King John Buildings | ? | 5 fl | Under Construction
 

Does anyone know if this is a real proposal? Stunning hotel concept on Gore Park next to Burrito Boyz. Man, I'd love to see some 21st Century big-city vibes like this instead of fake heritage additions all the time....

http://www.tcarch.ca/images/projects/3329.jpg



Source:
http://www.tcarch.ca/projects.php?projectID=230

OMG this would be stunning!!!

I've heard of a real cool, and funky concept, but not details. Nice to see something.

$6M ‘boutique hotel’ overlooking Gore Park envisioned for downtown

For weeks, crews have been cleaning out 62 and 64 King St. E., but amid the dust and debris, Patrick Bermingham's vision for these two stoic buildings facing Gore Park is clearer than ever.

"When anybody comes to Hamilton, you want to provide a place where they can eat, sleep, work and meet. So why not a boutique hotel?"

So the former CEO of Bermingham Foundation Solutions, who bought the properties with a partner in February, has released plans for the Beverley Hamilton Hotel.

Designed by Thier + Curran Architects Inc. (TCA), the 20-room hotel would have a ground-floor restaurant, a rooftop patio and deck, one floor designed for events and "a space in the basement for spin classes," Bermingham, an avid cyclist, says. Some of the hotel rooms could also be used for extended stays.

After the initial purchase of the long-vacant 62 King St. E., Bermingham and partner Malcolm Silver, a Toronto commercial real estate investor, closed a deal for the building next door at 64 King St. E.

By having both buildings Bermingham says a redesign of the space will allow more light and better access through the narrow spaces.

Beverley Hamilton Hotel | ? | ? | U/C
 

$6M ‘boutique hotel’ overlooking Gore Park envisioned for downtown
The Beverley Hotel Hamilton would feature 20 rooms, restaurant and event space

https://www.thespec.com/news-story/8...-for-downtown/

For weeks, crews have been cleaning out 62 and 64 King St. E., but amid the dust and debris, Patrick Bermingham's vision for these two stoic buildings facing Gore Park is clearer than ever.

"When anybody comes to Hamilton, you want to provide a place where they can eat, sleep, work and meet. So why not a boutique hotel?"

So the former CEO of Bermingham Foundation Solutions, who bought the properties with a partner in February, has released plans for the Beverley Hamilton Hotel.

Designed by Thier + Curran Architects Inc. (TCA), the 20-room hotel would have a ground-floor restaurant, a rooftop patio and deck, one floor designed for events and "a space in the basement for spin classes," Bermingham, an avid cyclist, says. Some of the hotel rooms could also be used for extended stays.

After the initial purchase of the long-vacant 62 King St. E., Bermingham and partner Malcolm Silver, a Toronto commercial real estate investor, closed a deal for the building next door at 64 King St. E.

By having both buildings Bermingham says a redesign of the space will allow more light and better access through the narrow spaces.

With an investment of about $6 million, Bermingham aims to be part of a downtown on the upswing.

"I'm not a big risk-taker, but we're buying two buildings right in the downtown core, and after seeing the Redchurch Cafe and Gallery (also on King Street), I thought there's no reason why this area won't transform and become the hub of the city."

As a fan of "modern hotel culture" Bermingham was encouraged when he heard the owners of the Beverley Hotel in Toronto were looking to expand to Hamilton.

"I'm a tree-planter, I have limited skills and they don't include hotel management."



Nathan Leitner of Level Hospitality, owners of the Beverley Toronto, says the project is a perfect fit. "We're excited to get this project off the ground."

So Bermingham says he is acting as a guide and putting people together. They are in discussion with the owners of the Beverley Hotel to come in as a tenant and with restaurant group the Other Bird, owners of Rapscallion, Two Black Sheep and others, to run food, beverage and events.

In designing the adaptive reuse of the century-old buildings, TCA Architects intends to preserve the integrity of the modest facades while adding vertical additions needed for space, drama and light.

"The addition of glass makes a statement, and at a height that reveals great views of the city, sunsets, the harbour and a window onto Gore Park, our town square," says architect Bill Curran, principal at TCA.

One can sense that Bermingham is raring to go, but such a project in such a prominent place will take time for city approvals. Curran projects that the first step of going through the city's site-plan approval process could take at least a year, perhaps closer to two.

