Downtown Update

[HillStreetBlues]

I don't want to seem too down on this, as generally I think more direct participation by residents is good (and I didn't participate in my ward, so I can't say too much about those who did). But I think these kinds of activities attract a certain type of people. At the risk of inferring too much, many of these ideas seem to be the type that will be used by a very few people, and would be better paid for by private fundraising, rather than tax dollars. I think this is a nearly inevitable result of a process that favours a certain type of person, who is "plugged in" to the way things work already, and has the time to "participate."

For instance, $15,000 for a community oven? I personally don't have any issue with the idea, but I don't think typical Hamilton taxpayers are prioritizing these types of things. The average Hamiltonian pays something like $3,400 a year in property tax, so this project is worth almost five years of an average Hamiltonian's taxes. But it will have a gatekeeper who is a member (maybe employee) of a local not-for-profit or community group, most Hamiltonians will never know it exists, most will never understand why they would want to use one, very few who didn't already know will learn how to access one, and probably a similar number of people to those advocating for it now through the "participatory budget" process will be the ones who actually use it.

I guess my question is why don't the Lions or Rotarians raise funds privately for this kind of niche "community development" kind of thing, instead of demanding them of taxpayers?

[Pulkvedis Pods]

[IMG] 20130808_132618 by Pulkvedis Pods, on Flickr[/IMG]
Hi Hamiltonians!
I'm new to the area, loving the city and environs, and excited about the future of Hamilton. I wanted to try out a photo post of the apartment building on the corner of King St. W and Hess. This was taken on my phone.
Thanks to all who post most excellent information on the construction projects throughout the city!

[king10]

Originally Posted by Pulkvedis Pods

[IMG] 20130808_132618 by Pulkvedis Pods, on Flickr[/IMG]
Hi Hamiltonians!
I'm new to the area, loving the city and environs, and excited about the future of Hamilton. I wanted to try out a photo post of the apartment building on the corner of King St. W and Hess. This was taken on my phone.
Thanks to all who post most excellent information on the construction projects throughout the city!

Cheers and welcome to hamilton!

[kwoldtimer]

Originally Posted by Pulkvedis Pods

[IMG] 20130808_132618 by Pulkvedis Pods, on Flickr[/IMG]
Hi Hamiltonians!
I'm new to the area, loving the city and environs, and excited about the future of Hamilton. I wanted to try out a photo post of the apartment building on the corner of King St. W and Hess. This was taken on my phone.
Thanks to all who post most excellent information on the construction projects throughout the city!

Just stumbled across that photo - what's with the roofline? Additional floor with no windows? It looks very odd on an otherwise OK older building.

[LikeHamilton]

Try this.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=140915&page=4

[LikeHamilton]

Tearing down Hamilton's history

http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/features/tearing-down-hamiltons-history/

[Beedok]

A lot of those were pretty pointless. I mean the one thing was torn down because the team was lost, another saw some 3 story buildings replaced with a 10 story one (oh no the city grew!), most of the others were replaced with something about the same size. I think the Tivoli was the only real loss on the list.

[matt602]

Originally Posted by Beedok

A lot of those were pretty pointless. I mean the one thing was torn down because the team was lost, another saw some 3 story buildings replaced with a 10 story one (oh no the city grew!), most of the others were replaced with something about the same size. I think the Tivoli was the only real loss on the list.

Uhhh... old city hall and the birks building were insignificant losses to you? That would surprise me.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by matt602

Uhhh... old city hall and the birks building were insignificant losses to you? That would surprise me.

I'll admit that the replacement for the old city hall isn't the greatest, so that one is sort of a loss, but I like the new city hall, and I'm not sure how they could have incorporated the old city hall with Jackson Square, which is in my opinion a serious step up from what I've seen as having been there before. So that one is maybe a bit of a loss, but not a big one. As for Birks, that was replaced by a much larger building, because the city was growing. It might not be the nicest of buildings, but it's decent.

(Also they both had pointy rooves on short buildings, which I don't really like, but that's a much more subject thing.)

