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davidcappi Jun 1, 2017 12:09 AM
Quote:
Developer Brad Lamb, a panelist at the city’s pop-up, says that Hamilton’s success is within its grasp but there is hard work ahead to realize its promise.

He is developing three projects in Hamilton, each worth about $150 million to $300 million, each 300,000 sq. ft. or bigger, and he expects to do more — potentially up to $1 billion in development in the next five to 10 years. The first, Television City, is a condo tower at the old CHCH TV building.

Lamb likes the doubling of Hamilton real estate values over the last four years. But to attract higher end retail and restaurants — rather than variety stores and car dealers — they have some distance to go.

“Hamilton’s prices for ground floor retail are $10 to $15 a sq. ft. They need to jump — and people who are currently in leases on main streets in Hamilton won’t like to hear this — they need to jump to the $20 to $25 range to be able to be able to properly develop their retail scene,” Lamb said.

“Hamilton is in the situation where all of the fundamentals that a city needs to achieve high retail rates — condo development, office development — are all being put in place,” said Lamb.

To create the kind of 21st-century city it is aiming to be will require politicians, civil servants, and importantly, citizens to support development, which won’t always be easy, he adds.

“It’s like the story of Goldilocks and the porridge. What a city wishes for is development that is perfect. But you can’t have that. You’re going to have the excesses. You’re going to have things that make citizens nervous and unhappy.

“On the way to getting there there’s going to people upset that 40-storey towers are happening in their neighbourhood,” said Lamb. “Neighbourhoods don’t like towers, but they’re going to have to have them.”
Source: Steeltown comes to downtown to sell Hamilton’s advantage - Toronto Star

king10 Jun 1, 2017 12:22 AM
not sure how I feel regarding his comments about how he "likes the doubling of real estate values in the last 4 years but retail has a ways to go"

so much of an increase in prices so fast isn't necessarily a good thing for the common folk. of course as a developer its good for him.

i suppose I see where he is coming from in that developers won't develop higher end commercial space or residential space unless the ROI is there

LRTfan Jun 1, 2017 2:28 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by king10 (Post 7821270)
not sure how I feel regarding his comments about how he "likes the doubling of real estate values in the last 4 years but retail has a ways to go"

so much of an increase in prices so fast isn't necessarily a good thing for the common folk. of course as a developer its good for him.

i suppose I see where he is coming from in that developers won't develop higher end commercial space or residential space unless the ROI is there
As I mentioned earlier, the retails strips along Barton/King/Main are pretty bad for a major city. Every city has a district or two that has fallen on hard times and can't land very many decent businesses, but the majority of our entire lower city?? Hamiltonians have gotten so used to plywood and broken, empty storefronts that they actually complain about a guy wanting to invest ONE BILLION dollars here.

Our property value increase hasn't translated into solid retail corridors yet. James N is the best success story, and make no mistake, rents are way higher than they were 15 years ago. Any city that wants successful retail streets needs to see more sustainable rental prices being fetched.

I love Hamilton and want to see our charm preserved. Part of that charm does NOT included boarded up block after block.

King&James Jun 1, 2017 3:01 AM
^ agreed, don't think there is an example out there where a fairly independent and large city became a suburb.

realcity Jun 1, 2017 3:54 AM
great couple of posts by lrt fan. Even the Falls res laugh at hamiltons boarded up strips. Took some toronto jewish money but downtown falls is not boarded up anymore.

Beedok Jun 1, 2017 12:48 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by King&James (Post 7821411)
^ agreed, don't think there is an example out there where a fairly independent and large city became a suburb.
Well, it's a good thing Hamilton isn't a suburb then?

What's going on is simply a side effect of being an industrial city in an increasingly post-industrial society. Many parts of Winnipeg were in as rough or rougher state than Hamilton and that city is recovering well. Plenty of other similar cities around the world.

oldcoote Jun 1, 2017 2:06 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by LRTfan (Post 7821123)
I heard this interview and never heard the word 'suburb' come out of his mouth. Unless I missed part.
He actually made some great points...we are finally a city where investors can come and be successful, but he knows some long-time residents will resist change even tho the status quo isn't pretty.

