Downtown Update

[bluevue]

I emailed Brian as well. Really would love to see the whole 403 ramp area cleaned up...it should be spotless (construction aside) the amount of garbage and overgrown trees bushes are ridiculous. I hope they don't defer to say its a ministry issue to look after...just send in a crew and a street sweeper once a week is all I ask!

[SteelTown]

Paul Wilson: I pray thee tell, where's our Taco Bell?

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/talk/story/2012/10/30/wilson-taco.html

[bluevue]

Of note, I have received excellent response from McHattie on getting Main Dundurn looked at for maintenance and plans with the city. Thanks Brian!

[thistleclub]

Downtown defection – Price Waterhouse pulling out after 60+ years (CBC Hamilton, Paul Wilson, Nov 13, 2012)

Price Waterhouse, one of the Big Four global accounting firms, arrived in downtown Hamilton more than 60 years ago. Now it’s preparing to evacuate.

The company is known today as PricewaterhouseCoopers, or PwC for short. It checked into Hamilton’s oldest and most handsome skyscraper, the Pigott building, in 1951. The firm moved around in the years since, but always stayed in the core.

For the last two decades, PwC has had the first two floors of the mirrored tower at King and MacNab. About 100 people work for the company there. By next Labour Day, they will be reporting for duty in Oakville.

A thoroughly-modern six-storey glass box is rising there now, on Trafalgar Road near the GO station, just a few minutes from downtown Oakville. PwC will occupy half the building and has sign rights – look quickly and you might spot the firm’s logo from the QEW.

The move is a result of PwC merging its Mississauga and Hamilton offices, and it will have 425 working in the new building.

"We were tortured by this," says Raj Kothari, PwC’s managing partner for the Greater Toronto Area. "It’s like divorcing somebody...

"Hamilton is a wonderful city. It’s old Canada."

....

At one time, all of the Big Four accounting firms were in downtown Hamilton. But some years ago, Ernst & Young left for Mississauga and Deloitte left for a site on the 403 in Burlington.

With PwC’s departure, that leaves only KPMG. Last month, with whisky and charcuterie, the firm held a reception at its newly-renovated and expanded offices downtown, which serve as the hub for its Eastern Canada division.

KMPG declared that after 75 years in Hamilton, it was staying to be part of the revitalization of the core.

[mattgrande]

Two things (that might be more suited to the Hamilton Cuisine thread, but either way...)

1. Burrito Boyz is officially open.
2. The building at King & Bay (the former Four Buck$ Saloon) now has a sign saying something to the effect of "The George Hamilton Tavern."

[movingtohamilton]

Originally Posted by mattgrande

..."The George Hamilton Tavern."

Hopefully not themed after the actor with the perma-tan

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001313/

[fuller]

More likely, it's named after the City's founder.

[movingtohamilton]

Originally Posted by fuller

More likely, it's named after the City's founder.

That's a relief! Hoping for a tavern with decent craft beer.

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[SteelTown]

Looks better without those stains on the cement facade.

[Pearlstreet]

Roof panels are rusty, I wonder if they will paint it.

[thistleclub]

They painted the cement, so they may as well go all-in.

[SteelTown]

Before

From Flar
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=4041692&postcount=54

After

Originally Posted by MeIsThomas

[Pearlstreet]

Woopdeedoo.

I often wondered if I made an "A+ Renovations" sign for my front lawn and left it there for a few months, if that would spur action from my neighbours to invest into their homes lol.

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[LikeHamilton]

Paul Wilson: BMO builds new bank on James North, shuts old one on Barton East

Drugstore becomes bank
In Hamilton, he is now putting the finishing touches on plans to give James Street North a new bank – and to take away the old one on Barton.

James North first.

There is already a branch there, just south of Barton. It’s been around for decades. A skinny place, just a plain storefront.

Jaques says they decided that area needed something bigger, a branch with space for all services – retail, commercial, financial planning.

So work starts now – just a few doors away at James and Colbourne – on a branch that will be twice the size. And with a dozen employees, twice the staff. There will be parking, something missing at the other location. And better wheelchair access.

It’s a $1-million investment, and will be a retrofit of a former Shoppers Drug Mart store that’s been empty too long.

The new branch on James North is to open in late March. At the same time, the old branch on Barton will close – for good this time.

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/talk/story/2012/11/14/hamilton-bank.html

[CaptainKirk]

Anybody see the new sign for THE GEORGE HAMILTON restaurant on the NW corner of King & Bay?

Sadly the building looks kinda ugly.

[matt602]

Saw the sign, it is nice but the rest of the building is still clad in junk. Pretty shameful for a stone corner building.

Also very surprised that City TV did something at Gore Park. They're usually incredibly Toronto-centric.

[mattgrande]

Wow, Gore Park looks great in those photos.

[drpgq]

Looks like stuff is really happening at the lot on Catherine at Young. I suppose it could be sewer work, but it looks like more than that. I'll try and get a photo tonight.