The brickwork and glass finishes on its front facing Caroline looks, well, typical for any new suburban long-term stay hotel anywhere really.
I'll betcha the Homewood Suites ends up not nearly as shiny and pretty as the rendering. It would be a serious departure for Vranich if that were to happen.
Not sure why you wanted to change it to read suburban. The building is decidedly urban, fronting directly on the sidewalk with streamlined facade, and practically all the property is occupied by the structure and no surface parking space.
What makes you label it as suburban?
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"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul"
-George Bernard Shaw
Vranich Shares Details of Downtown Development Plan
Quote:
Vranich said he is adding five storeys to the old Revenue Canada building at Main and Caroline and converting it to condos. Beside it, he's building a 450-car garage, both above and below ground. Next to that, a 16-storey condo and, finally, a hotel at Bay and Main. He said two more tall cranes will soon join the one already erected.
He said the garage would be finished by September and the condo tower by Christmas, which seems fast.
The developer also said plans are proceeding for a multi-level garage on the block bounded by Main, Hess, Caroline and George.
At street level, he proposes a Shoppers Drug Mart, LCBO outlet and a grocery store, which he'd like to see occupy two storeys. He believes those services and the new McMaster health centre at Bay and Main will make his condos more attractive.
I really hope that somehow this project ends up as it sounds but as usual Vranich's record is hard to shake and I can't help but think the architectural quality will once again have that semi-suburban, mostly stucco look. Seriously, downtown Hamilton needs more glass and steel and this project would be wonderful if done right.
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"Above all, Hamilton must learn to think like a city, not a suburban hybrid where residents drive everywhere. What makes Hamilton interesting is the fact it's a city. The sprawl that surrounds it, which can be found all over North America, is running out of time."
Regarding phasing: no phasing of the project is taking place. A second crane is going up in the next week or two, east of the current tall crane. He says he will build a total of 3 buildings at once.
Five stories of lofts are being added to the top of the existing Revenue Canada building at Main and Caroline.
A 25-storey glass and steel condo tower will be built on the east side of the the Revenue Canada building.
A 17-storey Hilton Homewood Suites will be built on the sliver of land at George and Bay.
... there will be street-level retail space along George in every building.
There will also be some retail facing Main - but obviously less, due to the fact it's a freeway.
Preliminary ideas include possibly a restaurant in the ground floor of the Revenue Canada Building facing Main, and an LCBO or other larger format store facing Main. Smaller retail, pubs, patios etc.... will be the norm on George in an attempt to link Hess to Bay.
Vranich spoke with the city about cobblestoning George right to Bay, but they said they will wait until all of his construction is done and then consider it.
A sketch of the proposed development was published in Hamilton Magazine ~ it looks pretty good.
However, this is what we were told the Staybridge Suites would look like:
ya know, I never really fully appreciated the anti stucco sentiment in regards to this project. "Sure", I thought, "it could have looked nicer, but really, how much nicer?"
Now I can see. That original concept is so much nicer and befitting of a prominent downtown structure.
ya know, I never really fully appreciated the anti stucco sentiment in regards to this project. "Sure", I thought, "it could have looked nicer, but really, how much nicer?"
Now I can see. That original concept is so much nicer and befitting of a prominent downtown structure.
Everything that makes that rendering what it is is all facade or ornamental; none of it is structural. This means it could all be added on to the current structure at any time. For that reason I wish people would stop rushing to judge this building before it's complete. It could look very different from its current state on opening day, or it may look the same! We'll just have to WAIT and see.
What I don't understand is how this hotel is being considered a prominent downtown structure - It is seven-storey mid-rise on the corner of George and Caroline (certainly not a significant downtown intersection), and it will soon be dwarfed by a 17-storey hotel at Bay and George and a 25-storey condominium at Main and Caroline, two much more prominent locations on primary roads in the core.
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"A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul"
-George Bernard Shaw
In the spring 2012 Hamilton Magazine, on page 23, is a rendering of 150 Main Street complete with the old federal building incorporated in it. My regular computer is out for repaired and I cannot scan in my back up computer. Can someone scan it and post. Thanks
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