"It's a slow, frustrating process for clients and contrary to the city's 'open for business' posture," Curran says. "This is one of the most exciting things to happen on the Gore with real catalytic potential, at a time when other buildings are languishing."

With his former company. Bermingham says he made a decision to stay and grow the business on Hamilton's waterfront even when a move to a bigger location in another city seemed appealing. The same invest-in-Hamilton ethos guides his drive to build a hotel downtown.

"It's now or never. The city needs new people coming here, staying over night, and talking about their experience. With new people and younger people coming here, their transformative power can turn Hamilton into a magnet city."

This will make Stinson green with envy if it's successful. :P

I see that the thread labels this project as Under Construction. If you re-read the article you'll notice that they still are in the proposal stages. From talking to the owners, they've only cleared the interior so far. They can't actually start Construction until they approval from the city though.

I do like the plan for a boutique style hotel in the Gore. They need to bring life into that strip badly. It would be nice if the surrounding tenants such as burrito boyz changes to a little more polished tenants before this ever gets built.

Ah mannn, but Burrito Boyz is so good!

From what I've heard it's pretty popular, so I can't see them just packing up and calling it off if they had to move out.

They are popular. They're in several cities across Ontario. I'm not dissing the actual food. I personally don't think it fits next to something like this.

Haha it is good! Not knocking the actual food. Does it fit with this type of modern design though? No. The inside of Burito Boys is pretty glum.

Great if they can make this happen, sure the catwalk will not happen, but sure they can create something equally stunning. Nice to call out the slow "open for business" reality. Hamilton City needs to show how fast they can go.

It would certainly be a much welcomed and appreciated addition to the Gore.

We need more life on that side.

LOVE the catwalk overhang piece...so cool

Speaking from an architects perspective - that roof overhang probably wouldn't be able to handle snow loads and would most likely have to be redesigned - so the overall look would probably be changed. That or it'd involve some serious reinforced metal. The overall proposed visuals are not done by engineers or architectural technologists, which is why you often see structural changes done afterwards to factor in the engineered loads that can only be calculated once designs start.

In addition I am not sure if the core allows for jutouts with the sculpture on it as anything that can collapse out onto people is generally avoided due to the era of marquis jut outs from the old theatres collapsing and killing people. That and the pedestal the sculpture is on looks very flimsy to hold something that heavy. Nice concept, but changes would definitely be done before it ever got built. There is just too little load support in this building for it to probably even pass code.

As someone invested in the core and as someone who likes this design, I don't see this design being approved. I think this is just a render to get the public excited since it's a pretty radically different architectural style than most buildings downtown. I can see it being approved with slight modifications to the design though. Again, this is going to be a long process with approvals and resubmissions (if applicable) construction...

Regardless, it's a good idea to have a boutique style small hotel like this in the core.

you're probably right...Hamilton being Hamilton. Something not pre-cast faux brick is too exciting around here. Amazing how small-townish we became sometime in the last 4 decades. I mean TO used to call us 'The Ambitious City'. Incredible to see how quickly a city can become insular and hillbilly-ish.

It doesn't have much to do with that. We've seen a lot of modern designs be proposed by developers that never get built as a result of a lack of funding and other issues related to the developer and not the city.

It also doesn't help that the surrounding buildings in Gore Park don't match this design at all. If this does indeed get approved as rendered, this may kickstart other developers to think outside of the box in regards to building something radically different right in Gore Park.

I support this project and I hope they build it.

This is dead. Buildings to be sold.

Gore Park developers scuttle boutique Hamilton hotel plans
Building owners say the numbers don’t work and the architect says city staff should have kept their fingers out of his design
https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9...n-hotel-plans/


But the story also mentions Bermingham is involved with 103 King E... which would be this project: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=220439. Is this the first time that's been noted on this board? That thread has been stale a while.

I'm inclined to believe the former explanation over the latter.

Real shame though, I'd be happy with anything that fixes up those buildings.

Another example of the red tape and naysayers in this city chasing away progress! Boggles my mind that they would rather dilapidated buildings to exist over a beautiful new development right in the core!

The shadow of the marquee signage was going to directly impose on the cenotaph and he didnt want to budge. Non starter in my opinion to have commercial logo reflect on the cenotaph. Our soldiers sacrificed far too much to have their memorial cheapened like that.

