Royal Connaught Hotel | ? | 36 fl, 33 fl, 24 fl & 13 fl | U/C

[davidcappi]

http://s14.postimg.org/sj1qkpomp/IMG_7376.jpg
http://s14.postimg.org/j8pmh6dwx/IMG_7377.jpg
http://s14.postimg.org/f0uu8fchd/IMG_7384.jpg

[ScreamingViking]

For some reason, I'm rarely ever able to see @davidcappi's pics.

Same. I noticed that when people post PNG photos instead of JPEG photos, they sometimes don't show up.

There are times I have not been able to see some pics posted by others, but very few (and when it's happened it's most often been on the Canada forum)

Could it be a browser issue? What do you both use?

[thomax]

I don't think it's the browser, I think it might just be a glitch with the site that it doesn't show PNG photos sometimes. I've posted PNG's before and people couldn't see them so I always make sure to post JPEG's now.


I can see everything davidcappi just posted, so everything is good for me right now. Thanks for those david :tup:

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Thanks for the help!

Sometimes I wonder how long this site will persist given how unfriendly it can be for users. I haven't posted a picture for months because I can't be bothered to upload it to Flickr to get the image code necessary to share it with people on this forum! It's sooooo 1997... :slob:

[mattgrande]

Thanks for the help!

Sometimes I wonder how long this site will persist given how unfriendly it can be for users. I haven't posted a picture for months because I can't be bothered to upload it to Flickr to get the image code necessary to share it with people on this forum! It's sooooo 1997... :slob:

That's your problem, you're using Flickr :P

[Dr Awesomesauce]

That's your problem, you're using Flickr :P

Is there an easier way to get an image code? Do tell!

[Beedok]

All I know is don't use facebook. I did that for everything because it made it all a convenient size, but then they changed the codes and all my photo-threads are gone. :(

[mickeydboy]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this or is aware but my friend who purchased a unit in phase 1 was told it will be delayed from fall of 2016 until March of 2017 I believe. Not sure what floor her unit is on however.

[mattgrande]

Is there an easier way to get an image code? Do tell!

I use imgur, personally.

[thomax]

http://i.imgur.com/DeSECbf.jpg
Residences of the Royal Connaught - Construction & View (https://www.facebook.com/TheResidencesOfRoyalConnaught/posts/800685523369902:0), on Facebook

[king10]

going to be a nice view

[thomax]

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1669/25197493566_932b044ce1_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EoBJYf)
Residences of the Royal Connaught Construction - 2/22/2016 (https://flic.kr/p/EoBJYf) by Joe (https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/), on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1567/25130555721_bff5c2ba17_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/EhGEFt)
Residences of the Royal Connaught Construction - 2/22/2016 (https://flic.kr/p/EhGEFt) by Joe (https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/), on Flickr

[the905sDW]

Photos are mine.

http://i64.tinypic.com/pvlg5.jpg

http://i67.tinypic.com/2libhgy.jpg

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Brick looks good. Have they cleaned it or is it just the sun?

[matt602]

They cleaned it a few months ago, yeah. It does look nice.

[Skully2001]

what's with all the cheap-looking prefab brick on the new build section? Am I the only one who thinks it looks like crap?

[thomax]

what's with all the cheap-looking prefab brick on the new build section? Am I the only one who thinks it looks like crap?

They look bad right now because they're covered in dust, they haven't filled in the seams between the panels yet, and without glass on the building they stand out against the plastic tarps and exposed concrete.


They're using the same panels that they used on Urban West Condos. The addition and the other towers will end up looking something like this when they're done...
http://i.imgur.com/LKjEEU9.jpg
source (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=6197525&postcount=157)


Strata Condos in Burlington is another example of what the Royal Connaught towers will look like when they're done. They used the exact same materials on Strata, just in a different colour...
http://i.imgur.com/FvE6HHP.jpg
source (http://www.knyarchitects.com/portfolio/residential-high/strata.php)

http://i.imgur.com/xrgnfA5.jpg
source (http://www.knyarchitects.com/portfolio/residential-high/strata.php)

[davidcappi]

I hate to break it to you but both of those developments used real brick not panels.

