemoth. YMMV.

[Skully2001]

There's already a Subway in the core - overlooking Gore Park, plus there's another a brand new one that recently opened a bit further east on Main...

[movingtohamilton]

There's already a Subway in the core - overlooking Gore Park, plus there's another a brand new one that recently opened a bit further east on Main...

Ok, looks like I need to redefine the core :) I mean the hard-core core! The downtown core.

[thistleclub]

Ok, looks like I need to redefine the core :) I mean the hard-core core! The downtown core.

Five doors west (http://goo.gl/maps/o9SoZ) of the compass axis of the lower city is pretty core downtown. King and Dundurn, on the other hand, is virtually Westdale.

A Subway in the new building at James & Vine would create a novel book-end for the Subway-Money Mart pairing four blocks south.

[HillStreetBlues]

King and Dundurn, on the other hand, is virtually Westdale.



Interesting. It’s separated from Westdale by a highway, so I’ve never thought about it that way. I would have always considered everything Dundurn and east to be, if not downtown technically, “the core of Hamilton.”

The original comment about some fast food chains returning to the core was about a location only a few doors from Dundurn.

[CaptainKirk]

I personally hope that Subway will never come to the core! Their franchises are spreading like a virus. I know it's hard to argue against their value proposition. But I'd prefer more Eh! Panini shops (which just opened on King William) than the Subway behemoth. YMMV.

IIRC, there's a Subway going in the new building at Vine & James N

[movingtohamilton]

IIRC, there's a Subway going in the new building at Vine & James N

Yes indeed, that's the plan. How exciting for James N! :yuck:

[thistleclub]

Interesting. It’s separated from Westdale by a highway, so I’ve never thought about it that way. I would have always considered everything Dundurn and east to be, if not downtown technically, “the core of Hamilton.”

I take your point. I was thinking simply in terms of relative distance (hence the "virtually"), and as a pedestrian. But it's squishy and subjective and depending upon your elevation, the perspective changes.

It's Hamilton Centre (http://hamiltoncentrendp.ca/map/) as electoral districts go, but then so is some of the West Mountain.

The City has tended, whether by accident or design, to define "downtown" somewhat literally: Queen to Wellington, Hunter to Cannon. Main peaks at Queen and the north/south streets seem to peak (eg. Bay) or gutter (eg. James, John) at Hunter. The Downtown BIA's original frame (http://downtownhamilton.org/wp-content/plugins/download-monitor/download.php?id=5) reflects this. City framing may (http://www.map.hamilton.ca/Static/PDFs/General%20Interest%20maps/Downtown/Downtown_Hamilton.pdf) shift (http://www.hamilton.ca/Hamilton.Portal/Inc/PortalPDFs/CarParks/downtownhamilton.pdf) slightly to accommodate parking, a characteristic deference.

The EcDev folks have generally pushed the envelope on that definition, in order to widen the scope of development charge exemption program eligibility. The most recent annexation, circa 2012 (http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/748FD129-D59C-4DA0-A900-64B6EA7C05AD/0/Feb15EDRMS_n267566_v1_6_1__FCS12015__DC_Exemption_Policies_and_.pdf), pushed westward to Dundurn, northward to the tracks, east to Victoria and Corktown to the south.

[markbarbera]

A Subway in the new building at James & Vine would create a novel book-end for the Subway-Money Mart pairing four blocks south.

..or for the Subway-Chesters Chicken pairing three blocks west at York and Bay.

[movingtohamilton]

..or for the Subway-Chesters Chicken pairing three blocks west at York and Bay.

Subway is so popular in Hamilton, and such an obvious benefactor to the city's well- being. I think we should encourage them to seek naming rights to a city structure of some type.

Maybe the High Level Bridge with Southwest Sauce.

[HillStreetBlues]

I take your point. I was thinking simply in terms of relative distance (hence the "virtually"), and as a pedestrian. But it's squishy and subjective and depending upon your elevation, the perspective changes.