Also the fact that the real reason this isnt going through is because the business plan and economics did not make financial sense. City couldve approved the whole design but the developer isnt going forward because his business plan didnt pan out.

I'm kind of skeptical that the building is worth $4.7 million, especially with the hassles you have deal with Thorne and the city to do anything with it. Especially disappointing considering how moribund the south side of Gore is.

Thorne did this.

weird, I didn't know his job description included sabotaging development in the downtown.

I honestly think that the Gore needs a few more legitimate businesses before a development like this occurs. Speaking to a few individuals in the know, the development was never a sure thing It was an idea that was discussed, but I don't believe that the owner of the property had made up their mind one way or another about building this hotel at any point in time. That's just what I heard. I could be wrong.

no surprise....Hamilton city hall doing what it does best.

To be honest, this wasn't entirely a city hall decision. I think the decision ultimately came down to whether or not the developer wanted to invest tens of millions in this development. As I mentioned, the immediate surrounding areas in Gore Park aren't exactly a tourist destination and I have personal doubts about whether or not a boutique hotel would currently be financially viable in Hamilton. From a developers perspective, I would have reservations about building something like this right now.

However, within 5-10 years, this area will be screaming for a boutique hotel. Once the LRT nears completion in the area, other developments are built, more businesses begin operating, etc, then we'll see a ton of interest in this sort of thing in the Gore.

If the developer holds onto the buildings, they should continue restoration on the buildings and either turn them into apartments, condos or offices. The developer could also continue restoration and eventually build this project once the area screams for it...Just my two sense.

Considering you just converted a hotel to condos you are probably right about the lack of viability. Besides they just built those hotels farther down by george st.

Exactly. The Core and Gore Park need more viable businesses that are destinations. I'm talking about boutique shops, more restaurants, new bars, etc. That stretch of Gore Park only has Red Church cafe and some banks... Yeah, King William is super close, but I think that area would benefit more from a development like this as opposed to the core right now.

The core is up and coming and has been since we redeveloped the Connaught. It still has years of further development and other improvements before it becomes the location for an upscale and boutique style hotel.

To be fair, it had more until they decided to try to demolish that stretch - it had some pretty successful restaurants in there..

I guess the question is do you want it to be a business core, a culture core, or a restaurant core, or a fusion of everything?

Hamilton seems to have this thing where it designates a whole street as one function - the textile st - Hess party st - little Portugal, the business st, etc.

I wasn't here when Chester's was still open, so I really hope the owner finds someone who wants to bring that beers of the world idea back under the same name.

The City of Hamilton's intentions are for the core and for Gore Park to be a fusion of different types of businesses. Gore Park is currently, The Court House, Red Church cafe (step in the right direction), Several Banks.... The other side of King St isn't much better. I like Cheapies, but you got the Pay Day loan stores, convenience stores, Popeyes, a rundown Ginos Pizza.... Gore Park needs more options.

We need places with brand recognition and ideally brands that haven't opened in Hamilton yet. The Court House side of Gore Park also could benefit from a restaurant. It's baffling that a successful restauranteur hasn't taken a chance and opened a restaurant in that area over the last five years. This is the time that businesses should be flocking to Gore Park to open. There's literally so much potential there to make it the centerpiece of our Downtown (which is what the City wants), and it is happening (albeit at a slow pace).

A Boutique hotel wouldn't thrive in present-day Gore Park. The renderings looked beautiful and it would be a very welcome addition to Gore Park, but it wouldn't do well financially. People who stay at boutique hotels want stuff to do at their doorstep. Unless someone checking into that hotel loves spending their day at Scotia Bank, there's literally not a ton for them to do in that immediate area.

Presently, King William St (right on restaurant row), Dundas or Ancaster, are the smartest places to build and operate a boutique hotel. In 5-10 years from now, I think Gore Park would be ideal. However, a business isn't going to build a boutique hotel there now and wait to see big returns several years from now. It's just not smart business.

there are plenty of boutiques in Jackson. I see no reason why a boutique hotel wouldn't make it in the Gore.

you talk like you're the expert of downtown bc you have an office selling condos.