[thomax]

Urban West was real brick... oops. My pictures I have of it under construction made it look like panels.

Strata was panels though...
http://i.imgur.com/N4oUDux.jpg
source (https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.3217203,-79.8075153,3a,75y,29.33h,111.33t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sbd9yVEA2lnGBHKH2AdZUxQ!2e0!5s20110801T000000!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en)

[davidcappi]

Oh wow my bad. Hopefully when the seams are sealed up it'll look better.

[Davis137]

Glad to see this still moving forwards...

[realcity]

I'll wait to see to if phases 3 and 4 move forward. Until the this is just the destruction of the downtown historical hotel. Look at any city on google maps and you'll see any city worth it's shit has a downtown historical building from the 30s.

[Beedok]

I'll wait to see to if phases 3 and 4 move forward. Until the this is just the destruction of the downtown historical hotel. Look at any city on google maps and you'll see any city worth it's shit has a downtown historical building from the 30s.

:sly::???::sly:

[realcity]

I mean a historical hotel from the 30s. Ours is gone now.

[Beedok]

I mean a historical hotel from the 30s. Ours is gone now.

It's pretty clear they're building on it. They would have a crane up and be a good chunk of the way through the podium if they weren't. That's the bit that confused me.

[king10]

we don't have a historical hotel from the 30s anymore!

we can't even call our self a "REALCITY" !!!

condos in a historical building is a hell of a lot better than a historical building sitting empty and falling apart for the rest of its life.

you seem to always find the extreme negative in a positive situation

[davidcappi]

Ugh who gives a shit. Realcity will be mad if they reno it and mad if they knock it down. Mad if the businesses that open inside don't align with his view, mad about the materials, the finishes, the scheduling... Mad about politics, mad about developers.

[realcity]

If you want to put people up in the best hotel in Hamilton, you have a 1980s Sheraton or Holiday Inn Express. You don't get it.... even Harrisburg PA has a decent hotel. The point I'm making is that the only grand hotel is now condos.... am I happy about the development? Ya sure. Should it still be a hotel/retail absolutely.

[davidcappi]

Darko's put a lot of money into the Sheraton: https://www.expedia.ca/Hamilton-Hotels-Sheraton-Hamilton-Hotel.h13801.Hotel-Information?chkin=01%2F04%2F2016&chkout=02%2F04%2F2016&rm1=a2&hwrqCacheKey=459c5c2c-a952-4f42-927a-ae81988ab86dHWRQ1457054729091&c=9b903f6b-f52f-4292-844c-df47cf847d89&

[markbarbera]

If you want to put people up in the best hotel in Hamilton, you have a 1980s Sheraton or Holiday Inn Express. You don't get it.... even Harrisburg PA has a decent hotel. The point I'm making is that the only grand hotel is now condos.... am I happy about the development? Ya sure. Should it still be a hotel/retail absolutely.

I would have preferred to see at least a couple floors of the original wing kept and run as a boutique hotel. That way, at least some heritage elements of the interior beyond some of the lobby elements could have been preserved. In effect, this is a complete gut of a historical building, with only the front-facing facade remaining. Which would have been more acceptable if the dismantled brickwork wasn't being replaced with a faux-brick concrete cladding that is not unlike the cladding that graces 139-147 Main West (http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=6938256&postcount=153).

[realcity]

Hotel/Condo would've been ideal, if not a 100% hotel. Whatever happened to the ballrooms on the second level? They were gorgeous.

[realcity]

mark: It was gutted, the only thing intact is perhaps a lobby (I have yet to see it) and the facade. We're the only industrial city without a grand hotel anymore. Like I said, Harrisburg, just pick any city in the northeast and midwest and you'll see, however depressed, they still have an old hotel in their downtown.

