Downtown Update

[movingtohamilton]

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

Dodge what issue. I am just pointing out that this isn't a phenomena unique to Hamilton.

That's true, and I over-reacted. But these loansharks are just one piece in the jigsaw puzzle of "lower Hamilton"'s problems. Again I ask, what are your concerns?

[Jon Dalton]

Originally Posted by flar

Edmonton is the only large Canadian city I've seen with a worse downtown than Hamilton

Really? I'm sure you've been there more recently than me, but when I went there I was pretty impressed with what had been done. Although I could believe it was pretty rough 10 or 20 years ago. I also did not notice anywhere near the concentration of payday loan outlets as we have. I guess they are more spread out.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=172701&highlight=edmonton

[ScreamingViking]

Why should Hamilton settle for what may be common in most other medium-to-large Canadian cities?

It settles for far less in so many other ways. Here's a chance to be more progressive and take the lead for a change.

[flar]

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

Really? I'm sure you've been there more recently than me, but when I went there I was pretty impressed with what had been done. Although I could believe it was pretty rough 10 or 20 years ago. I also did not notice anywhere near the concentration of payday loan outlets as we have. I guess they are more spread out.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=172701&highlight=edmonton

What did you like about Edmonton?

I didn't have high expectations when I visited, but I was still very underwhelmed.

[drpgq]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Five (more) things downtown Hamilton needs

More places to live
More shopping for women
A mid-sized concert venue
A hardware store
A facelift

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/story/2013/07/04/hamilton-downtown-top-five.html

I've been thinking about the mid-sized concert venue. Wouldn't the Studio Theatre at Hamilton Place already be it?

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by drpgq

I've been thinking about the mid-sized concert venue. Wouldn't the Studio Theatre at Hamilton Place already be it?

Is that "band friendly" though? I'm picturing something more like a combination of bar and concert hall.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Five (more) things downtown Hamilton needs

More places to live
More shopping for women
A mid-sized concert venue
A hardware store
A facelift

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/story/2013/07/04/hamilton-downtown-top-five.html

No argument about these. The living space is the key to them all, I think. More residential demand will lead to better shopping (not just for women) and more entertainment choices, and having more people around may inspire a cleaner urban environment that caters more to people. Building on the employment base is important for all too.

I'm not surprised at Paul Wilson's suggestion. He's always had a unique perspective. And he's right. The Canadian Tire at Main and Victoria may be "downtown", but it's peripheral. And again, if more people start living in the core there will need to be another source for home & hardware products.

Re: the "educational institution" honourable mention - I see this as a key addition too. The Mac health centre will be a good addition, but if they could establish a satellite for one of the faculties downtown that would be even better (the Continuing Ed program is good, but many of those students come and go... I'm one of them ). Mohawk should take a serious look at putting some programs downtown too. And why stop with those two schools? Others have been quite progressive in expanding into new cities.

[bigguy1231]

Originally Posted by movingtohamilton

That's true, and I over-reacted. But these loansharks are just one piece in the jigsaw puzzle of "lower Hamilton"'s problems. Again I ask, what are your concerns?

My concerns for downtown are getting more people working there and I don't mean just commercial activities, I want to see the city attract or at least attempt to attract office jobs to the downtown and unlike alot of the people who post on these forums, I don't see the downtown as a primary residential area. The downtown should be our central business and entertainment district, not a neighbourhood.

Just to add something about the "loansharks", there are 3 of them located within a block of the Upper James and Mohawk intersection, so the so called problem is not just in the lower city.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Is that "band friendly" though? I'm picturing something more like a combination of bar and concert hall.

Although I'm not sure it fits the criteria, wasn't there plans for a House of Blues in Hamilton? I remember there being posts about it with a artist conception of what it would look like. If I'm remembering correctly, what happened to those plans?

[Jon Dalton]

Originally Posted by flar

What did you like about Edmonton?

I didn't have high expectations when I visited, but I was still very underwhelmed.

They seemed to do very well at attracting new residential development to their core with a lot of condos and a whole block of townhouse development on the former railyards. I really enjoyed the bike trails along the river valley, and the LRT and the historic streetcar that crosses the river. The CBD seemed pretty well built up and dense with office buildings signifying pretty good downtown employment. I remember quite a few higher end coffee shops there which to me is one barometer of downtown success. It's no Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, but I guess I'm a fan of underdog cities because it's easier to see similarities to Hamilton and imagine the possibilities of some of their successes (such as LRT) working here.

I don't get to travel often though, so maybe I'm just easy to please!