...
The EcDev folks have generally pushed the envelope on that definition, in order to widen the scope of development charge exemption program eligibility. The most recent annexation, circa 2012 (http://www.hamilton.ca/NR/rdonlyres/748FD129-D59C-4DA0-A900-64B6EA7C05AD/0/Feb15EDRMS_n267566_v1_6_1__FCS12015__DC_Exemption_Policies_and_.pdf), pushed westward to Dundurn, northward to the tracks, east to Victoria and Corktown to the south.

Many thanks for the info re: history of the development charge exemption.

I believe it's only a little further from Dundurn to Bay than from Dundurn to Longwood. On foot, it feels (to me) a bit closer as the bridge over the highway is a bit of a psychological barrier.

[Beedok]

Give me Mr. Subs over Subway any day.

[ihateittoo]

Give me one of our plethora of independent sub shops before any of them. Atlantic, queen, glow, mikes, buddies, Andy's, etc.

I know we don't want our downtown core filled with fast food and of course independent restaurants are preferable and are probably better for the local economy but I think that when larger franchises start filling up spaces it will be a good sign. It will happen before we get big name retail. It's also a guarantee to succeed in my opinion and can co-exist with the local businesses. I also think that it will make downtown more attractive to some when looking at new residential condo units. Again this is all opinion.

[oldcoote]

Give me one of our plethora of independent sub shops before any of them. Atlantic, queen, glow, mikes, buddies, Andy's, etc.

I know we don't want our downtown core filled with fast food and of course independent restaurants are preferable and are probably better for the local economy but I think that when larger franchises start filling up spaces it will be a good sign. It will happen before we get big name retail. It's also a guarantee to succeed in my opinion and can co-exist with the local businesses. I also think that it will make downtown more attractive to some when looking at new residential condo units. Again this is all opinion.

Agreed. The key is getting businesses to invest in the core. Franchisee's and indie's welcome. A nice mix is great.

[movingtohamilton]

Agreed. The key is getting businesses to invest in the core. Franchisee's and indie's welcome. A nice mix is great.

Be careful what you wish for, guys. When Queen St West in Toronto grew rapidly as a destination and a success, landlords jacked up the rents. Many indies left the neighbourhood, and GAP and other big brands moved in.

Hopefully this won't happen in the Hamilton core, as the long-awaited revitalization finally gains traction.

[flar]

The average person does not want to take a risk on something different, they like a familiar choice. So it's not a bad thing at all to have some chains downtown. For many people, this is welcoming. As long as there is still room for those who like something different.

At the moment, Hamilton has tons of room for both chains and independent stuff.

[Beedok]

A lot of Ottawa does seem to be franchise city. It's rather boring and unurban feeling. A few is good, but too many franchises definitely ruin the local identity.

[mishap]

Interesting. It’s separated from Westdale by a highway, so I’ve never thought about it that way. I would have always considered everything Dundurn and east to be, if not downtown technically, “the core of Hamilton.”
I'm not sure where the boundaries are, but I figure once you're east of Queen, you're downtown since it's as close to James as Wellington is on the east side. Westdale has a pretty good geographic separation from the downtown in the form of the valley/ Hwy 403. So what's the gap between Downtown and Westdale? West End. Really, it's even on some maps.

[ScreamingViking]

Subway is so popular in Hamilton, and such an obvious benefactor to the city's well- being. I think we should encourage them to seek naming rights to a city structure of some type.

Maybe the High Level Bridge with Southwest Sauce.

The B-Line Subway. ;)


I too agree that the investment is the key right now. Adding to the pedestrian street traffic is important, even if it's a chain store that does so. It then gives more exposure to the independent shops and while people do like familiar things, some will venture to try something different.

[Pearlstreet]

Wouldnt it be nice if Tim Hortons near Hess would close and give Hess Village a hope for day time coffee shops and other more positive filler in its village?

[Beedok]

I don't think one tim hortons is barring anything. Most neighbourhoods which have coffee shops have several, and the people who go to a local cafe aren't typically the same crowd who run into horny tims for a coffee.

[thistleclub]

Gas bar canopy under consideration for heritage designation (http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4439215-gas-bar-canopy-under-consideration-for-heritage-designation/)
(Hamilton Spectator, Stacey Escott, Mar 31 2014)

An unlikely Hamilton landmark is vying for a spot on a heritage designation list.

