Downtown Update

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by Sehnsucht

Pigott building is at least as historically significant as the RC (just a different era), particularly as it's the only neo-gothic skyscraper in the city. They're condos, but I can't comment on the finishings--it was the mid-1990s.

No single project has been the catalyst for Hamilton's rejuvenation. It's a complex set of contributing factors--artists buying up James North, restoration of the Lister Block, restoration of the Hunter Street GO station. All of these projects work together to form a critical mass. Then the tipping point . . . . All of which are highly noticeable in a medium-sized major Canadian city like ours.

I'm delighted to see the RC done (despite the horrible wings), but let's not overpraise it as the great spark that ignited downtown interest.

I've been personally told by those associated with the projects you mentioned in your post, that the RC has been the catalyst for most of the future developments we're seeing proposed and U/C. We can agree to disagree but this is a Five Phase development in excess of hundreds of millions of dollars. All of that being invested into one city block in the downtown core. You can't discount hundreds of millions of dollars being invested by a single project into the core and how it has and how it will continue to bring in future businesses into the core, therefore impacting it moving forward.

Further, on a National level, the RC has been referred to as the catalyst for Downtown Hamilton by the National Post and Globe and Mail on different occasions within the last five years, not to mention on a local level as well (Toronto Star, Spec, etc)

[davidcappi]

The entire development is in excess of hundreds of millions of dollars. It's a catalyst.

Not enough money for real bricks, apparently.

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by Sehnsucht

Pigott building is at least as historically significant as the RC (just a different era), particularly as it's the only neo-gothic skyscraper in the city. They're condos, but I can't comment on the finishings--it was the mid-1990s.

No single project has been the catalyst for Hamilton's rejuvenation. It's a complex set of contributing factors--artists buying up James North, restoration of the Lister Block, restoration of the Hunter Street GO station. All of these projects work together to form a critical mass. Then the tipping point . . . . All of which are highly noticeable in a medium-sized major Canadian city like ours.

I'm delighted to see the RC done (despite the horrible wings), but let's not overpraise it as the great spark that ignited downtown interest.

the pigott building was actually the first skyscraper to be built in hamilton - and has art-deco and marble elements inside of it - really beautiful inside, like something out of a batman movie:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigott_Building

it also has a haunted elevator

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by davidcappi

Not enough money for real bricks, apparently.

How pissed were you after you trespassed onto the site and realized the addition portion was precast?

When can I see you at Yuk Yuk's David? Would give you a standing ovation for your jokes.

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by hamilton23

I've been personally told by those associated with the projects you mentioned in your post, that the RC has been the catalyst for most of the future developments we're seeing proposed and U/C. We can agree to disagree but this is a Five Phase development in excess of hundreds of millions of dollars. All of that being invested into one city block in the downtown core. You can't discount hundreds of millions of dollars being invested by a single project into the core and how it has and how it will continue to bring in future businesses into the core, therefore impacting it moving forward.

Further, on a National level, the RC has been referred to as the catalyst for Downtown Hamilton by the National Post and Globe and Mail on different occasions within the last five years, not to mention on a local level as well (Toronto Star, Spec, etc)

don't forget the lister block - the reconstruction of that building imo was what truly kickstarted the revival because it was the biggest symbol of hamilton's decline, converted to the greatest symbol of hamilton's revival - it spurred the redevelopment of all of james st and king william st.

I would say the RC was instumental in bringing condo development to hamilton though

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by hamilton23

How pissed were you after you trespassed onto the site and realized the addition portion was precast?

lol.

I still wish the precast portion had been the same colour as the brown of the original building..

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by Chronamut

the pigott building was actually the first skyscraper to be built in hamilton - and has art-deco and marble elements inside of it - really beautiful inside, like something out of a batman movie:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigott_Building

it also has a haunted elevator

I love that building and i'm not downplaying its historical significance to Hamilton.

I'm just stating that this is a larger project. Five Phases, over 700 luxury units with lots of commercial space as well. Therefore, bringing in more people into the core, thus creating further development.

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by hamilton23

I love that building and i'm not downplaying its historical significance to Hamilton.

I'm just stating that this is a larger project. Five Phases, over 700 luxury units with lots of commercial space as well. Therefore, bringing in more people into the core, thus creating further development.

I will agree with you on that

[davidcappi]

When can I see you at Yuk Yuk's David? Would give you a standing ovation for your jokes.

I'll be sure to give you a call, JR. I'll save you a ticket.

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by davidcappi

I'll be sure to give you a call, JR. I'll save you a ticket.

Haha you're so cute thinking 'JR' would make me upset!

What day is your set David? Will you cover the drinks too? Maybe some food as well?

Let's leave this thread for Downtown Updates, David.

If you wanna keep up the talking, my DM's are always open for you (L)

[movingtohamilton]

Originally Posted by hamilton23

Haha you're so cute thinking 'JR' would make me upset!

