The Great Canadian Skyline Thread! II

[middeljohn]

Thanks softee.

It's really an undervalued city by the rest of Canada. Unfortunately even neighbouring communities refer to it as the "armpit of Ontario." I lived in Hamilton for a few years and found the city to be very walkable and surprisingly dense.

Part of the proboem with Hamilton's outside perception is that outsiders driving through it on the QEW only see the huge industrial parks. Unlike other cities on the lake, Hamilton's downtown is actually about 3km south of the lake.

Another awesome view is from the 403 driving downhill. One day I'll make a video of that as well.

[Calgarian]

Yeah industrial cities are generally not well regarded lol. The thing I find surprising about Hamilton is the weak skyline, it always amazes me that none of the massive Boom in TO has made it down to Hamilton. I think a few condo towers downtown could go a long way to changing perceptions.

[flar]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Yeah industrial cities are generally not well regarded lol. The thing I find surprising about Hamilton is the weak skyline, it always amazes me that none of the massive Boom in TO has made it down to Hamilton. I think a few condo towers downtown could go a long way to changing perceptions.

It will take more than that. Being old, rundown and industrial doesn't help, but the perxeption problem is more of a social class thing. It's a catch22 with high end condos in the lower city.

[Calgarian]

I'm not saying that would be the absolute cure, but someone showing confidence in the market and putting some money into it would be a start. I'm not to familiar with Hamilton though, so I can't really comment any further.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by flar

It will take more than that. Being old, rundown and industrial doesn't help, but the perxeption problem is more of a social class thing. It's a catch22 with high end condos in the lower city.

The seeds are there for a great urban neighbourhood that could rival inner Toronto. Mississauga is situated much closer to DT Toronto, so you see a demand for, and an attempt at urban, high density living. But really Mississauga is sterile, while Hamilton has soul. Add some density to downtown Hamilton and you'll have a cool urban vibe you could not get outside of downtown Toronto. I suppose the problem is Hamilton is 65 km's from DT Toronto.

It's too bad Go wasn't a lot faster. I looked at the schedule, and if I'm reading it right, it takes 70 minutes to travel 65 km's with a station spacing of 10 km's. Skytrain in Vancouver can match that average speed with 2.5km spacing.

If travel time was reduced to around 45 minutes, I believe Hamilton would explode. I wonder if a high speed ferry is an option?

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I'm not saying that would be the absolute cure, but someone showing confidence in the market and putting some money into it would be a start. I'm not to familiar with Hamilton though, so I can't really comment any further.

It would be a start. There are some nice buildings under construction (150 Main West and the Bella Tower) or part of redevelopment that's just getting under way (the Royal Connaught condos) but this is all still small-scale compared to what's happening in larger cities.

More importantly, I think people's perspective of Hamilton's economy needs to change. For decades it was dominated by steel and heavy industry, but the reality is those have been in decline for a long time, even if they're still the most visible thing when you drive over the Skyway bridge. Industry continues to be important but Hamilton now has one of the most diverse economies in Canada (according to the Conference Board). Yet it's still not widely known for anything but steel.

I like to compare where Hamilton is at today with where Kitchener-Waterloo was about 25-30 years ago, before the tech boom. KW and Cambridge also had a strong manufacturing base... it's still important to those cities, but people think "technology" now when they mention the area. In Hamilton, there is some great stuff happening in health sciences research and McMaster's Innovation Park is slowly developing, but neither has gotten to the point where it's become a recognized part of the city's external brand - unless one lives here, they probably don't know.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Yeah industrial cities are generally not well regarded lol. The thing I find surprising about Hamilton is the weak skyline, it always amazes me that none of the massive Boom in TO has made it down to Hamilton. I think a few condo towers downtown could go a long way to changing perceptions.

For it's size Hamilton doesn't have that weak of a skyline. It's behind Winnipeg, but it's ahead of Quebec City I'd say. It also has more highrises than either of them in it's metro.

As for new condos, there's three projects downtown set to make a serious difference. The previously mentioned Vranich and Connaught efforts, plus another 30 story condo proposal on James south. I think mid-rises would do more to fix the city though, filling in the rather excess parking lots.

[Design-mind]

Mine of Calgary.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by Beedok

For it's size Hamilton doesn't have that weak of a skyline. It's behind Winnipeg, but it's ahead of Quebec City I'd say. It also has more highrises than either of them in it's metro.

As for new condos, there's three projects downtown set to make a serious difference. The previously mentioned Vranich and Connaught efforts, plus another 30 story condo proposal on James south. I think mid-rises would do more to fix the city though, filling in the rather excess parking lots.

I guess the skyline is okay as long as you don't look right at any buildings lol. There is decent density, but the buildings are terrible! Winnipeg absolutely destroys Hamilton in this regard. Quebec's charm is the old city, a slice of Ole Europe right in North America. There are a couple decent modern buildings, but the skyline is basically focused on the grand old hotel.

