Harry Stinson on downtown Hamilton - Page 12

matt602 · #**221** Posted **Feb 15, 2008, 9:28 PM**

Indeed.

I noticed Treble Hall come up in the conversation here and I gotta say I'm gonna agree. Last I heard, the City was pretty close to nabbing the property for themselves (they were consulting the community on what to do with it if bought?), maybe Stinson would be getting his foot in the door on this one...

chris k · #**222** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

Harry Stinson is no longer interested in the Lister or the Connaught. From a very reliable source and good friend of his, he is looking at 3 projects right now. He has not made up his mind which one, all or none of the project he will tackle.
They are either a complete reno project(s) or a reno(s) with empty property(ies) to develop.
I am not saying witch properties as I want more info from my source and when he says it is ok I will spill the beans.
I thought it would be fun if people just speculate on what he could take on. Be somewhat realistic but still dream. Who knows, he may just read this one-day and say “what a good idea”.
Anyone would like to start?

I just read this on the hammerboard:

Quote:

Harry Stinson!

That's right...Toronto's Condo King has found his first Hamilton project. Pretty much confirmed by a good source yesterday.

Not sure when this will be announced to the public. You heard it here first Hamilton

also this

Quote:

The source is pretty close to Harry Stinson and I also heard from a reliable source that Harry's Toronto architect responsible for one king west was around town last week talking about the project.

I think an announcement will come soon. That is all I know.

Well i don't know how true this is but i guess we will just have to see. Posted very recently (today/yesterday)

Must say i'm pretty excited

raisethehammer · #**223** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:55 AM**

the hammerboard source might be the same person on here - let's ask him:

LikeHamilton, is that you???

LikeHamilton · #**224** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 4:10 AM**

No it is not me. But I am having supper with a close friend of his on Friday night on James Street North in the middle of the new "Arts District". He said he was going to invite Harry to it also. I do not know if he will be there.

flar · #**225** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 4:19 AM**

(crosses fingers) -- please be the big empty grand hotel downtown!

raisethehammer · #**226** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 1:38 PM**

please be anything!!

RePinion · #**227** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:20 PM**

Finally something a tad less depressing ...

New plans for Royal Connaught

HAMILTON (AM900 CHML) - The Royal Connaught Hotel in downtown Hamilton may soon have a new owner.

There's word an agreement has been reached for the sale of the landmark to a group which includes prominent Toronto developer Harry Stinson.

The deal is expected to close by the end of March.

Sources indicate Stinson plans to renovate the building into a boutique hotel and condominium apartments.

No word on the price tag, but it's expected work on the project will begin as soon as possible.

The development may also include a new condo tower.

raisethehammer · #**228** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:24 PM**

HAMILTON (AM900 CHML) - The Royal Connaught Hotel in downtown Hamilton may soon have a new owner.
There's word an agreement has been reached for the sale of the landmark to a group which includes prominent Toronto developer Harry Stinson.

The deal is expected to close by the end of March.

Sources indicate Stinson plans to renovate the building into a boutique hotel and condominium apartments.

No word on the price tag, but it's expected work on the project will begin as soon as possible.

The development may also include a new condo tower.

AWESOME!!

raisethehammer · #**229** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:25 PM**

haha...Hey, you beat me to it!! Lol.

SteelTown · #**230** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:27 PM**

Notice it's a group, Harry isn't doing it all alone. I wonder if LIUNA is part of the group.

RePinion · #**231** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:31 PM**

Say what you like about Stinson, but anything he does in this city is bound to put the greedy local developers and their mediocre, unsaleable projects to shame.

If the deal goes through, this may finally signal the end (or at least the beginning of the end) of the artificially imposed deadlock which has characterized development in the downtown core for the last 20 or so years.

I can only hope that Stinson's action will be able to attract more outside developers to invest in the core. I have no confidence in the abilities of Hamilton developers to create anything of lasting value in this city. I suspect it would probably be to the enduring benefit of the city if they were all driven out of business (a not implausible forecast for the not-too-distant future given that open land needed for their sprawling subdivisions is rapidly dwindling in supply thanks to the Greenbelt).

raisethehammer · #**232** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:34 PM**

yup...if he does a TO style project with a great restoration next to a great new condo he will certainly put the pressure on our locals who (for the most part, not all) do the cheapest, ugliest job possible.
This is the best way to improve the quality of architecture in the city - have someone do something top notch.
McCallum Sather and a handful of other architects have designed some impressive new buildings recently...let's hope with Stinson jumping into the scene we will see the bar continue to be raised.