Me talking now: I'm routinely on Barton, King, Main east from downtown to Red Hill. Any Hamiltonian who can seriously call that entire corridor a beautiful example of urbanism that should be preserved at all costs is out to lunch. We have the highest tax rate in Ontario in part because huge swaths of our city are underperforming.

My entire life I've longed for the day where big-time biz folks from TO and elsewhere would see Hamilton as an opportunity. Perhaps that day has arrived??

I get a chuckle reading the angst from the social media activists in Hamilton saying they don't want someone like Lamb coming here to make money. Apparently you can only be a successful biz owner if you're born and raised in Hamilton.
And I also presume that these complainers have strict policy in their galleries and art shops to accept zero business from Toronto visitors or transplants.

Ironic that the same crowd praises a hike to minimum wage. So let's set the record:

- they don't want anyone coming here who thinks they can make money in Hamilton
- they want minimum wage to constantly go up
- I presume they won't accept money/business from Torontonians (let's chat at Supercrawl)

So, pay everyone more...but get lost if you're a biz owner from Toronto...we don't want your money...
Yup.

What Lamb allegedly said wasn't exactly wrong. There is a resentful element in this city that wants to dictate the pace and nature of change. The anti-Toronto climate is peaking.

LRTfan Jun 1, 2017 9:40 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by oldcoote (Post 7821692)
Yup.

What Lamb allegedly said wasn't exactly wrong. There is a resentful element in this city that wants to dictate the pace and nature of change. The anti-Toronto climate is peaking.

Yes, like I said earlier the small local cohort who thinks they're in charge fawns all over the latest brewery if it's one of their buddies. But if it's someone from TO, they're a scavenger, devilish gentrifier.

LRTfan Jun 1, 2017 9:56 PM
Brad Lamb posted this entry on Twitter. His response to the 'misquoted' comments earlier this week:

http://www.bradjlamb.com/blog/2017/0...d-by-misquote/

Chronamut Jun 2, 2017 1:20 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by LRTfan (Post 7822252)
Brad Lamb posted this entry on Twitter. His response to the 'misquoted' comments earlier this week:

http://www.bradjlamb.com/blog/2017/0...d-by-misquote/
I'm liking it - say what you will about people, you never truly know them until they speak their own thoughts. We can be a jaded bunch sometimes.

anniebanny Jun 2, 2017 12:59 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by king10 (Post 7821270)
not sure how I feel regarding his comments about how he "likes the doubling of real estate values in the last 4 years but retail has a ways to go"

so much of an increase in prices so fast isn't necessarily a good thing for the common folk. of course as a developer its good for him.

i suppose I see where he is coming from in that developers won't develop higher end commercial space or residential space unless the ROI is there
I think downtown Hamilton has so much room to grow. Hamilton in general has so much potential to take the best of different cities and plant it here :) It doesn't have to be a concrete jungle but it downtown Hamilton could look like York Ville / Bloor street shops in Toronto.

When I was in undergrad, no student would walk the streets of downtown or come near it with a 10-foot pole simply because it was sketchy, boarded up shops and nothing was worth going to unless you're going to a Grand and Toy for office supplies. Downtown Hamilton has evolved so much since then and I can only hope it continues.

The only concern I have with Hamilton is the commercial /business infrastructure isn't there yet. There's so many condos being built but there are many investors coming in to open businesses to hire people. Can't develop a city if people just come to Hamilton to buy a condo just to commute and work in Toronto or other cities. Hamilton definitely needs some retailers etc so residents that live in Hamilton can buy and support the economy here.

Innsertnamehere Jun 2, 2017 8:49 PM
that will come with time. The better stores will come once there is more of a middle class market downtown, right now its still too limited. Its improving all the time, it'll get there.

I can see someone eventually buying up Jackson square in 5-10 years and gutting it to move in some nicer retailers. Hamilton is on its way up, its just still early in the process. Give it another 5-10 and it will be a lot nicer.

Hamilton is sitting right now where Toronto was around the turn of the century, I think. in 1995, Toronto was a bit run down, not much job growth, similar to Hamilton today. 20 years later, and look at it. I could see the same thing in Hamilton.

