City of Hamilton General Discussion Thread

[ZTrade]

https://investinhamilton.ca/ftz/

Today, the Government of Canada announced the formal recognition of Hamilton as a Foreign Trade Zone Point. This important designation greatly enhances services for Hamilton companies with global ambitions.

Hamilton’s Foreign Trade Zone point aims to help businesses expand their reach to international markets through a combination of tax and duty relief programs, tariff exemptions and exclusive concierge investment services by a dedicated group of sector experts. These individuals are at the ready to assist businesses with inquiries, information, programs and incentives to advance and expand international trade opportunities. Hamilton’s FTZ point also provides direct contact and programs offered by the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) as well as the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and various Federal and Provincial programs that may be available.

How effective does everyone think this will be at attracting business? Maybe is Airport lands and Stelco lands get developed with advanced manufacturing and other businesses, Hamilton's prominence at being an exporter will grow.

[ScreamingViking]

I believe the city and major transportation players (like the airport and port authority) have been asking for this for a while.

I think the things that make Hamilton more attractive for business (e.g., improvements to our freight facilities) and local growth of sectors that are "value added" with respect to the economy are already paying off, but the designation certainly helps. I don't know if it's a game-changer but perhaps some economic developments will be accelerated because of it.

Originally Posted by ZTrade

https://investinhamilton.ca/ftz/

Today, the Government of Canada announced the formal recognition of Hamilton as a Foreign Trade Zone Point. This important designation greatly enhances services for Hamilton companies with global ambitions.

Hamilton’s Foreign Trade Zone point aims to help businesses expand their reach to international markets through a combination of tax and duty relief programs, tariff exemptions and exclusive concierge investment services by a dedicated group of sector experts. These individuals are at the ready to assist businesses with inquiries, information, programs and incentives to advance and expand international trade opportunities. Hamilton’s FTZ point also provides direct contact and programs offered by the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) as well as the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and various Federal and Provincial programs that may be available.

How effective does everyone think this will be at attracting business? Maybe is Airport lands and Stelco lands get developed with advanced manufacturing and other businesses, Hamilton's prominence at being an exporter will grow.

[Chronamut]

Alright so I couldn't remember the name of this development so I am just going to post these here - oddly enough there was noone on site for this and the area was wide open,.. soo I took the opportunity to quickly snap some pics before the hoarding went back up - enjoy!

That brick/arch/pillars/concrete combo looks like a hot mess - I am not sure how they are going to even that out..

Brick wise this place is a mess - they weren't even consistent with the yellow brick columning going up the building - it's really bizarre.. from what I can glean the yellow is actually a finish on the brick that has faded over time.. and some places have like 3 or 4 different materials added for this weird hackneyed look..


































correct me if I am wrong but is this not where homegrown was moving to? Also it's nice to see the covering ripped off the building to the left of it..

They've actually done a beautiful job of repairing the columns - they were all oxidized and green and the tops were all rusted before..

you can see the last update on google maps HERE

across the street there is another building that had been horribly rusted undergoing renovations..







aand to end it off the beautiful treble hall - so sad nothing of this calibre will ever get built ever again..

[Chronamut]

Also some pics of the "renovations" or just in some cases "scaffolding" in the gore..



looks like they are removing some of the stones







they are busy renovating these buildings.. should be great to see them all restored..



this ones still rotting and slowly deteriorating... although I did see lights on inside.. so maybe they are doing the inside first and outside last..

[LikeHamilton]

For the address for King William and John, it was the Windsor Hotel at least back to 1944 (Vernon's Directory) @ 31 John Street North. Before that it was the Astor Hotel.

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by LikeHamilton

For the address for King William and John, it was the Windsor Hotel at least back to 1944 (Vernon's Directory) @ 31 John Street North. Before that it was the Astor Hotel.

If anyone has any vintage images of this when the columns were still showing and the arches visible on this building I would love to see it, just to get a sense of what this building ACTUALLY originally looked like - as the windsor hotel had all that covered up.. and as you can see below even the astor hotel showed it differently.. which means the arches and columns predates all of that..

windsor:



astor:



it's interesting to note though that the pediments above the windows like so many places in the downtown were once much more ornate on the original building than they are now..

also some interior shots:

upper floor:

first floor (older images)

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^So what happened here? The developer ran outta dough?

[Innsertnamehere]

thanks for the tour. Interesting to see scaffolding on 58 King, I don't believe there is an active application for it.