[Beedok]

mark: It was gutted, the only thing intact is perhaps a lobby (I have yet to see it) and the facade. We're the only industrial city without a grand hotel anymore. Like I said, Harrisburg, just pick any city in the northeast and midwest and you'll see, however depressed, they still have an old hotel in their downtown.

Well if there's so many depressed towns in the northeast and midwest with one maybe that's a factor that's holding them back. :runaway:

[davidcappi]

My guess is that a higher end hotel will come in the form of a mixed use development somewhere around King & Bay. But lets not pretend like there's a huge demand for luxury hotels in Hamilton.

[LikeHamilton]

Hotel/Condo would've been ideal, if not a 100% hotel. Whatever happened to the ballrooms on the second level? They were gorgeous.

The Ballroom was where the present construction is happening.

[ScreamingViking]

While I can appreciate being nostalgic for the past and everything, if a business case for a hotel at the Connaught still made sense, we'd be seeing that happen as part of the renewal and addition.

[realcity]

Yes indeed. I does go to show the state of the downtown economy.

[realcity]

If there was a business case for Gore Park commercial buildings then Blanchard would've built something and West Harbour wouldn't be something than welfare housing development.

[realcity]

Ya Matt Jelly would like welfare housing on West Harbour. Since he's a welfare bum.

[realcity]

The two most profitable real estate in the City -- Gore Park and West Harbour -- are actually boarded up or a dead zones. With dollar Matt Jelly stores or Matt Jelly welfare loan stores.

[matt602]

Ya Matt Jelly would like welfare housing on West Harbour. Since he's a welfare bum.

wow buddy, chill.

[davidcappi]

The addition is at 8 floors now; 5 more to go.

http://s10.postimg.org/dkwn67na1/IMG_7484.jpg

[thomax]

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1554/24943859044_1774e0af7b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/E1cNgf)
3/6/2016 (https://flic.kr/p/E1cNgf) by Joe (https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/), on Flickr

[lucasmascotto]

http://i.imgur.com/t9U961W.jpg?1

[Jon Dalton]

.

[davidcappi]

FFS. I don't care how buddy buddy you are with the mods here. I look the other way while you troll every thread on here but this just crosses the line. It's an outright insult and shows that you feel you are above the law. I hope SteelTown does the right thing.

I don't agree with Matt Jelly on everything but I do know he puts his money where his mouth is and contributes his own time and money towards effecting change on what he feels are the important civic issues. You troll a message board from Niagara Falls. Grow up.


Yeah as a regularly contributing member of this board, I'm upset at the lack of moderation when it comes to the consistent derailing of threads by RealCity.

[interr0bangr]

FFS. I don't care how buddy buddy you are with the mods here. I look the other way while you troll every thread on here but this just crosses the line. It's an outright insult and shows that you feel you are above the law. I hope SteelTown does the right thing.

I don't agree with Matt Jelly on everything but I do know he puts his money where his mouth is and contributes his own time and money towards effecting change on what he feels are the important civic issues. You troll a message board from Niagara Falls. Grow up.

I've been reporting his recent troll posts, but it doesn't seem to be doing much.

EDIT: Looks like he's been banned now. Thank you!

[davidcappi]

http://s30.postimg.org/5ay9edjzl/Screen_Shot_2016_03_08_at_8_36_55_PM.png


Moving on...

[christmas]

Is that ugly, concrete, street level parkade wall temporary? In the renderings it shows that it will be consistent with the bottom 3 levels of the original hotel. Will that happen?

[davidcappi]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/17783152504/

You can see in that photo linked above that they disassembled the facade that was originally there and are storing the pieces in front of the building. As far as I know they're planning on reinstalling the stone pieces on top of what is now the parking garage.

[christmas]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/17783152504/

You can see in that photo linked above that they disassembled the facade that was originally there and are storing the pieces in front of the building. As far as I know they're planning on reinstalling the stone pieces on top of what is now the parking garage.

That's great news and the masonry in the picture is beautiful. Thanks for the info and the pictures.

