41 Wilson Street | 103, 101 and 100 m | 3 x 30 fl | Under Construction

[905er]

Originally Posted by Hawrylyshyn

If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it's a duck.

There are definitely some nice neighborhoods, you can love your (old) city and be excited for it's future. But the main downtown is still arguably the worst urban experience in any large Canadian city. Of course the streets are clean, pedestrian experience and use is non-existent. Truth may hurt, but Mississauga (for the most part) is certainly a turd

I'll remember that the next time I take a stroll through Hamilton and walk past all the hookers and crack heads and pyjama wearing single mothers pushing their strollers in their house slippers. I guess if we can't be nice, no point in trying myself.

[Hawrylyshyn]

Originally Posted by 905er

I'll remember that the next time I take a stroll through Hamilton and walk past all the hookers and crack heads and pyjama wearing single mothers pushing their strollers in their house slippers.

Ok? No one is claiming Hamilton is perfect and doesn't have that. You're the only one in denial about your city

[905er]

Originally Posted by Hawrylyshyn

Ok? No one is claiming Hamilton is perfect and doesn't have that. You're the only one in denial about your city

I'm not in denial... you're right, the urban experience is lacking, it's poor ... and while it's changing and improving it still has a long long way to go.. but it doesn't change the fact that hearing people call my city 'shit' is hurtful... and frankly, I'm sick and tired of hearing it. Be constructive.. there are ways to make a point without being mean. I'm assuming we're all adults here.

I regularly make comments on various city posts and yes, there are things you can be critical of or not like.. but I've never called any place garbage or shit, that's just uncalled for behaviour. I draw the line at people calling my hometown shit. sorry.

[Innsertnamehere]

Downtown Mississauga is evolving and will be better in the coming years, especially now that Oxford is developing the mall parking lots. Right now though, it's extremely disconnected and isn't really anything approaching a true urban experience.

Give it another decade and it will be starting to be in better shape.

The problem with all these "instant" downtowns is that they take time to mature - CityPlace faced initial criticism as well when it was first starting, and nobody complains anymore now that it's almost done as all the infrastructure and population is actually there. It's the same thing for Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham, etc., which as they mature and fill out the complaints will drop and the urban feeling will increase.

Mississauga's obsession with mega-roads is a real issue though, that has yet to really be corrected in a major way. Confederation Parkway is insanely wide for what it is, and could probably be 50% narrower and provide literally exactly the same capacity. Each lane is like 4m wide, the parking spaces are too wide, there is that massive median, etc.

It's just made worse that Confederation Parkway is the one half-way urban street in MCC right now.\

It's not like Hamilton has an exactly stellar public realm either.. it's roads are falling apart to an almost comical level, Main Street is a massive highway right through the core, and the downtown is full of parking lots.

[905er]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Downtown Mississauga is evolving and will be better in the coming years, especially now that Oxford is developing the mall parking lots. Right now though, it's extremely disconnected and isn't really anything approaching a true urban experience.

Give it another decade and it will be starting to be in better shape.

The problem with all these "instant" downtowns is that they take time to mature - CityPlace faced initial criticism as well when it was first starting, and nobody complains anymore now that it's almost done as all the infrastructure and population is actually there. It's the same thing for Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham, etc., which as they mature and fill out the complaints will drop and the urban feeling will increase.

Mississauga's obsession with mega-roads is a real issue though, that has yet to really be corrected in a major way. Confederation Parkway is insanely wide for what it is, and could probably be 50% narrower and provide literally exactly the same capacity. Each lane is like 4m wide, the parking spaces are too wide, there is that massive median, etc.

It's just made worse that Confederation Parkway is the one half-way urban street in MCC right now.\

It's not like Hamilton has an exactly stellar public realm either.. it's roads are falling apart to an almost comical level, Main Street is a massive highway right through the core, and the downtown is full of parking lots.

Thank you!! that is how you have a mature constructive conversation here. All valid points, well articulated ..example of what I would like to expect when visiting this forums.

[ScreamingViking]

Port Credit has always been a favourite destination. I wish Lakeshore wasn't so wide and noisy through the village, but the riverfront and pier are great, and the neighbourhood streets between the main drag and the GO station are quiet and pleasant to walk through. There's a lovely park on the west side of the mouth of the Credit too; it's a lot quieter than the eastern shore, but worth a walk.

Hopefully the "town" keeps its character, even if it sees a lot of new condo buildings.

Hurontario between Lakeshore and the QEW will be a street I keep my eye on. I think it has lots of potential to grow into something interesting. I wonder how long it will take before the SFHs along the northern most kilometre-or-so are bought up and developed into something different.