[CaptainKirk]

Originally Posted by Beedok

As for Birks, that was replaced by a much larger building, because the city was growing. It might not be the nicest of buildings, but it's decent.

Larger?

You couldn't build that box anywhere else?

The Birk's building was an architectural treasure.

[matt602]

Yeah... I'm failing to see how that's better in any way at all. When I think of what downtown would look like now with the Birk's building still on the corner of King and James along with the old Bank of Hamilton building alone, it would be amazing. Those buildings were made to be eye catching and extravagant, even if they weren't as tall or accommodating as their modern replacements and I feel that those are the types of buildings that should dominate the core of a large city's downtown.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Let's face it - pointy buildings are the worst. What gives them the right, anyway?!? So stupid and...ummm...pointy and stuff.

[thistleclub]

One of the lesser-loved Roscoes.

[CaptainKirk]

Originally Posted by pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce

Let's face it - pointy buildings are the worst. What gives them the right, anyway?!? So stupid and...ummm...pointy and stuff.

Love the detail...

[lucasmascotto]

Originally Posted by pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce

Let's face it - pointy buildings are the worst. What gives them the right, anyway?!? So stupid and...ummm...pointy and stuff.

Hahaha! I was reading this thread at work, and when I stumbled upon your post, I literally howled out loud! The funny thing is though, that was the actual mindset of architects and city planners during the "Modernism" years.

[lucasmascotto]

Merulla sees rail cars becoming parks
The Hamilton Spectator

Councillor Sam Merulla wants to know if the city can find a use for more old rail cars.

Merulla wants the city to investigate the idea of installing old box cars in urban settings as part of a park or near a business district. He would like the Ottawa Street Business Improvement Area (BIA) to be part of a pilot project.

"It's really fascinating," the Ward 4 councillor said Monday.

He said he has already spoken to city staff and found "they think it's really innovative. Other communities across North America have already done it."

Merulla said cities such as Montreal, Chicago and Las Vegas have developed what he calls mobile urban parks by employing old rail and shipping containers. He envisions a boxcar on Ottawa Street being redeveloped into a picnic shelter.

"We have to consult with the stakeholders and go from there," Merulla added.

Merulla has a motion going to city council on Friday asking staff to report back on the feasibility of creating a mobile urban park.

He says old rail cars can be picked up for about $20,000.

His idea comes after an antique rail car was retrofitted into a literacy centre in the east end. The Literacy Express — a 1954 CN passenger car — was placed beside the Eva Rothwell Resource Centre on Wentworth Street North (the former Robert Land Elementary School) in July.

The project cost $130,000, including $30,000 for the rail car.

It is formally called the Larry Paikin Literacy Express and will be used to educate and inspire youth in the area. It will be used for children ages four and up, and adults as well, and is a project launched by the Robert Land Community Association.

[CaptainKirk]

Looking north along James, Birk's building on the right. Note clock

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^Open streets circa 1955. Cool.

[CaptainKirk]

Jet Café owner adds new flight


Jeff Valentine is on a tear — the Jet Café owner has just signed the lease on yet another restaurant in the downtown, this time at the corner of John and King William streets.

"No one has succeeded there yet," he acknowledged.

The new restaurant — to be called the John Street Diner — will replace an Asian restaurant that recently closed there.

It appears that resurrection is Valentine's specialty. This month, Valentine is opening the former Portuguese hall at 746 Barton St. E. as a new banquet hall and quasi co-operative work space with his first tenant, chef Rick Aiton of Wild Thyme, already there.

The John Street Diner, however, takes a bit of a different direction — like Jet Café, it will feature the all-day breakfast and sandwiches for lunch, but Valentine is applying for a liquor licence so he can feature local wines and craft beers.

Valentine also plans to hire a couple of new graduates from the Liaison College of Culinary Arts for Saturday night dining that will be fine but lower-priced.

He hopes to open in October.

http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4031737-for-the-record/

[movingtohamilton]

A new diner, with craft beer? Are they taking reservations yet?