[eatboots]

Completely off topic but what an amazing photo stream! Nice stuff, it makes Hamilton look really good.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

http://s30.postimg.org/5ay9edjzl/Screen_Shot_2016_03_08_at_8_36_55_PM.png


Moving on...

Not the first time and not the last...

[markbarbera]

Personally, I hope it is merely a temporary ban. Realcity may be a bit too in your face for some of the more thin-skinned contributors here, and his opinions are often at odds with most of the group-think that can propagate here. But this is a discussion forum, and if nothing else, Realcity's posts almost always generated discussion.

I guess the lesson learned here is post what you may here, but whatever you do, you dare not speak ill of Matt Jelly :shrug:

[Beedok]

I guess the lesson learned here is post what you may here, but whatever you do, you dare not speak ill of Matt Jelly :shrug:

He seemed like a decent enough guy when I knew him, but then again I was a kid...

[king10]

Personally, I hope it is merely a temporary ban. Realcity may be a bit too in your face for some of the more thin-skinned contributors here, and his opinions are often at odds with most of the group-think that can propagate here. But this is a discussion forum, and if nothing else, Realcity's posts almost always generated discussion.

I guess the lesson learned here is post what you may here, but whatever you do, you dare not speak ill of Matt Jelly :shrug:

just dont insult ppl and be mature about your opinions without posting like a kid having a temper tantrum and you won't get banned.

he's free to disagree, but when he makes immature comments it has no place here and adds nothing of value to the discussion

[interr0bangr]

Personally, I hope it is merely a temporary ban. Realcity may be a bit too in your face for some of the more thin-skinned contributors here, and his opinions are often at odds with most of the group-think that can propagate here. But this is a discussion forum, and if nothing else, Realcity's posts almost always generated discussion.

I guess the lesson learned here is post what you may here, but whatever you do, you dare not speak ill of Matt Jelly :shrug:

There's a big difference between being opinionated and being a troll.

If you're not contributing anything other than drive-by pot shots that are completely off topic, GTFO.

[Jon Dalton]

.

[interr0bangr]

Matt Jelly is an idiot. The problem is that him being an idiot, or on welfare has nothing to do with this thread and is completely devoid of any value to the discussion at hand.

[CaptainKirk]

Can we stay on topic please?

[Jon Dalton]

Yeah I'll do my part and delete all my off topic posts including this one

[Davis137]

I think the continued progress on this project looks awesome, and I really hope the expansion towers don't clash too much with the great job being done restoring this place!

[markbarbera]

I am not sure why people keep describing this as a restoration. The building was essentially gutted back to girders. The only element retained was the front-facing brick facade on two wings, and some of the original lobby elements. An entire wing was demolished, and it is pretty evident from the faux-brick concrete cladding that little or no care is being taken to return the removed interior and exterior elements of the gutted wings back to its original look.

This is not a restoration, this is a redevelopment that happens to be retaining some of the original building's facade.

[king10]

I am not sure why people keep describing this as a restoration. The building was essentially gutted back to girders. The only element retained was the front-facing brick facade on two wings, and some of the original lobby elements. An entire wing was demolished, and it is pretty evident from the faux-brick concrete cladding that little or no care is being taken to return the removed interior and exterior elements of the gutted wings back to its original look.

This is not a restoration, this is a redevelopment that happens to be retaining some of the original building's facade.

given what the building was for the prior decade, i'm ok with the redevelopment

[LikeHamilton]

I am not sure why people keep describing this as a restoration. The building was essentially gutted back to girders. The only element retained was the front-facing brick facade on two wings, and some of the original lobby elements. An entire wing was demolished, and it is pretty evident from the faux-brick concrete cladding that little or no care is being taken to return the removed interior and exterior elements of the gutted wings back to its original look.

This is not a restoration, this is a redevelopment that happens to be retaining some of the original building's facade.

I had been in this building in the passed and there was nothing left inside but the outside walls. The previous owners gutted the place when they got free money to do asbestos removal and everything went into a bin.