He has some good points - and I DO speak as someone who is an expert of downtown because I have lived in hamilton all my life and done my research on its history. Yes jackson has those things but the core is severely lacking in anything that it had in its heyday. And those stores will never return due to a lack of demand and because those amenitie sare offered now in malls and not in buildings that once operated as businesses. The biggest deterrent is:

a) parking in front of businesses - before they widened king st in the gore park area cars used to park diagonally all down that stretch in front of businesses.

b) The gore actually had REAL businesses - it had robinsons, it had the right house, it had kresgys, it had woolworths - it had big businesses to draw people to the core - it has none of that stuff anymore -the only draw to downtown is jackson - and half of jackson since the eatons center still sits pretty much vacant and would have probably been demolished by now if the city of hamilton hadn't set up shop upstairs.

It is starting to get james st and king william as restaurants bloom all down those streets, as well as some beer places - but any of the other businesses slowly get pushed out - art studios are flash in the pan - we still have a severe lack of actual BUSINESSES moving into that area aside from some architectural firms and some coffee stores. And granted there are the banks.

hamiltons biggest detriment in the core is, aside from festivals there is no central entertainment complex to motivate people to go downtown. Sure there is a bowling alley but there are bowling alleys other places - same with the theatre - it has nothing unique to the core itself.

Anything past the banks and you get into a concrete jungle that is both bewildering and disorienting. The top of jackson, for all its potential is utterly deserted at almost all times, and mcmasters presence I might add was originally from toronto - they moved to this city back in the day, so we can't really even lay claim to that.

I don't know about you, but there is only so much eating I can do in the downtown core. If I am going to stay in a boutique hotel downtown, I want things to do in the gore that are local, exactly like hamilton23 said. I want entertainment, like the playhouse theatre, or maybe even an opera theatre (and yes I know, theatre aquarius, but I still want a legit one) - almost everything to do is outside of the core area - like a giant sprawl with a void in the center.

Everything in this city is scattered all over the place - we need to centralize and provide everything in a close easy to access area. So we're building a new park on king william - whoop de do. People generally still don't have much to do along this stretch at night. Sure there is absynthe and the restaurants - but what else?

I know back in the day the downtown used to have a lot of parades, maybe we need to bring parades back to the gore. Or non-big box shopping, although I am pretty sure those days are numbered.

So other than businesses, banks, hotels and restaurants, what else can we fill the gore with?

I really don’t think a boutique hotel would thrive in Gore Park. As much as we enjoy Hamilton’s upswing, we still have few destinations downtown that are worthwhile/unique to visit.

The last thing I’d want to do is leave my hotel and see drunken bums in the park and around Jackson Square.

To be fair - the amt of those has declined sharply in the past 15 years. Hell even just in the past FEW years.

I agree that there is much room for improvement but there are things to do ....the art gallery ....the library and farmers market .... It would be nice to have a museum and maybe some sort of playdium place ....and maybe even some big box stores but their urban sized siblings ....a better shoppers drug Mart.... A homesense / marshal's.... Maybe even a (dare I say it) Walmart or urban home Outfitters ....with all the condos and new residents downtown these stores would thrive and they are known to be destination shopping ....so people do travel from other places to get to these stores

I've never once proclaimed to be an "expert of downtown" :koko:

I also don't "sell condos". I'm not a real estate agent.

I won't proclaim that I'm a "Downtown Expert" now either. I'm just a realist and highly experienced and educated in Construction Management and Real Estate Development/ Business. You're questioning my livelihood?

A Boutique Hotel doesn't work in Gore Park in the present day. That's the facts and that's the reason the developer ultimately scrapped that idea. Don't kid yourself for a second thinking otherwise.

I also see your comment about Jackson Square having "boutiques"? Are you serious or joking? Those aren't boutiques by any stretch of the imagination. If Jackson Square had boutiques it would be a lot busier with a more eclectic group of customers. You're being silly and nonsensical.

From Twitter:

https://i.imgur.com/86TSNN7_d.jpg?ma...idelity=medium

https://i.imgur.com/P7H12Uj_d.jpg?ma...idelity=medium

the post said it was to. be contemporary office space. Not a hotel anymore and this is boring compared to what was first presented. They will still probably complain about a rooftop patio.

New eatery and office space part of Gore Park revamp
Coun. Jason Farr ‘couldn’t be more happy’ to see projects moving forward after years of stalled plans

https://www.thespec.com/news-story/9...e-park-revamp/

A developer who once hoped to build a boutique hotel at Gore Park is moving ahead with a different plan for the high-profile downtown location.