[ScreamingViking]

I do worry about the Hamilton streetscape in the north-east quadrant of downtown, and along Main W between Queen and Bay. All the new high-rise residential like this complex may beef up the skyline, but long stretches of the sidewalks will probably be quite sterile.

The blocks will be broken up by interesting existing streets like George and Hess and King William, which will benefit from the new demand for food and entertainment and services. But will Rebecca be any better than it is today? Wilson? Caroline? John? Catharine? Mary? They'll benefit by not bordering parking lots, but I'm feeling rather pessimistic about what will be adjacent to them to generate foot traffic.

[atnor]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Port Credit has always been a favourite destination. I wish Lakeshore wasn't so wide and noisy through the village, but the riverfront and pier are great, and the neighbourhood streets between the main drag and the GO station are quiet and pleasant to walk through. There's a lovely park on the west side of the mouth of the Credit too; it's a lot quieter than the eastern shore, but worth a walk.

Hopefully the "town" keeps its character, even if it sees a lot of new condo buildings.

Hurontario between Lakeshore and the QEW will be a street I keep my eye on. I think it has lots of potential to grow into something interesting. I wonder how long it will take before the SFHs along the northern most kilometre-or-so are bought up and developed into something different.

Agree on your points about Port Credit, especially how noisy Lakeshore is. Last summer on a date with my gf we were about to order lunch on a patio but left due to the noise and chose to walk around with an ice cream cone. Shame really because Port Credit is a great spot. Personally I prefer downtown Oakville and the newly improved Lakeshore between Dorval and Trafalgar. Big fan of the piazza type square near 7 Enoteca and the beautiful homes nearby — lots of good spots for a date.

To your other comment, realistically I think we are still years (15+) away from seeing these corridors become as desirable as James, Locke, and KW.

[StEC]

We really should get this thread back on topic but I just wanted to say one quick thing on the current Mississauga discussion when I think of downtown Mississauga it's not the Square One district it's Port Credit which is downtown to me. Such a beautiful vibrant business and leisure area I absolutely love it!

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by atnor

To your other comment, realistically I think we are still years (15+) away from seeing these corridors become as desirable as James, Locke, and KW.

I don't think we'll ever see that happen, not to the extent of those streets. I guess my concern is that with all these massive podiums being designed as they are -- they don't connect well with the sidewalk -- the city is missing an opportunity to ensure it's at least a possibility that there will be a decent level of desirable street activity; some vibrancy. It will depend on what retail tenants occupy those spaces, and streetscaping (i.e., trees, pedestrian-friendly walkways) but some developers like those whose company names begin with the letter V have shown they really don't care.

In the case of condos, is it eventually up to the condo board to manage those leases? I'd think that's the best outcome for these hulks.

Worst case would be tenants who drive everywhere rather than frequenting businesses in their own complex and surrounding blocks, despite being smack in the middle of the city. Which speaks to the parking minimum issue others have discussed on this site.

[TheHonestMaple]

This is the project i'm probably most excited about in downtown Hamilton. Has anyone been by the site lately, has the demolition started?

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

This is the project i'm probably most excited about in downtown Hamilton. Has anyone been by the site lately, has the demolition started?

Went by yesterday, building is still there.

[urban_planner]

I drove past here this morning. I would expect the house here to be torn down soon. Someone tried to burn it down as the front porch is looking rather crispy. There was some sort of order on the door.

[TheHonestMaple]

Originally Posted by urban_planner

I drove past here this morning. I would expect the house here to be torn down soon. Someone tried to burn it down as the front porch is looking rather crispy. There was some sort of order on the door.

Some homeless were using that porch as a place to sleep/do drugs. Wouldn't be surprised if it's related to that.

Can't wait to see construction get started on this one. Couldn't come sooner.

[Innsertnamehere]

there is an issued demolition permit for the house, so I imagine it will come down very soon. Same thing for the auto shop to the north.

[TheRitsman]

Fencing is up around the house

[TheHonestMaple]

I wonder how long it will take from the house and auto shop being demolished, to construction starting.

[Innsertnamehere]

Hopefully not long, but Emblem hasn't started sales yet, so it won't be instant. IIRC they started work on 1 Jarvis pretty much immediately after launching sales, but they did launch sales first.

[urban_planner]

There is an excavator parked in front of the former autobody shop. I'm thinking demo is starting soon.

[urban_planner]

It was dark so I didn't get a photo but the Auto Body shop here is gone as of Tuesday evening.