The Canadian Tire Corporation made a submission in September to designate the canopy of the gas bar at the 304 Main St. E. store under the Ontario Heritage Act. The canopy was built in the 1970s.


Read it in full here (http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4439215-gas-bar-canopy-under-consideration-for-heritage-designation/).

[markbarbera]

I don't think one tim hortons is barring anything. Most neighbourhoods which have coffee shops have several, and the people who go to a local cafe aren't typically the same crowd who run into horny tims for a coffee.

Agreed. Tim Horton's isn't holding back from more positive filler in Hess Village. The conscious decision to market Hess Village as party central about two decades ago is the reason why it has been pigeon-holed as not much more than a place to go get crazy drunk on a Friday night, and have all the fun stuff that goes along with that (http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4436464-five-in-hospital-after-hess-village-brawl-early-friday/). Back in the day, Hess Village had art galleries, fine dining and interesting boutiques. You could play chess at tables along George Street and take in quality live performances by local talent. That is the kind of market that a daytime cafe would gravitate to, not what it has turned into - a very pale imitation of Toronto's entertainment district.

Thankfully, I am not the only middle-aged crotchety fellow that laments the loss of what Hess Village once was. (http://hamiltonmanmag.com/city/requiem-for-a-village/)

[movingtohamilton]

... Back in the day, Hess Village had art galleries, fine dining and interesting boutiques. You could play chess at tables along George Street and take in quality live performances by local talent. That is the kind of market that a daytime cafe would gravitate to, not what it has turned into - a very pale imitation of Toronto's entertainment district...

So how do cities "take back" these zones? Is it too late?

I have no experience with Hess-at-Night. Too old for drunk nights. But we often drop in to Tavern on George (formerly Urban Tavern), typically early in the evening after work.

The place changed hands again, back in December 2013. It's great spot on George Street, with a good chef and a very hospitable manager. I really hope it survives.

[Beedok]

I think Hamilton has enough other areas that could use revitalisation. Hess Village is at least preforming well at what it does. Lots of patchy streets that could use investment first. Not saying I'm happy with it long term, but it's not Hamilton's worst issue.

[ScreamingViking]

I would think market forces might cause future changes on Hess before the city ever decided to do anything (not sure what they really can do now anyway - the genie got out and was permitted to remake the bottle). So perhaps growth of the area and demand for other types of establishments will eventually bring it back around.

I don't go there often, but I disliked the changes I saw last time I visited - seeing the renos done to the Gown & Gavel was a bit of a shocker.

I guess there's hope Augusta St. won't follow the same template.

[CaptainKirk]

By Samantha Craggs, CBC News


Marie Robbins imagines it this way:


You get off the GO train at the new James North station and cross the street, and you grab a coffee at a cute little coffee shop. Or you hop in a car you’re borrowing through an auto-share program. Or maybe, if you’re a commuter who owns one of the condos there, you just go home.


That’s the plan for one of the first developments in the works to take advantage of the new GO station at 353 James St. N. planned for 2015.


Robbins and her husband Doug, long-time business owners and James North boosters, are in the beginning stages of a multi-million-dollar development at the corner of Stuart and MacNab, right across from the new $44-million GO station.


It’s an area of Hamilton that hasn’t always gotten a lot of love, but the GO station is poised to change all that, said Glen Norton, the city’s manager of downtown urban renewal.


“It will definitely be a catalyst,” he said.


The Robbins development isn’t a direct result of the GO station, said Marie Robbins. They got the idea when they saw nearby Witton Lofts on Murray Street — another development that merges new design with a historic building.


Doug owns the mergers and acquisitions company Robbinex, and its offices are located in 41 Stuart St., the former Dorion Vinegar Works building that dates back to at least the 1850s.


He and Marie are in the preliminary stages of a development that would include offices in the old building, along with a rooftop garden. It would be merged with an atrium and roughly six-storey building that includes indoor parking, condos and commercial space.


They’ve had numerous meetings with city officials, hammering out issues such as height and what surveys have to be completed, said Marie, who registered Monday to run for council for Ward 9.


When that’s complete, she said, they’ll hire an architect.


“As much as we’re so excited and have so many ideas, we are at the preliminary stages.”

