I got to meet an architect (from Curran Architects in Hamilton) tonight at a Christmas dinner at Old Mills. I'm tired right now but he had a lot of good things to say!
During dinner I got stuck with a table that had a Brain surgeon, her husband who is an architect, Head Scientific Director, his wife, a new Principal Investigator on Stem Cells from England and his wife who happens to run Hillfield Strathallan College. Gawd I was out of the loop haha but thankfully the architect was next to me as we pretty much talked about downtown Hamilton all night, thank you god! Haha.
So yea the guy from Curran Architects helped save the Lister Block and so we probably talked over an hour about the Block and he said renovation should begin in the Spring.
He's from Hamilton but lived in Toronto for 10 years and just recently moved to Dundas along with his wife, brain surgeon that got recruited to McMaster. Curran Architects hired him because he specialize in residential hi rise and they are predicting condo craze will hit Hamilton soon.
He predicts downtown Hamilton will be turning the corner in a big way soon. He himself is in his 30s and said people like him young professionals and young adults are what is going to change the downtown core with residential hi rise.
The guy was surprised I knew so much about the downtown and heritage buildings that we're gonna keep in contact!
It was the most intimidating dinner I ever had but it was worth it.
So yes Best Buy is indeed looking at downtown downtown Hamilton haha. They did look at Centre Mall but nope apparently they couldn't get the big box size that they needed. They are also looking at Eastgate.
Hopefully Best Buy will be located in an existing building instead of building a massive big box design.
That said, I think a Best Buy is a great addition to downtown. It's the type of store that does well with college/university students and 20 and 30-something professionals.
A friend of mine works at Best Buy, worked there for over 2 years now, and she wanted me to work there part time over the Xmas rush, but I declined.
If they go to Eastgate they'll likely replace the current Future Shop with Best Buy, that's why they are going to do with Meadowlands at Ancaster next year.
If they come to the downtown area they'll likely build a place as apparently they are looking for a huge box, Centre Mall couldn't give them a bigger big box for their Best Buy.
Best Buy would be a good addition to the downtown area. If it was at Centre Mall it might have put a dent in EHR's business. But downtown doesn't have anything decent electronics stores (little computer stores like Starspark should be okay because they sell a greater variety of parts for lower prices than best buy, which focuses on complete computers.)
If Centre Mall couldn't give best buy a big box, then we sure as heck better not downtown either, unless it's in an existing building.
that optical place on john has had that sign up for a long time.
i suppose some people follow them out to the burbs...if a business I shop at ever closes and posts a sign that they are moving out of downtown I just shrug and say "ok, time to find another place to do that".
I wouldn't dream of following them out to no-man's land. whatever they are selling/doing isn't irreplacable.
I'm not sure where this building is, and I'm not sure where to post this, but this is from Randy Steele's photo blog:
it sat dormant for decades, but now a couple of toronto developers have seen the light: they're preparing to resurrect hamilton's historic foster building. this will be the city's first live/work space. you have your office in one part and live in the other. there are seven units just like this--each one about 2000 square feet. the downtown units will reportedly sell for somewhere in the area of 350-thousand.
I'm honestly not really opposed to Best Buy having a location in the downtown that is big box. It is still a big name store that is going to bring a ton of patronage back to the downtown, regardless of the shape or type of building. I don't think it will be all that damaging to the surroundings either, hell there's meth clinics and halfway houses downtown that somehow blend in with their surroundings more or less fine, a big box store isn't going to bring the rapture.
Foster Bldg sounds so familiar... just can't put a picture to it's name.
But if their big box was too "big" for Centre Mall, then where the hell is it going to fit downtown? And with no parking??? Ya right! Unless the city forces them to build an underground garage or parkade or something.
Only land big enough would be the wasteland of lots in the area behind (north of) Int'l Village. Either that or Meth Alley (Ferguson North)?
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