What day is your set David? Will you cover the drinks too? Maybe some food as well?

ENOUGH! Will both of you please stop this! Take your squabble to private messaging, or punch each other out in an alley, or both.

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by movingtohamilton

ENOUGH! Will both of you please stop this! Take your squabble to private messaging, or punch each other out in an alley, or both.

you should become a marriage counselor

[atnor]

Anyone that doubts the significance of the RC revitalization is either ignorant or has sour grapes (ie: davidcappi's constant whinging, mind you, I'd be pissed if I was banned from the property as well).

No other project downtown is as significant as the RC. Period. The quality of the units are far superior than other condos, the building is historical, and 700 new residents will call downtown home.

[king10]

I think the City of Hamilton's downtown DC exemption and incremental property tax phase in program should receive a great deal of credit as well. Without those, potential developers would not have seen the ROI they are seeing based on historical land values.

[mattgrande]

I absolutely agree that RC is significant, but to describe it as the catalyst for downtown improving is ignorant. It had been slowly improving for nearly ten years prior.

[durandy]

Bold statements Hamilton23. I'd be very interested in hearing from other developers. The counterargument I'd make is that assembly and planning start so far ahead of construction that any projects nearing construction in the years following approval of Connaught would probably have been planned a decade or so ahead of the Connaught. Look at Blanchard at the Gore, LIUNA at Kresge, everything by Vrancor, or Effort Trust at 46-50 King. These projects, along with the Connaught, will be defining projects for downtown in 25 years. Even so, I'm sure all of those developers have been looking at and inspired by the RC for marketing and planning - but I'd be surprised if the RC team hasn't been doing the same with Vrancor's projects during the past 5 years.

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by mattgrande

I absolutely agree that RC is significant, but to describe it as the catalyst for downtown improving is ignorant. It had been slowly improving for nearly ten years prior.

You can't deny the amount of money the entire development is bringing to the core.

It's not just Phase 1 and 2. We have 3 other future phases, which take up a city block right smack in the core. That's over 700 residents and new people living in the core and spending money in the core, working in the core, etc. Not to mention other projects that have arisen based on this entire development. This entire development costs hundreds of millions of dollars. Prior to this, what other development actually was spending hundreds of millions of dollars in the core?

Do you think you would be seeing such ambitious projects that cost a lot of money to design and build, if the RC wasn't around? And I don't mean just one more project, there's so many proposed and U/C high end projects right now. This specific rate of development wouldn't exist without this development.

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by durandy

Bold statements Hamilton23. I'd be very interested in hearing from other developers. The counterargument I'd make is that assembly and planning start so far ahead of construction that any projects nearing construction in the years following approval of Connaught would probably have been planned a decade or so ahead of the Connaught. Look at Blanchard at the Gore, LIUNA at Kresge, everything by Vrancor, or Effort Trust at 46-50 King. These projects, along with the Connaught, will be defining projects for downtown in 25 years. Even so, I'm sure all of those developers have been looking at and inspired by the RC for marketing and planning - but I'd be surprised if the RC team hasn't been doing the same with Vrancor's projects during the past 5 years.

To be honest, we haven't looked at Vrancors marketing materials once... A lot of our residents actually were bought out of their deals at 150 main. The entire building was turned into rentals by the developer in the summer. It's not a secret either. Each of these residents tell us the difference in quality from that building to ours.

I agree about other developments happening now though that will help the core grow even bigger and better. I know there's a variety of newly proposed and U/C projects on the go, and I think the more, the better for the core and downtown itself. I can speak on the Liuna project though, and tell you it wasn't in development for years prior the Connaught. It was more recent. I do know that we've had private meeting with top builders from Toronto and BC who have told us our entire development has spearheaded the condo movement in Downtown Hamilton.

[durandy]

Originally Posted by hamilton23

To be honest, we haven't looked at Vrancors marketing materials once... A lot of our residents actually were bought out of their deals at 150 main. The entire building was turned into rentals by the developer in the summer. It's not a secret either. Each of these residents tell us the difference in quality from that building to ours.

I agree about other developments happening now though that will help the core grow even bigger and better. I know there's a variety of newly proposed and U/C projects on the go, and I think the more, the better for the core and downtown itself. I can speak on the Liuna project though, and tell you it wasn't in development for years prior the Connaught. It was more recent.

Agreed about the difference in quality. Vrancor hopefully will improve this in its new projects and at Queen and King. I didn't know that about 150 Main, thanks for the insight.

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by durandy

Agreed about the difference in quality. Vrancor hopefully will improve this in its new projects and at Queen and King. I didn't know that about 150 Main, thanks for the insight.

I'm sure their new build will be nice! Yeah, no one on this board seemed to mention it.

They cold called people who had already purchased and moved into units and ask them if they could buy them back. Not sure if any purchaser took them to litigation on this, but I know that a lot of people wanted out anyways. I won't get into stuff i've heard about how the building was managed.