The skyjack in front of 62/64 King is good news, it appears they are just starting work there too.

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

^So what happened here? The developer ran outta dough?

No I think they were just working on the interior - if I look at google maps from a couple months ago they were still working on reforming the arches - so this exterior part appears new.

Also I cannot say for certainty - but the facade of the original hotel appeared to be dark - I think the iron columns may have been added at that time - which is why they stick out farther than the arches, which would have been covered up at that time.

In addition the yellow parts of the windows far overhang these arches, which makes me believe that perhaps the arches are from the 1800s and the rest of it was progressively added on top in later historical times. Like many buildings this one appears to be one that has slowly accumulated more styles over time.

The columns would have looked almost exactly like the columns on the treble hall building - unfortunately most of the Corinthian elements on the top have been lost - you can see a tiny part left on the king william side on the left most pillar - it still has a bit of it left on one corner. I don't know if they can re-forge those.

Which means like the treble hall it most likely would have had the mid level cornice as well which is now far lost to time that separates the main level from the 2nd and third floors.. I don't know if they have the skill to replicate that, or even know that it would have originally been there..

I really wish they hadn't ripped all the original pediments off though - I will like to see those return in time. So much of this beautiful building was either lost, covered up, or replaced..

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

thanks for the tour. Interesting to see scaffolding on 58 King, I don't believe there is an active application for it.

The skyjack in front of 62/64 King is good news, it appears they are just starting work there too.

I seriously am curious as to how they are going to clean that stone.. the top of that building is a MESS. This is why you don't cap a building with metal.. all that rust runoff..

[TheRitsman]

You were looking for this: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8293202

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

You were looking for this: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?p=8293202

yup. That will be the one! I shall update it now with the pics.

Also in reference to the building on king with the rust stains at the top..

Just like everything else in this blasted city the plain looking building with the rust damage on the top was once a lot grander looking than it looks now..

[Chronamut]

I also found this - the copp block in its prime - when ALL the pediments were still on it - now half of them are missing and it's just sorta sad..

[Chronamut]

So I have been canvassing a lot of the buildings downtown,.. and I have noticed one uniform thing.

Alot of the buildings are beautiful - BUT it is buried under a century or two of grime. The brick is sooty, and the stone is stained.

We saw the world of difference sodablasting did to the buildings on james st, and some of the schools, would the city be able to offer this as a solution to cleaning the outside of the buildings? Maybe offer it like a service like window cleaners offer their service? If you can clean the glass you should routinely clean the brick and stone too right?

And sodablasting, unlike brick blasting which uses tiny bits of nut shells, doesn't actually damage the brick - it is a chemical reaction that causes the dirt to literally explode off the surface of the brick and stone, working at a microscopic level.

I think I would make a world of difference to a lot of buildings that are still beautiful, but just.. absolutely filthy! Also I know a lot of people who simply aren't aware you CAN clean stone and brick this way.

Case in point:

Before:



after:

[lucch]

Hi guys, new member but love the forum! I'm looking for a source for floor plans, elevations and general planning documents for proposed developments. Does the city post these somewhere for the public to access? I've seen mention of Cityshare but not familiar with it..... thanks!

[ZTrade]

Originally Posted by lucch

Hi guys, new member but love the forum! I'm looking for a source for floor plans, elevations and general planning documents for proposed developments. Does the city post these somewhere for the public to access? I've seen mention of Cityshare but not familiar with it..... thanks!

Hey, welcome to the forum.

Here is an interactive map from the city hall website. You can click on each pin on the map and a description will pop up. Enjoy: https://www.hamilton.ca/develop-property/planning-applications/development-applications-mapping

[lucch]

Originally Posted by ZTrade

Hey, welcome to the forum.

Here is an interactive map from the city hall website. You can click on each pin on the map and a description will pop up. Enjoy: https://www.hamilton.ca/develop-property/planning-applications/development-applications-mapping

Anywhere I can find specific plans and any relevant planning docs for those developments found across the map?

[Chronamut]

Merry christmas everyone! Hope you are all able to spend it with someone important to you!

[King&James]

Merry Christmas - hope Santa was good to all .... and will deliver us some development treats in 2021

[atnor]

Originally Posted by Chronamut

Merry christmas everyone! Hope you are all able to spend it with someone important to you!

Merry Christmas Chron, I hope you got a cornice for Christmas.