James North

[thmx]

A vapour lounge opened up in downtown Stoney Creek last October. The one on James Street will probably be similar to this...

Source

"Quitters Vape Shop is a brick and mortar shop, committed to offering premium personal vaporizers, e-cigarettes, e-juices and other e-cig supplies." - facebook.com/Quitters

Website: www.quitters.ca


Source


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[interr0bangr]

Originally Posted by MeIsThomas

A vapour lounge opened up in downtown Stoney Creek last October. The one on James Street will probably be similar to this...

There's several of these already in hamilton but none of them are "lounges" as far as I know, just shops. There's one in Dundas and at least 1 downtown (Barton Village). To me a lounge would be where you could buy a drink as well. Either way, I'm not a huge fan and I'm sure the one opening on James will be as tacky as the rest of them.

[interr0bangr]

Word on the street is that Dark Horse Espresso will be opening their first location outside of Toronto in 170 James North (Tim Francis Gallery) close to Cannon.

Hearing that from a friend of my wife's so take with a grain of salt for now.

[mattgrande]

Originally Posted by interr0bangr

Word on the street is that Dark Horse Espresso will be opening their first location outside of Toronto in 170 James North (Tim Francis Gallery) close to Cannon.

Hearing that from a friend of my wife's so take with a grain of salt for now.

That doesn't seem to be the case:
https://twitter.com/darkhorsecafe/st...82348504645632

[interr0bangr]

Originally Posted by mattgrande

That doesn't seem to be the case:
https://twitter.com/darkhorsecafe/st...82348504645632

I'm the guy that posed the question, haha. So yeah, I guess not.

[davidcappi]

Would be a nice spot for a tea shop.

[interr0bangr]

The vape shop on James just south of York is open now.

I walked by earlier today and was really pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. Definitely the cleanest/best looking one in Hamilton.





http://www.wearesmokeless.com/
https://twitter.com/wearesmokeless

[interr0bangr]

And in other James North stuff I noticed on my walk.

O's Clothes is moving to 150 James N into the old space of Eclectric Music + Audio.

And something is opening soon at 140 James N. If I had to guess I'd say it'll be an antique/vintage shop due to the old signage posted in the windows.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^There are likely a couple posters here who know exactly what's happening there.

[arch100]

Saint James Espresso Bar and Eatery, opening soon at 170 James N.

http://www.saint-james.ca/

Needlework have reopened too following renovations.

[Jon Dalton]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

^There are likely a couple posters here who know exactly what's happening there.

Don't know...don't care

[mattgrande]

I just miss the old woman that used to sell me my tobacco...

[lucasmascotto]

Councillors back sale of downtown alley to speed James North reno project
By: Dave Churchill
(The Hamilton Spectator: Monday, February 23, 2015)

Hamilton councillors have recommended the sale of a downtown alley that is key to a James Street North revitalization project.

The city's public works committee Monday morning backed a plan that will see the deteriorating alley sold to Core Urban Inc. to facilitate a proposal which would see unused space turned into offices for dozens of workers.

Core Urban Inc. wants to combine a five-storey narrow building at 14 James St. N. with a smaller three-storey structure beside it. To do that, it needs to acquire the alley that leads off James Street between the buildings.

The alley — which is essentially a tunnel with two-stories of unused office space above — would be developed into a lobby and elevator that would service the combined project.

Steve Kulakowski of Core Urban said if the sale of the alleyway gets the approval of council Wednesday, the company is ready to move quickly on its plans.

Drawings have been completed and Core Urban is set to begin the formal approvals process, he said.

"We don't like to wait on properties. We want to get going."

Core Urban has been responsible for a number of recent projects in Hamilton, including the Witton Lofts, the Empire Times Building and the Herkimer Apartments. They recently bought the former Reardon's Meats building on King William.

The project got a boost Monday when a lawyer for DeSantis Group Inc. withdrew its objection to the sale of the alley. DeSantis owns a major piece of property next door to the site, which is currently being used a parking lot but is slated for development.

