Originally Posted by realcity
To answer the question in the title of this thread, before this turns into a subsidized housing thread.
The world and Canada experienced 20 straight years of growth and prosperity. One of the biggest bullruns in history. Since the end of the early 90s recession everywhere (almost everywhere) in the country went on a building boom tear and job growth.
Hamilton located in the middle of a sea of prosperity during those 20 years went into hibernation. I would even argue that we declined. The downtown, retail, office vacancy everything got worse.
Let's go back 20 years ago.
I worked in Jackson square in early 90s and remember all the stores were full. I can ever remember the Eaton Centre fully occupied right to the third floor. My friend worked at the Foot Locker or Collegiate (sports store on the third floor). The Eaton Center had first class retail, the type of stores you see in Lime Ridge now. The retail along King was of better quality, there was still a department store downtown, not a payday advance loans every 3rd store. The Effort Trust Mall was worth going to. The Right House had fur coats and expensive jewellery stores.
Transit use was three times higher then it is now. There were expensive & fine dining restaurants, La Costa, La Boca, Shakespeare's, Martins Steak House, The Aquarium, Trocadero, one on York by the Family Fitness, the restaurant in the what is now Jackson's food court. Eaton Center had a nice one on the third floor, more cocktail lounge. Sheraton's cocktail lounge. You could barely get a table at Sheraton's Sunday Brunch. How many fine dining places are there now? Sports bars and Pubs.
The Connaught was thriving and hosting big functions in the ballrooms. The Connaught retail mall was full. The Sheraton was hosing weddings and conventions. The convention centre was actually hosting conventions. I think even the Lister had tenants then, the Tivoli was a Famous Players, there were lots of clubs a vibrant nite life. Tier 1 concerts at Copps, Guns n Roses, Metallica etc during their peak were playing Copps.
There was no less then 5 good size advertising agencies, with clients like Jaguar, Smirnoff, Dofasco, Firestone, IBM, Westinghouse. There were big accounting firms, investment banks, insurance companies. Stelco Tower was near full occupancy.
Recent progress is the Art Crawl. The only think built with any significance was the New Federal Bldg (which sucks). And I think the second phase of CIBC towers in 1991. The TH&B station reno. Spallaci, and I struggle to find much other good news. McMaster has improved.
Is Hamilton dead? Yes, or else you could say it's on life support.
Why should we not expect the next economic bull run (starting somewhere in 2010) to evade Hamilton again?
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