Quote:
Originally Posted by HamiltonBoyInToronto
Just feels like a mall conversion off the hwy in suburbia...at least one tower should be thr city's new tallest and should have anything but a flat roof that is lit at night
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I get the impression this is how developers legitimately feel. Hamilton is lumped into the rest of the 905 and unless we take action our developments will mirror that.
This scheme is partly a consequence of the city's desperation for development. While I understand this goal, we are now in a much better position to work with developers to make a better city instead of simply working to get development at all. On smaller, less prominent sites I think that it can be forgiven, but this is where a former city hall once was, occupying a large retail site in the core of the city. I do think that if there are any planners working at city hall at all, they will have negotiated successfully for a better outcome. Maybe not more height, but perhaps a better arrangement of density.
My idea of a 'better arrangement' does involve more height. I would take inspiration from Transit City and M1/M2. They are tall, dense, and use cost-effective floorplates, which we encourage. This leaves plenty of room at the base to do more interesting things in terms of the at-grade experience. It would ironically make this feel less imposing. Like Mississauga, it might also make us reconsider the height limit-- but only for exceptional cases where significant density is planned anyway, like here.
I would also consider full integration with Jackson Square and especially the pavilion above, not necessarily for the connectivity benefits but to stimulate some activity from the lessors. Either it can be an opportunity to reactivate the disused public space above (ice rink or concert venue anyone?) or prompt the lessors to say 'no' to integration, and perhaps give us a better idea of what they might be intending to do going forward.
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