Scott Snider, a lawyer representing DeSantis, withdrew the company's objections when councillors said they would give written assurance that trespassers would be discouraged from using the DeSantis property and that the city will not impose any setbacks on the future DeSantis development as a result of the sale of the alley.

Irene Huber of Aragon Properties said business owners at 13 and 15 King St. E. as well as the Right House at 35 King St. E. still have concerns about closing part of the alleyway. She believes access to the rear entrances of those King Street businesses will be restricted if the alley is lost and DeSantis develops its property.

"They use the alley and the DeSantis property to turn," she said. She has concerns there will be nowhere safe for delivery trucks to unload and that garbage trucks will now be forced to back out onto King William Street.

If the project goes ahead, Core Urban would entirely renovate both buildings, including adding a glassed-in fourth floor on 10-12 James and plenty of glass at street level.

The upper levels of the two buildings have not been used for decades. The building at 10-12 James St. N. has a cash lender and nail parlour on the ground floor, while 14 James is now home to Kohler Drugs. But neither of the buildings is occupied on the floors above. There is a total of 30,000 square feet of space.

City staff recommended handing the alley over to Core Urban for $2. City staff in its report said selling the alleyway would save the city on "significant repairs and associated alley costs."

[interr0bangr]

Nourishing Health opened this weekend in one of the old gallery spaces north of Barton. 328 James N.

http://nourishinghealth.ca/

[LikeHamilton]

James Street North Food Tour

Come have brunch with us on James Street North!
James Street North a happening neighbourhood in the heart of Hamilton that boasts amazing restaurants, cafes, bakeries and shops!

Who should take this tour:
This tour is perfect for locals looking to find hidden gems and visitors wishing to explore downtown Hamilton. Come and see what you are missing!

Why take this tour:
Our 3.5 hour walking tour takes you around the neighbourhood exploring Hamilton's rich history while tasting mouth watering dishes and visiting cool shops. This tour includes:

A "wake-up" coffee or tea with some delectable breakfast items at a former hotel
An eclectic restaurant that creates a menu with whatever they want, when they want and you're lucky enough to be the one who gets to taste their creations
A restaurant that does things a little differently and makes you wonder how you ever lived without them
An Italian bakery that does everything thoroughly since 1966
A store that loves Hamilton even more than we do
An insight into Hamilton's era as the Ambitious City
And more!

Time: 10:30 am to approximately 2:00 pm
Dates: Every 3rd Saturday, May to October
Total Stops: 6+
Accessible: No, some establishments have a few stairs
Capacity: 8 guests
Parking: Street or municipal parking lot at 22 Mulberry Street.

Meeting spot: 193 James Street North, Hamilton, ON

Book @

http://www.hamiltonfoodtours.ca/page...4471-276586169

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

a bylaw amendment exempting street vendors on one street one day a month.

Originally Posted by thistleclub

Interesting. Anyone got a PDF link or a date that this amendment was introduced? (Presumably post-2011.)

Maybe never: A Change.org petition has been launched to create a licensing system to allow artists to conduct open air sales.

[lucasmascotto]

City fights landlord of James North thrift shop in court
By: Teviah Moro
(The Hamilton Spectator: Thursday, May 07, 2015)



The city is waging a legal battle against a North End landlord over a longtime thrift shop in her building.

Lory James, who owns 520 James St. N., is chalking it up to more tony municipal ambitions for the traditionally working-class but increasingly expensive area.

"They're basically wanting to kick out the thrift shop because they're gentrifying the neighbourhood, as far as I can see," James said Wednesday.

But the city says the property is residential and no longer carries the zoning it once did for second-hand retail and rental storage units.

"There is enforcement on the property currently before the court for the illegal use of the thrift shop," said city spokesperson Ann Lamanes.

James argues the original use of the 23,000-square-foot building, a textile factory built in the late 1940s, has been grandfathered.