[NorthEndRules]

I think it would be a cool idea to annex the top floors of the stelco building for condos. Now that u have a supermarket, it could be very convenient to live and work downtown. It would help downtown's image to have more people out and about. How's this grab you: wake up to a great view, go down to goodlife for a workout, grab some fresh pastries from Nation's, and get ready for your office job across the street. At night catch a movie at Empire with friends then have dinner at the Lister stakehouse, grab a beer at Anchor Bar. Tomorrow is Saturday you have many options: browse James north, rollerblade on the waterfront trail, golf at Chedoke, shop at the farmers market, catch shows at Hamilton Place, Copps...

[HillStreetBlues]

Originally Posted by bigguy1231

...I want to see the city attract or at least attempt to attract office jobs to the downtown and unlike alot of the people who post on these forums, I don't see the downtown as a primary residential area. The downtown should be our central business and entertainment district, not a neighbourhood.

I agree strongly with this. No one wants a "9 to 5" downtown, but it's an unrealistic and I think undesireable goal for downtown to be another, albeit denser, neighbourhood with lots of residents and commercial uses to serve them.

I think there's a general trend for people, particularly younger people, to want to live closer to their places of work than in the past. It makes for better quality of life for a lot of reasons, and is more efficient. This will create demand for residential space in downtown. But I agree that the downtown should be the region's hub and central business district. So, before anything else on that list of 5, I would say "More jobs."

[movingtohamilton]

I may be in the minority, but I strongly disagree with keeping downtown free of further residential development. The "flight-to-the-suburbs" is history. Great cities are thriving because people live and work in the core. Yes there can be some problems with infrastructure, but the benefits of a vibrant core vastly outnumber the problems.

Downtown Hamilton can easily accommodate a big expansion in residential (like condos) and still be the central business district and jobs-generator. The large number of surface parking lots are a testament to the lost past and the possible regained future. Development opportunities are widely available in the core.

Hillstreetblues nailed it: no one wants a 9-5 downtown; young people want to live closer to their places of work.

So what's the problem?

[mattgrande]

I don't think anyone's advocating for stopping residential development downtown. Just filling up our existing office space. And whatever happened to the Royal Court or whatever it was called on John Street?

[movingtohamilton]

Originally Posted by mattgrande

I don't think anyone's advocating for stopping residential development downtown. Just filling up our existing office space. And whatever happened to the Royal Court or whatever it was called on John Street?

Got it. Filling existing office space, building new commercial/office space, and expanding residential development are not in competition. In fact they are closely connected, and Hamilton should promote it. Companies relocating to Hamilton would be pleased if their employees could live within reasonable proximity.

[bigguy1231]

Originally Posted by Berklon

Although I'm not sure it fits the criteria, wasn't there plans for a House of Blues in Hamilton? I remember there being posts about it with a artist conception of what it would look like. If I'm remembering correctly, what happened to those plans?

It was going to be at 275 King W. There is another thread on that location.

[mattgrande]

Originally Posted by drpgq

Anyone know what's going on at the lot at Young and Catherine? There seemed to be some activity going on there last week.

Update on this property: It looks like they've got a parking garage and some basement apartments done. It's been in this state for awhile, so I'm thinking construction may have stalled?

I can't find much about "St Josephs Mews," which is apparently the name of the development.

[Dwils01]

I seen that yesterday and looks like they are on the ground floor. Had a picture of a rendering which just look liked big townhouses.
Also there is a development notice at Young and Walnut to build townhouses there where the corner store is which looks closed now.

[flar]

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

They seemed to do very well at attracting new residential development to their core with a lot of condos and a whole block of townhouse development on the former railyards. I really enjoyed the bike trails along the river valley, and the LRT and the historic streetcar that crosse the river. The CBD seemed pretty well built up and dense with office buildings signifying pretty good downtown employment. I remember quite a few higher end coffee shops there which to me is one barometer of downtown success. It's no Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, but I guess I'm a fan of underdog cities because it's easier to see similarities to Hamilton and imagine the possibilities of some of their successes (such as LRT) working here.

I don't get to travel often though, so maybe I'm just easy to please!

The lrt is nice and they do have some condos and tons of offices, but what struck out to me was the nearly complete lack of restaurants and shopping along the street. I guess Jasper is the main street, but you can't really walk along and enjoy looking around. The entire place is totally car oriented. They even have a big box staples complete with parking lot right smack in the middle.

Almost everything is modern, they destroyed the bit of heritage they had, and there were a few old buildings slated for demolition when I was there.

The parkland is definitely a huge boon to the city, the university is nice, and Whyte Ave is a very nice neighbourhood. Overall I just didn't find much of interest though.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by movingtohamilton

Filling existing office space, building new commercial/office space, and expanding residential development are not in competition. In fact they are closely connected, and Hamilton should promote it. Companies relocating to Hamilton would be pleased if their employees could live within reasonable proximity.

This.