Doug and Marie Robbins were early boosters of James North. Doug was the founding chair of the now-defunct Jamesville Business Improvement Area, which collapsed in the early 1990s. Marie, the former owner of a chain of flower shops from Stoney Creek to Brantford, was the founding treasurer.


The James North area, she said, “has grown and changed and become so dynamic.”


Marie estimates it’ll be about three years before the project is completed.


The city is studying the future impact of the GO station on the James North area, and looking at how it can spur related growth, Norton said.


It’s hard to say if any recent projects have been inspired by the GO station, he said. But he expects some will in the future.


“Certainly people are not blind to the opportunities that a GO station creates,” he said.


Hamilton already has a GO station on Hunter Street. The new station will bring two or more commuter trains in and out of Hamilton per day, and have an attached parking complex for 300 vehicles.


Stage one of the project is scheduled to be completed by the July 2015 Pan Am Games.




http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/new-development-planned-across-from-hamilton-s-james-n-go-1.2593417

[movingtohamilton]

...I guess there's hope Augusta St. won't follow the same template.

Not sure what you mean by the "same template". The drunk-template? Augusta bar owners have a minimum age entry barrier, which is older than 19. It's enforced on weekends. Keeps the drunken louts on Hess.

[ScreamingViking]

Not sure what you mean by the "same template". The drunk-template? Augusta bar owners have a minimum age entry barrier, which is older than 19. It's enforced on weekends. Keeps the drunken louts on Hess.

I meant changing pubs into night clubs, and creating the same kind of party atmosphere that attracts the size of crowds Hess does.

While I've got nothing against clubs (though they're not my thing any more) and places that get lively on weekends, I think the problem with Hess is scale - it has gotten too big and things too easily get out of hand because of that. If it had stayed more modest and kept more of the range of bars/restaurants it used to have, we wouldn't be hearing about the problems we do, at least not on a regular basis. There would still be drunken people about but maybe fewer brawls and criminal acts.

I'd hate to see Augusta turn into a similar environment.

[movingtohamilton]

I meant changing pubs into night clubs, and creating the same kind of party atmosphere that attracts the kind of crowds Hess does. ........I'd hate to see Augusta turn into a similar environment.

Got it. I don't think that will be the fate of Augusta. I don't see a changeover from pubs to clubs. The cluster of pubs east from James is doing well. The late-nite crowd is certainly younger than the early evening crowd, but it all seems to work out ok.

Owners are very proactive on maintaining decorum. Augusta is also a residential neighbourhood and there is nothing worse for a bar owner than making enemies of residents.

[ScreamingViking]

I don't think it will either. But 20 years ago I never would have imagined what Hess would become.

I'd love to see change on Augusta. But change that involves infill on those lots - mix in some more residential and small businesses.

[movingtohamilton]

...I'd love to see change on Augusta. But change that involves infill on those lots - mix in some more residential and small businesses.

There's some infill/townhouse development going on, but it's a little east of the pub zone. Young and John (I think). There are pics on SSP in another forum.

[davidcappi]

There are soooooo many lots around that area it's obscene. It'd be a great spot for some midrise rental apartments and townhome infil. Already too many highrises there so I can't see more popping up. It'd be nice to get some more restaurant and retail down Augusta.

[Beedok]

I wonder if the Workers Arts and Heritage Centre will see an uptick in popularity with the new GO station right there.

[masterwhite]

John St GO Station construction is starting off stong, tons of heavy equipment all the way between John and Bay st all along the train tracks.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

By Samantha Craggs, CBC News

Marie Robbins imagines it this way:

You get off the GO train at the new James North station and cross the street, and you grab a coffee at a cute little coffee shop. Or you hop in a car you’re borrowing through an auto-share program. Or maybe, if you’re a commuter who owns one of the condos there, you just go home.

That’s the plan for one of the first developments in the works to take advantage of the new GO station at 353 James St. N. planned for 2015.

Robbins and her husband Doug, long-time business owners and James North boosters, are in the beginning stages of a multi-million-dollar development at the corner of Stuart and MacNab, right across from the new $44-million GO station.

It’s an area of Hamilton that hasn’t always gotten a lot of love, but the GO station is poised to change all that, said Glen Norton, the city’s manager of downtown urban renewal.