Now before anyone gets defensive, I'm not trying to insult Hamilton or Quebec city or anything, I'm just very underwhelmed by their skylines and the general lack of anything new. I'm probably just spoiled here in Calgary, our skyline is on steroids for a city this size. Anyway, would love to visit both Hamilton and QC one day, never been to either. This summer it's going to be Ottawa and hopefully Montreal!

[J.OT13]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

I guess the skyline is okay as long as you don't look right at any buildings lol. There is decent density, but the buildings are terrible! Winnipeg absolutely destroys Hamilton in this regard. Quebec's charm is the old city, a slice of Ole Europe right in North America. There are a couple decent modern buildings, but the skyline is basically focused on the grand old hotel.

Now before anyone gets defensive, I'm not trying to insult Hamilton or Quebec city or anything, I'm just very underwhelmed by their skylines and the general lack of anything new. I'm probably just spoiled here in Calgary, our skyline is on steroids for a city this size. Anyway, would love to visit both Hamilton and QC one day, never been to either. This summer it's going to be Ottawa and hopefully Montreal!

I don't know if your planning on visiting Ottawa and Montreal around the same time, but if so I recommend going for three and visiting Québec City as well. Maybe even take VIA rail between the three. Note that the Québec and Montréal stations are conveniently located in their respective downtowns but Ottawa's is 5 km out where you have to bus (Transitway) or take a taxi downtown.

[middeljohn]

Well the majority of the highrises are commie blocks, not most peoples' idea of architecturally sound. Hamilton does have some great architecture though, they're just generally not tall enough to stick out in the skyline.


http://historicalhamilton.com/beasley/landed-banking-and-loan-company-building/


http://lowerhamilton.ca/the-royal-connaught-hotel/


http://historicalhamilton.com/beasley/lister-block/


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:BankOfMontrealHamilton.JPG


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fileigott_Building_Hamilton.JPG

[Tone]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Now before anyone gets defensive, I'm not trying to insult Hamilton or Quebec city or anything, I'm just very underwhelmed by their skylines and the general lack of anything new.

Most of the new developpement in Quebec city is occuring on its secondary skyline of Ste-Foy where half of the towers are new, including the tallest ones with more office buildings to come soon.


Does Hamilton or Winnipeg have any equivalent of this?

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Calgarian

Now before anyone gets defensive, I'm not trying to insult Hamilton or Quebec city or anything, I'm just very underwhelmed by their skylines and the general lack of anything new. I'm probably just spoiled here in Calgary, our skyline is on steroids for a city this size. Anyway, would love to visit both Hamilton and QC one day, never been to either. This summer it's going to be Ottawa and hopefully Montreal!

No insult taken. The lack of new significant towers in Hamilton has been disappointing to me since the mid-80s.

[Chadillaccc]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on...bow-a-new-skyline-symbol/article4480246/

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Tone

Most of the new developpement in Quebec city is occuring on its secondary skyline of Ste-Foy where half of the towers are new, including the tallest ones with more office buildings to come soon.

Does Hamilton or Winnipeg have any equivalent of this?

In Hamilton's case, Burlington might be the equivalent though it's a separate city within the CMA. But even so, there have only been a couple of new buildings (condos) in the downtown area that are big enough to notice. More to come soon though.

There was a proposal for a neat 30-storey twin tower development in the southern part of Hamilton that hasn't gone forward yet.

[theman23]

Someone once told me that Hamilton was basically Toronto, if Toronto was run by the Salvation Army. I think that's a pretty apt description.

I didn't mind living there though - its only 45 minutes from Toronto.

[middeljohn]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

There was a proposal for a neat 30-storey twin tower development in the southern part of Hamilton that hasn't gone forward yet.

You mean the one on Upper James/Stone Church? I doubt that's going to happen, it's basically on the outskirts of town, surrounded by suburbia, powercentres and gas stations.

I hope Blanchard gets his towers built. That, the Royal Connaught, and a couple other ones whose names I can't recall should all make a jice impact on the skyline.

[Razor]

Too bad you couldn't put a high rise equivalent to say the smelter portion of a steel mill, a maintenance yard, welding shop,mill etc.

Both Hamilton and Edmonton would have a few more clusters worth.

But Toronto and Calgary get the glory.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by middeljohn

You mean the one on Upper James/Stone Church? I doubt that's going to happen, it's basically on the outskirts of town, surrounded by suburbia, powercentres and gas stations.

I hope Blanchard gets his towers built. That, the Royal Connaught, and a couple other ones whose names I can't recall should all make a jice impact on the skyline.

Yep - Riccio Towers, here's the SSP thread. That proposal is something I'd have rather seen for the lower city, though Upper James is crying out for intensification. But it's been a while since there has been news about them.

Blanchard needs to get his plan developed, never mind built.

[Chadillaccc]

4th Avenue Flyover with Calgary Tower and The Bow building by benlarhome, on Flickr