Downtown Update

[ScreamingViking]

Plus the land along the QEW in Oakville and Burlington is nearly maxed out, or would require redevelopment of existing buildings.

I don't know what the plans are for the greenfield properties adjacent to the 401 in Milton but I assume the stretch from James Snow to the 407 interchange will be much like the lands west and east of it. That's one of the last "open" areas on the west side of the GTA.

Hamilton's proximity to the borders (especially with New York state) is a huge plus as well. Hopefully we see more redevelopment of empty former industrial lots, like that new business park on Victoria... some will require remediation but as other more easily developed land is gobbled up those blocks become more attractive and economically viable.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by Beedok

It’s good to see employment focused construction increasing so significantly. Hope to see that continue, so the city can fight off all those claims of ‘just being a Toronto suburb now’.

That's what Niagara has started to become. a suburb err exurb of the GTA

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by Wigs

That's what Niagara has started to become. a suburb err exurb of the GTA

Become a suburb of Hamilton instead.
(I do think West Lincoln should flip to being in Hamilton’s CMA soon.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by Beedok

Become a suburb of Hamilton instead.
(I do think West Lincoln should flip to being in Hamilton’s CMA soon.

Have at it! West Lincoln is full of right wing born again "Christian" fundamentalist nutters
Take all the Sam Oosterhoff and David Bylsma types, please!

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Wigs

Have at it! West Lincoln is full of right wing born again "Christian" fundamentalist nutters
Take all the Sam Oosterhoff and David Bylsma types, please!

They can't all be like that.

Besides, there are plenty of wingnuts in Hamilton already. Many of the best of them hold city council seats.

[Wigs]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

They can't all be like that.

Besides, there are plenty of wingnuts in Hamilton already. Many of the best of them hold city council seats.

oh sorry, some of the ones who aren't are the ones who don't believe in wearing seatbelts and become human projectiles in an accident.

My friend that's a 911 dispatcher "You can always tell when the call comes from West Lincoln"

back to Hamilton, it's exciting to watch all the development happening in downtown and everywhere creating infill and adding population density to the city.

[TheHonestMaple]

That's the one thing missing from the immediate downtown core - people. There are very very few residential buildings within 500m of Gore Park. That's why the downtown core isn't the most inviting place to be. We need more people to support the shops and restaurants in the area. You need people to lodge complaints about the riff raff and clean up the area. You need people to create an inviting presence.

Fortunately that all seems to be changing. The core should look totally different in the next three years.

[ScreamingViking]

Having more people downtown will reduce the impact of the "riff raff." Some troubled souls will seek less active areas of town, but the change in street life will make those who stay less of a focus.

Cobalt, Connaught, the redevelopment of the south side of Gore Park, other new builds on the surrounding blocks... all will help make downtown a more interesting, vibrant, and balanced place.

Where I live, west side of downtown, there are a few homeless folks and some group homes not far away. I have to say that the people I see most often who need help are extremely polite -- they're happy to accept it, and quite thankful for anything, but they don't push.

[TheHonestMaple]

I agree, more people living down there and they won't be the focus. Sort of like Toronto.

But I have to say, you need active members of the community that actually live and work in the area who are willing to make phone calls to police and social services regularly. You need people willing to take a stand and say, no you can't do drugs in the middle of the park or loiter. Right now we don't have that, because simply put, no one really lives there. The area around John Rebecca Park is completely void of residential buildings, but full of crime, homelessness and drug addicts. It's the sad truth.

Putting over two thousand high earning residents who care about their neighbourhood right across the street from that area is going to dramatically change the scene.

[Wigs]

I thought you Hamiltonians might want to add your input to this thread in the city discussions forum

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=249157

[TheHonestMaple]

The design review panel will discuss three applications next Thursday.

- 121 & 135 Mary Street (Good Shepherd Building)
- 27 King William
- 537 King Street East (former Rebels Rock bar)

Documents will apparently go up on the website tomorrow afternoon.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

The design review panel will discuss three applications next Thursday.

- 121 & 135 Mary Street (Good Shepherd Building)
- 27 King William
- 537 King Street East (former Rebels Rock bar)

Documents will apparently go up on the website tomorrow afternoon.

Hm these are all interesting. I'm curious what the King William one is going to be. That's an existing filled property with Relay on the ground floor. Perhaps a back extension?

[Markus83]

Taken yesterday. December 2, 2021

[TheHonestMaple]

Can't wait for this street to start getting ripped up next year!

[Innsertnamehere]

My least favourite part of the LRT is still the tree loss in the international village. It’s such a unique little retail street the way it is right now.

[TheHonestMaple]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

My least favourite part of the LRT is still the tree loss in the international village. It’s such a unique little retail street the way it is right now.

I believe part of the memorandum of understanding was that any trees that were removed in the process will simply be replaced on the new sidewalk. Someone can correct me if i'm wrong.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

I believe part of the memorandum of understanding was that any trees that were removed in the process will simply be replaced on the new sidewalk. Someone can correct me if i'm wrong.

So two things:

1) I had thought this as well, but was corrected that the memorandum includes every tree removed will be replace 2 or 3 fold, but not necessarily along the route of LRT. It's a tight ROW so there may be many sections with no trees whatsoever where there currently are trees.

2) It's still unfortunate the loss of mature trees. International village and James St N ate partly made by the mature trees. Even if every tree is replaced in International village tomorrow, it will be 20 years before they look anywhere similar to how they look now.

[TheHonestMaple]

To be fair we don't even know how many trees will be lost. Let's hope whoever is designing the LRT will make some effort to keep them.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

To be fair we don't even know how many trees will be lost. Let's hope whoever is designing the LRT will make some effort to keep them.

I'm pretty sure it'll be every tree in the ROW will be removed. It's faster, cheaper and significantly easier. Much of the underground utilities will likely affect tree root space. I'd have to reread the EA to find out about tree sitch though. I'll read through it perhaps today.

[Innsertnamehere]

The rendering on the Metrolinx website for the LRT shows it through the international village with no replacement trees:




At least they are going for pavers throughout the right of way, which should lower vehicle speeds?