“It will definitely be a catalyst,” he said.

The Robbins development isn’t a direct result of the GO station, said Marie Robbins. They got the idea when they saw nearby Witton Lofts on Murray Street — another development that merges new design with a historic building.

Doug owns the mergers and acquisitions company Robbinex, and its offices are located in 41 Stuart St., the former Dorion Vinegar Works building that dates back to at least the 1850s.

He and Marie are in the preliminary stages of a development that would include offices in the old building, along with a rooftop garden. It would be merged with an atrium and roughly six-storey building that includes indoor parking, condos and commercial space.

They’ve had numerous meetings with city officials, hammering out issues such as height and what surveys have to be completed, said Marie, who registered Monday to run for council for Ward 9.

When that’s complete, she said, they’ll hire an architect.

“As much as we’re so excited and have so many ideas, we are at the preliminary stages.”

Doug and Marie Robbins were early boosters of James North. Doug was the founding chair of the now-defunct Jamesville Business Improvement Area, which collapsed in the early 1990s. Marie, the former owner of a chain of flower shops from Stoney Creek to Brantford, was the founding treasurer.

The James North area, she said, “has grown and changed and become so dynamic.”

Marie estimates it’ll be about three years before the project is completed.

The city is studying the future impact of the GO station on the James North area, and looking at how it can spur related growth, Norton said.

It’s hard to say if any recent projects have been inspired by the GO station, he said. But he expects some will in the future.

“Certainly people are not blind to the opportunities that a GO station creates,” he said.

Hamilton already has a GO station on Hunter Street. The new station will bring two or more commuter trains in and out of Hamilton per day, and have an attached parking complex for 300 vehicles.

Stage one of the project is scheduled to be completed by the July 2015 Pan Am Games.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/new-development-planned-across-from-hamilton-s-james-n-go-1.2593417

Stuart and MacNab
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/MacNab_zps32fd88d2.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/the_dude1974/media/MacNab_zps32fd88d2.jpg.html)

Buildings on Stuart
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/Stuart_zps4973f942.jpg (http://s198.photobucket.com/user/the_dude1974/media/Stuart_zps4973f942.jpg.html)

[ScreamingViking]

That is great news about the Stuart St. proposal.

I'm hoping the GO station and increased service will also benefit Barton. Not just giving a push for the former stadium lands between Queen and Tiffany, but also the blocks east of James.

[ScreamingViking]

There's some infill/townhouse development going on, but it's a little east of the pub zone. Young and John (I think). There are pics on SSP in another forum.

Yes... more of that please. :cool:

[masterwhite]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/councillors-hail-milestone-day-in-city-control-of-waterfront-1.2596101

For 15 years, the city has been trying to get its hands on Piers 7 and 8 so it can develop Hamilton’s waterfront. And on Wednesday, it came a step closer to happening.

The general issues committee voted to sign an agreement with the Hamilton Port Authority (HPA) to the authority to manage the marina Piers 7 and 8.

And while the marina management is the main part of the agreement, the more important element was that it terminates a lease that will lead to developing the city’s waterfront, Coun. Brian McHattie said.

“That’s the real highlight of this, to bring those lands back into our full ownership and our control,” McHattie said.

“This is really a milestone day.”

'All great cities in the world have great waterfronts.'
- Coun. Sam Merulla
The city has owned the land at Piers 7 and 8 since 2000, but has been leasing them to the port authority. HPA's Pier 7 lease would have ended in 2015, and the Pier 8 lease in 2025. But last year, the authority agreed to terminate the lease early.

RELATED: It will cost $39M to ready Hamilton waterfront for development
When the land is back in the city’s hands, it hopes to invite developers to build 1,600 residential units on Pier 8 and 13,000 square feet of commercial institutional space. It will bring it about $7.5 million in property taxes per year, said Chris Phillips, manager of waterfront initiatives.

The city has been negotiating for 15 years to get its hands on the waterfront land, said Coun. Chad Collins of Ward 5.

Coun. Sam Merulla of Ward 4 called Wednesday’s vote a landmark day.

“We have taken so many baby steps to this one giant step that’s before us today,” he said.