RePinion · #**233** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:36 PM**

No surprise that it's a group. Given Stinson's well-known financial difficulties of late, it's unlikely that he would have been able to secure financing for a major project on his own.

I've no doubt he accounts for the vision behind it though ...

RePinion · #**234** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:45 PM**

Yep, definitely some good stuff coming out of McCallum Sather ... but their stuff is all institutional. What we need are private developers willing to put as much design money into their commercial and residential projects ...

Too bad that most of MS's projects are going to be located around Barton and the North End (although God knows they need it). It would be nice if the core could be a showcase for the most forward-thinking architecture in the city (as is the case in most major cities).

raisethehammer · #**235** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 2:59 PM**

yup....you're right on.
Although I'm glad to see some spiffy new projects in the North End. Once they are built MS will have no problem landing jobs downtown.

Anyone want to guess how tall Harry will go with the condo tower next to Connaught?
the way I see it, there are only a few areas downtown that would be easy to gain approval for busting the height limit. Main St from Queen to Victoria is top of the list IMO. He knows that although we have parking lots everywhere, there are only certain districts that would support a huge tower.
King William/Rebecca area wouldn't get approved. Jackson/Hunter/Walnut wouldn't either.
it's got to be right downtown along Main, York or clustered in among the current highrises in south Durand/Corktown - James, Hughson, John South.

I can't see him taking a site like this and going 20 stories.

flar · #**236** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 3:02 PM**

Those fantasy pics realcity posted a while back may not be fantasy. I'd bet he'll try for something in the 25-35 range, but not till after the hotel is going.

SteelTown · #**237** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 3:17 PM**

If Stinson wants to spice up the skyline a bit he'll have to make a condo tower that taller than Stelco Tower so high 20's or 30's storey range.

LikeHamilton · #**238** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 3:33 PM**

Stinson to be on CHML about 11:35 this morning.

realcity · #**239** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 4:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RePinion

Say what you like about Stinson, but anything he does in this city is bound to put the greedy local developers and their mediocre, unsaleable projects to shame.

If the deal goes through, this may finally signal the end (or at least the beginning of the end) of the artificially imposed deadlock which has characterized development in the downtown core for the last 20 or so years.

I can only hope that Stinson's action will be able to attract more outside developers to invest in the core. I have no confidence in the abilities of Hamilton developers to create anything of lasting value in this city. I suspect it would probably be to the enduring benefit of the city if they were all driven out of business (a not implausible forecast for the not-too-distant future given that open land needed for their sprawling subdivisions is rapidly dwindling in supply thanks to the Greenbelt).

Welcome Board RePinion.... good handle.... With posts like this, I have a feeling you'll be very popular here.

Geenbelt - does put a wrench in the local property developers' business model.
I prefer to call them Land Speculators, but its just semantics

Stalemate - exactly

This will put an end to one of two lameass excuses that the scammers/leaders in this city have been repeating for decades....
1. Lack of Shovel Ready land
2. Lack of financing

Stinson will prove world-class projects can be built and FINANCED in Hamilton. What will our local developers have to say then? I just hope he purchased large swaths of land downtown not just the Connaught so he can benefit from the increase in land value and not have the benefit going towards the 'do-nothing' speculators/developers.

RePinion · #**240** Posted **Feb 28, 2008, 4:35 PM**

Thanks for the kind welcome ...

Land speculator truly is a better term for them. Most of them would probably rather just sell the land when the market goes up and make an effortless profit than go through all the trouble of developing and marketing and, god forbid, actually taking a risk with their capital investments. Hamilton must be home to the most selfish, feckless and cowardly real estate investor/developers in the province. Usually developers, even faceless corporate ones, take at least some pride in making a valuable contribution to their city (it's good for marketing in the long run, after all). Not so here ...

The major land holders in this city are, in my opinion, at least as responsible for the sorry state of the downtown as the inept bureaucrats and planners we've suffered over the decades. Time for new blood!

I only hope that Harry's up for the job. He's certainly getting a lot more credence in Hamilton than he ever did in Toronto, but the excitement is understandable.