Patrick Bermingham has submitted to the city a proposal to transform 62 and 64 King St. E. into a new restaurant and office space, with possible penthouse units.

The goal is to start construction on the revamp of the more-than-century-old buildings in late spring 2021, says architect Graham McNally. "They are committed and definitely going ahead," he said Tuesday.

That's welcome news for Coun. Jason Farr, who has long hoped to see vacant buildings in downtown's signature promenade brought back to life.

"Within two years, give or take, the whole south side is coming alive, and I couldn't be more happy," said the downtown councillor.

Just west of Bermingham's property, a development consortium is forging ahead with plans for a mixed-use residential building at 18-22, 24-28 King St. E.

The Hughson Business Space Corporation project has been in the works for several years, but a dispute over an initial plan to raze the 19th-century buildings slowed it. That changed, however, and the facades will be preserved, while the back end will come down.

Farr also pointed to Effort Trust's ongoing office building project at Hughson and King, an extensive renovation of the Embassy nightclub and rebirth of the Royal Connaught as elements of the area's rebirth.

Stalled ambitions and resulting derelict buildings along Gore Park have made for eyesores. Farr acknowledged the idleness has generated "questions" in various quarters.

"Not to brag, it was 10 years ago now that council cut the ribbon on a pedestrianized Gore Park. We've invested millions in the park hoping for auxiliary reinvestments from the private side, and now we see it happening in a very big way."

Also, on the north side of King at Hughson, a developer is building residential towers at the site of the former Kresge's department store.

In early 2018, Bermingham and a partner bought 62 King St. E., the former home of Chester's Beers of the World, and 64 King St. E., then a vacant retail space, and later pitched a plan to turn it into a boutique hotel.

But last May, Bermingham and then-project architect Bill Curran said they'd abandoned the $6-million project after running into resistance at city hall over design features — notably a fourth-floor projecting balcony — and unforeseen costs.

Bermingham, who's also a painter and sculptor, couldn't immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.

McNally, who was hired in late 2018, noted there was pushback from the community about the initial plan potentially casting shadows on the Gore Park cenotaph, he noted.

Changes to the city's downtown secondary plan now also stipulate buildings can't cast more shadows onto the park.

"The long and short of it, 50 years from now, there should still be sun getting to the Gore, which I think people can agree is a good thing."

McNally, who worked with Bermingham on 103 King St. E., north of the park, said the current plan aims to respect the heritage of the two buildings.

The former Chester's side has been gutted to be refurbished into a new restaurant space. Next door will be offices with exposed brick, he said.

"Young professionals, if they're coming out this way, I think are looking for offices that have character and feel like a trendy, funky place to work."

It's not yet certain whether the fifth floor will have two penthouse residential suites or offices, he noted.


http://media.zuza.com/4/6/46c3b434-d...c7/map_(1).jpg
Map shows key locations that are part of new development near Gore Park. | The Hamilton Spectator

this development is gonna need some intense facade cleaning - and it will be nice to see all those shuttered windows finally open :)

I always did like the chesters ground floor facade though - It will be saddening to see that go.

HQ renderings...

https://i.imgur.com/gBAJlJ4.jpg
source

https://i.imgur.com/rZ4cpZ9.jpg
source

So much about this proposal confuses me..

"McNally, who worked with Bermingham on 103 King St. E., north of the park, said the current plan aims to respect the heritage of the two buildings."

this is still pretty generic looking - I really liked the ground floor look of the originals. Also apologies for my previous info - I was one block over haha and thus thought they were obliterating the buildings to build something new lol..

I wonder if they will sodablast the stone or re-build it with new stone. If they will take it off block by block like they did with the william thomas building..

That'll do just fine. I did love the original proposal, however...

Okay it's been about 4 years since the last movement on Blanchards 18-28 King Street East project... How can waiting for these building to collapse/deemed unsalvagable be legal!? Tax the f*** out of him and his company.

I met Blanchard when I was painting his personal office at the corner of Main and James, and he, in my opinion was a complete douche, most likely still is, all about profits for him as I also personally know very close higher ups in the company and well yeah, that's my two cents, but you didn't hear it from me.