“All great cities in the world have great waterfronts.”

Under the new 25-year agreement, the HPA will operate the marina until 2039. The authority has already approved the agreement in principle. City council will ratify the general issues committee vote on April 9.

In approving the agreement, councillors also voted to spend $14 million on projects such as shoreline protection and marina upgrades and capital improvements.

The HPA issued a media release immediately after the vote, hailing the future of a "vibrant, mixed-use harbour."

“We worked closely with the city to make this agreement happen," said Bruce Wood, HPA president and CEO.

"It is a win-win that serves the interests of residents by allowing the West Harbour development plan to move forward, while being consistent with HPA’s mandate of operating a prosperous commercial port."

Under the agreement, HPA would lease a new city-owned five-acre property south of Pier 22, adjacent to the city’s recycling facility.

Can't wait for pier 7 and 8 to become residential

[CaptainKirk]

That is great news about the Stuart St. proposal.

I'm hoping the GO station and increased service will also benefit Barton. Not just giving a push for the former stadium lands between Queen and Tiffany, but also the blocks east of James.

Not sure if you've seen this little treat form a couple months back



www.thespec.com/video/4347729/

[LikeHamilton]

From a Spec article:-

The ambitious waterfront redevelopment plan isn't without critics — the North End Neighbours association filed an Ontario Municipal Board appeal of the related secondary plan earlier this week, alleging lack of community consultation. The appeal won't slow the pier agreement with the port authority, however.

[LikeHamilton]

Ward 2 will spend area rating cash on 21 projects
Ward 2 is forging ahead with most of the capital projects chosen in a $1-million vote by residents last year.

About 1,000 residents voted to spend the ward's area rating cash on 21 projects in the "participatory budgeting" exercise tried out by Councillor Jason Farr last year.

Two of those projects ended up being delayed or scaled back: a ramp to allow better access to the escarpment rail trail, and solar powered trash compactors.

More than $800,000 worth of projects were endorsed by the general issues committee Wednesday, including no smoking signs in parks, startup cash for a Chinese cultural garden, an outdoor community oven in Beasley Park and a new pedestrian crosswalk at MacNab Street South at Hunter Street.

The decision must still be ratified at council next week.


The Hamilton Spectator

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4444350-ward-2-will-spend-area-rating-cash-on-21-projects/

[CaptainKirk]

Tweets
Mudds ‏@Muddscoffee Apr 6
Join us for our grand opening on Saturday April 12th between 11am and 7pm. Located in the heart of downtown Hamilton at 144 James St South.


Mudds ‏@Muddscoffee Apr 6
It's official, Mudds will open its doors on Thursday April 10th at 7am!!
Be sure to drop in and say Hi.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bjw2HFlCAAAS3vW.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BkE9k6rCUAAHTBp.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BkE_LD_CYAAr7at.jpg

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Does anyone know if this is the same location as a pre-existing cafe (Java...something) on James South? Can't remember the name of that place but it's below street level as this one appears to be.

[CaptainKirk]

Nope.

Google shows House of Java at 166 James St S.

http://houseofjava.ca/our-story/

144 James St S used to be The Coffee House

[ihateittoo]

Yes that used to be the coffee house. Previously one of the only places to get an OK cup of coffee in the core (I used to have to frequent the second cup at the hospital!) before the new wave of cafes finally appeared like 5 years ago.

[markbarbera]

If I remember correctly, a Second Cup preceded The Coffee House at this location.

[LikeHamilton]

If I remember correctly, a Second Cup preceded The Coffee House at this location.

Yes there was a Second Cup there years ago. It was owned by Councillor Tom Jackson.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

I don't remember that. And it failed? Interesting.

[durandy]

the sad state of the west side of James Street S. Re-build that sidewalk and and I bet immediately you'd see a stretch of flourishing businesses.

[CaptainKirk]

Yes there was a Second Cup there years ago. It was owned by Councillor Tom Jackson.

He probably got exhausted.

[ScreamingViking]

He probably got exhausted.

:haha::worship:

[davidcappi]

Newly unearthed staircase and escalator in the former Pam's Coffee.

http://s29.postimg.org/nfo6esa87/IMG_20140425_100317.jpg