Hamilton will never be "just another suburb" simply because of its unique built form. Its an old, prewar city, just like Toronto, and not like any other "suburb". This gives itself its own unique vitality that will keep it feeling unique, and attract jobs. its the reason its starting to become attractive to people from Toronto - it gives you the same city vibe at half the price.

King&James Jun 2, 2017 9:34 PM
Hope the move on Jackson Square is sooner rather than in 15 years, would hate for it to be deemed of historical significance and we preserve the 70s concrete bunker forever. It could use a great dose of residential (the original vision and where 18,000+ seats currently await an NHL team).

Chronamut Jun 3, 2017 1:06 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere (Post 7823343)
that will come with time. The better stores will come once there is more of a middle class market downtown, right now its still too limited. Its improving all the time, it'll get there.

I can see someone eventually buying up Jackson square in 5-10 years and gutting it to move in some nicer retailers. Hamilton is on its way up, its just still early in the process. Give it another 5-10 and it will be a lot nicer.

Hamilton is sitting right now where Toronto was around the turn of the century, I think. in 1995, Toronto was a bit run down, not much job growth, similar to Hamilton today. 20 years later, and look at it. I could see the same thing in Hamilton.

Hamilton will never be "just another suburb" simply because of its unique built form. Its an old, prewar city, just like Toronto, and not like any other "suburb". This gives itself its own unique vitality that will keep it feeling unique, and attract jobs. its the reason its starting to become attractive to people from Toronto - it gives you the same city vibe at half the price.
with the prices skyrocketing the way they are that might not be the pull for torontonians it once was..

urbandreamer Jun 3, 2017 6:12 PM
Of course Lamb wants Hamilton to be a suburb of Toronto so he can sell condos in Hamilton to Toronto investors and millennials priced out of the city. Hamilton is no different than Cambridge, K-W, Brampton or Guelph in that it has its own distinct downtown yet ultimately wouldn't be growing without the 416's price growth.

Innsertnamehere Jun 6, 2017 12:55 AM
Hamilton is still less than half of Toronto's prices for an equivalent property.

davidcappi Jun 10, 2017 1:12 AM
yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

http://media.zuza.com/1/5/15c96177-1....2_Gallery.jpg
http://media.zuza.com/8/b/8b394777-f....2_Gallery.jpg
http://media.zuza.com/1/3/1335ade5-4....2_Gallery.jpg
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/73...or-chch-lands/

urban_planner Jun 10, 2017 1:55 AM
The city on this can be taller than the escarpment bull crap is a little annoying. same with the Durand association. You live in a city get over it.

LRTfan Jun 10, 2017 2:09 AM
gorgeous design!
The clowns at the DNA need to just get lost. I understand their frustration in the 70's with beautiful homes being demo'd for apartments.
But they've become the ultimate NIMBY hicks in Hamilton. They are clueless with city design. Height is NOT bad. BAD design is bad. Street interaction, design materials/colours etc.... If a building is 25 floors or 40 floors is totally irrelevant from the street.

Someone posted recently here that the population of Ward 2 and most of the lower city continues to decline. Maybe the honks in charge at the DNA are rich and don't mind us being the highest taxed city in the province, but I'm tired of them opposing investment and development all the time. This is on the site of a parking lot and stupid space-ship looking thing. He's SAVING THE HERITAGE BUILDING. Someone should remind the DNA thats their mandate. Not being NIMBYS

Everyone on here who wants to see new developments in Hamilton needs to email the mayor, Farr and Jason Thorne. Otherwise the DNA folks will hijack yet another investment downtown.
The 'other' high-rise project they are fighting is a much needed NEW rental project on the site of 4 garbage little buildings that are falling apart. Next time you hear someone from the DNA complain about housing costs or taxation or population growth, hand them a mirror.

LRTfan Jun 10, 2017 2:13 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by urban_planner (Post 7830453)
The city on this can be taller than the escarpment bull crap is a little annoying. same with the Durand association. You live in a city get over it.
There's already a handful of buildings taller than the escarpment. That line is bull. I read on twitter today that Vaughan in getting it's first 55-storey tower. Yes, Vaughan. Hamilton used to be a major city.....time to get ambitious again.


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