[markbarbera]

Why do people keep talking like the current owners and the previous owners were two unique identities? Valeri, one of the current owners, was a member of the consortium that previously owned the site. He and Spallacci held the consortium's mortgage on the Connaught. That consortium gutted the building, sold off the copper piping, collected asbestos removal grants, then declared bankruptcy when Valeri and Spallacci called in the mortgage loan. Valeri and Spallaci then took ownership during the settlement of the bankruptcy.

The current owners are complicit in the gutting of the building and the associated profiteering. They are now making wads more cash selling condos they are building on the very site they had helped gut for quick cash. They are anything but heroes for the downtown core. Rather, IMO, they are a pretty accurate representation of what is wrong with Hamilton redevelopment.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Hear, hear! :tup:

[davidcappi]

I don't really mind that it's just the facade left; because the building will now be useful to people. Don't forget that a lot of the hotel rooms & public areas were redecorated and renovated numerous times over the 70s' 80's and 90's. So lets not pretend that pre-demo this was a gem of a historic hotel inside and out. Sure, there were probably some nice details on the inside, but there were also no bathroom vents, or kitchen venting in any of the units. Even if those details were there, its unlikely they would have survived the retrofitting of condo units anyways. In a perfect world, old buildings make ideal candidates for historic restorations returning the outside and inside to their former glory. But in this case, we're not only getting several new and modern units, but the hulking beast of a building is actually going to be useful, for the first time in years.

We're still a few years away from seeing the level and quality of developments that we want. It's hard to imagine an under construction building being aesthetically pleasing. But since I've started working in Toronto, I can tell you that even the ugliest buildings can be alright when inhabited by people.

[CaptainKirk]

Good on Valeri and Spallacci for the Connaught project. It's great for Hamilton. Hope they make tons of money, making downtown Hamilton an even more viable condo/ residential market.

[King&James]

Good on Valeri and Spallacci for the Connaught project. It's great for Hamilton. Hope they make tons of money, making downtown Hamilton an even more viable condo/ residential market.

^ this, and same to all others in the private market making things happen in the core.

[davidcappi]

Even though the finishes are iffy, I do like how dense it feels.

http://s10.postimg.org/t9geo3p0p/IMG_7524.jpg
http://s10.postimg.org/yr90bwk89/IMG_7522.jpg

[Hawrylyshyn]

I'm a little confused. What are those rounded parts in the first picture, balconies? Isn't there a building going behind it (the brick wall around the crane, or is it temporary?)

[davidcappi]

I'm a little confused. What are those rounded parts in the first picture, balconies? Isn't there a building going behind it (the brick wall around the crane, or is it temporary?)


They are balconies. The 4 story brick wall is the parking garage, and on top of it is going to be a patio/courtyard. There is another building planned for the lot immediately south of the parking lot beside the grey 4 storey building on Main.

[CaptainKirk]

I'm a little confused. What are those rounded parts in the first picture, balconies? Isn't there a building going behind it (the brick wall around the crane, or is it temporary?)

Here you can see one of those rounded balconies overlooking the planned court yard in the upper right of the picture. The view is looking south ( and slightly west) towards the mountain.

http://royalconnaught.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/1.jpg
https://condonow.com/Residences-of-Royal-Connaught/images/Royal-Connaught-Condos-Outdoor-Terrace-2.jpg

[CaptainKirk]

Here's a good perspective that shows a hint of the court yard.

http://urbantoronto.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/display-slideshow/images/articles/2015/06/16430/16430-54999.jpg

[thomax]

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1481/25467057450_e53ebc6f65_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ENrjVq)
Residences of the Royal Connaught Construction (https://flic.kr/p/ENrjVq) by Joe (https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/), on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1555/25467085800_5dd446abf4_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ENrtmd)
Residences of the Royal Connaught Construction (https://flic.kr/p/ENrtmd) by Joe (https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/), on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1625/25467107530_7a78834373_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ENrzNS)
Residences of the Royal Connaught Construction (https://flic.kr/p/ENrzNS) by Joe (https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/), on Flickr

[Hawrylyshyn]

Wow thanks guys! Somehow I've never seen that part before! Should be nice if it resembles the renderings and will have a decent view!