But Lamanes says the "legally established nonconforming use" of that factory "has been lost through discontinuance" because it was abandoned in favour of a warehouse.

The dispute is scheduled to be settled at trial in provincial court Oct. 30.

"I am not ceasing use. I am not going to kick out the thrift shop," said James, a Toronto-based entrepreneur who was charged in May 2013 for allegedly using the property as a commercial business, contrary to the bylaw.

Her tenant, the New Horizons Thrift Store, is watching from the sidelines.

"It's a healthy and important part of the neighbourhood," said Jennifer Kellner, executive director of the Welcome Inn Community Centre on Wood Street East, the charity that operates the store.

The Welcome Inn, which has a mission to eradicate poverty, took over the 4,500-square-foot thrift shop in 2008, but the store has operated at the same site for about 30 years, Kellner said.

Proceeds from its sales support the charity's services, including a food bank, youth drop-in centre, after-school programs and seniors' dining.

That's between $5,000 and $10,000 a year, she said, noting the centre also relies on other funding sources. The charity's average yearly operating budget is about $400,000.

The thrift store sells second-hand clothing, games and toys, household items, books and DVDs. Apart from a part-time manager, it's run by volunteers.

New Horizons serves residents in the North End who have scant access to inexpensive products, says Tom Cooper, director of the Hamilton Roundtable for Poverty Reduction.

It's also a solid, community-run social enterprise that serves as a neighbourhood hub, Cooper added. "I really do hope they find a solution to this and find a way to stay open."

Kellner, who said she's not privy to details of her landlord's legal battle, isn't certain eviction is imminent.

But if it comes to that, New Horizons will search for a new location, she added.

"From our perspective, we are committed to being in the North End."

James says bylaw officers have issued her business, Glacier Trading Company, with zoning violation notices a few times since she bought the building in 2000.

Those were settled without legal wrangling, she says.

"Four times it's been put to bed. Now, this is the fifth time it's reared its ugly head again."

If convicted on the provincial charge, her company could face an initial fine of up to $50,000 and, after that, a daily maximum of $25,000 if more convictions follow for ongoing noncompliance.

Coun. Jason Farr, whose ward includes the North End, declined to comment because the dispute is before the court.

There is other commerce in the mixed-use strip. New Horizons is next to Dowsar Marine Supplies, at the corner of Macaulay Street East.

A bar called Our Corner, the James Milk convenience store and Fisher's restaurant are also in the area, which has single-family and multi-residential homes.

It's one of 11 prioritized areas in the city's Neighbourhood Action Strategy, an effort to help residents with projects aimed at improving their communities.

The historically working-class North Enders have watched property values spike considerably, in part with the prospect of a new GO station on James North.

Last year, building owner James voiced concern about gentrification of the area during a public meeting dealing with the impacts of the future railway station.

Such change shouldn't be forced overnight, she said Wednesday.

"For me, that's bullying."

Cooper said mixed-income neighbourhoods are healthy but worries low-income residents are being pushed out.

"It's something our community needs to take seriously."

[rousseau]

How can you gentrify James Street north of the tracks? It's a hideous hodge podge of project housing, vinyl siding and suburban style development. There's nothing urban to work with there. It has zero charm or potential.

Likewise, the North End as a whole. I recall there being a few expensive houses along Bay Street when I lived there in the 1980s, but I have a hard time imagining gentrifiers flocking to an area that looks so depressing.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by rousseau

How can you gentrify James Street north of the tracks? It's a hideous hodge podge of project housing, vinyl siding and suburban style development. There's nothing urban to work with there. It has zero charm or potential.

Likewise, the North End as a whole. I recall there being a few expensive houses along Bay Street when I lived there in the 1980s, but I have a hard time imagining gentrifiers flocking to an area that looks so depressing.

There's plenty to work with if you go a few blocks further north (closer to the water).

[Jon Dalton]

^ Have you seen the house prices in the north end lately?