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Like :tup:

[atnor]

The south wall is ugly, I don't know why there's no windows.

[Beedok]

Maybe the neighbours had indicated they were going to build taller than they actually decided to?

[davidcappi]

Maybe the neighbours had indicated they were going to build taller than they actually decided to?


The Developer of Royal Brick Works is a seedy dude who likely will take forever to finish this project. Their only construction goal of this year is to finish the roof.

[fuller]

The south wall is ugly, I don't know why there's no windows.

With what looks like zero setback to the next property, few or no windows would be allowed under zoning and fire codes.

At most they would be allowed one or two percent of the total wall area for windows, on a new build. But if the setback really is zero, then that may be the allowed window area too -- zero.

Of course another, more practical, consideration is the very real possibility that some day there will be a taller building built on the Brick Works site.

[eatboots]

Here's a good perspective that shows a hint of the court yard.

http://urbantoronto.ca/sites/default/files/imagecache/display-slideshow/images/articles/2015/06/16430/16430-54999.jpg

You can see that fake windows are going in as a finish, so this side will look better. This old section is going to get lost when phase two goes up, that is a tall building they are putting in next door.

[davidcappi]

You can see that fake windows are going in as a finish, so this side will look better. This old section is going to get lost when phase two goes up, that is a tall building they are putting in next door.


...I'm not 100% sure about that. I'm almost positive the finish you see on that wall is what you get.

[eatboots]

That's too bad if that is the finished wall, UGLY.

Speaking of finishes but on a different building, when are they going to take down the sign and the fake barn doors at the ROCK AND RANCH? Possibly the worst looking corner in the city(half painted blue building on Main is a close second)

[king10]

The Developer of Royal Brick Works is a seedy dude who likely will take forever to finish this project. Their only construction goal of this year is to finish the roof.

who is the developer again? I know ambitious was trying to sell office space in the building.

[davidcappi]

The addition has 1 floor to go before being topped out.

[CaptainKirk]

who is the developer again? I know ambitious was trying to sell office space in the building.


http://royalbrickworks.com/our-team/

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=216307

[thomax]

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1486/26135342345_8aa757939b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FPusJM)
Residences of the Royal Connaught Construction - 3/29/2016 (https://flic.kr/p/FPusJM) by Joe (https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/), on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1659/26135359215_2c8a7d2a91_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/FPuxKD)
Residences of the Royal Connaught Construction - 3/29/2016 (https://flic.kr/p/FPuxKD) by Joe (https://www.flickr.com/photos/-jm/), on Flickr

[davidcappi]

oh my god this addition tho

http://royalconnaught.com/eblast_imgs/RC-PH2_BE-A-VIP-Register-Now_Eblast.jpg

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Hmmmm not sure...

[thomax]

That looks horrible, they should add those extra floors to the 36-floor tower.

[matt602]

Looks like they sliced 2 floors off the Bella tower and glued it onto the Connaught.

[ScreamingViking]

Egad. At least increase the setback up there so it's less noticeable from the street.

I wonder if they're hedging their investment just in case they don't proceed with the future phases right away?

[Beedok]

Maybe the upper areas were in worse shape than expected so they haded to replace it?

[matt602]

Maybe the upper areas were in worse shape than expected so they haded to replace it?

The old circus rooftop area seemed fine when I was up there last, at least structurally. They could have done something with it. Huge ceilings. Would have made for 2 great penthouse units.

BZms77f9Beg

[thistleclub]

@RebuildHamilton (https://twitter.com/RebuildHamilton/status/715912216726401024):

it's like giving one of the city's greatest classical buildings a man bun.

[SteelTown]

^ lol!, true, it's a man bun.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

What's this 'man bun' you speak of? A pony tail?

[SteelTown]

A man bun is a stupid trend, basically secures his hair into a rounded bun. Grow a beard and wham you're a total hipster fit for James St N lol.