City of Hamilton General Discussion Thread

[Chronamut]

This is a video by a british philosopher about beauty and how our world is lacking it- he also touches on this with modern architecture.. it reflects a lot of how I feel, both as an artist and an architect, and one reason I have largely abandoned both, for I cannot strive for something the world does not value.

• Video Link

[Chronamut]

I personally love the concept in the pier 8 image:

https://mccallumsather.com/projects/pier-8-pursuit/

Where the top footprint of the buildings that cover a piece of land is replaced with greenery. There is no excuse that the top area of the footprint you took up to cover a piece of land cannot then be restored to nature - - tiering the building so that that nature can be appreciated for all that live there - so that if you were to look from a birds-eye view, it would look like the nature was never disturbed, where greenery exists on top of buildings - trees bushes and all.

I really think this should be the future of the city - no more asphalt everywhere and sterile building tops.

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by Chronamut

I personally love the concept in the pier 8 image:

https://mccallumsather.com/projects/pier-8-pursuit/

Where the top footprint of the buildings that cover a piece of land is replaced with greenery. There is no excuse that the top area of the footprint you took up to cover a piece of land cannot then be restored to nature - - tiering the building so that that nature can be appreciated for all that live there - so that if you were to look from a birds-eye view, it would look like the nature was never disturbed, where greenery exists on top of buildings - trees bushes and all.

I really think this should be the future of the city - no more asphalt everywhere and sterile building tops.

This wasn't the proposal that ended up winning. "Waterfront Shores" won and the developer and architect are responsible for the beautiful Pier 27 development on the Downtown Toronto waterfront.

I have the utmost faith in that project based on what they did with Pier 27 in Toronto. Their proposal looks similar to Pier 27 and it will be a breathtaking addition to that area if it does happen.

[King&James]

Chatter by the winning bid along with the ribbon park need some help. Pretty much radio silence since the awarding of both.

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by King&James

Chatter by the winning bid along with the ribbon park need some help. Pretty much radio silence since the awarding of both.

That's what I've heard as well. They might be waiting for the spring/summer to launch a sales centre? No idea. Hopefully, it happens. I know the developer personally and their projects in Toronto are all so beautifully constructed. The workmanship and functionality are really amazing and if they can do that with this project, it'll be great.

[davidcappi]

The development portion of pier 8 is at the OMB. Residents appeal was tossed but they're still working on the appeal by the industrial businesses along the water. Should be at least a year before marketing for the buildings begins. Might be a bit faster because Cityzen has done this before on the TO waterfront when developing next to Domino Sugar. Thats why Cityzen won; their proposal was the only one to address the industrial location through design.

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by davidcappi

The development portion of pier 8 is at the OMB. Residents appeal was tossed but they're still working on the appeal by the industrial businesses along the water. Should be at least a year before marketing for the buildings begins. Might be a bit faster because Cityzen has done this before on the TO waterfront when developing next to Domino Sugar. Thats why Cityzen won; their proposal was the only one to address the industrial location through design.

Yup, they have experience with building next to the Red Path sugar factory on the waterfront in Downtown Toronto.

Hopefully, the process doesn't take that long.

[atnor]

Originally Posted by hamilton23

Yup, they have experience with building next to the Red Path sugar factory on the waterfront in Downtown Toronto.

Hopefully, the process doesn't take that long.

No kidding, I’m eyeing a unit in this development. What’s your professional esitimate on the timeline for sales/construction?

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by atnor

No kidding, I’m eyeing a unit in this development. What’s your professional esitimate on the timeline for sales/construction?

As David wrote in an earlier post, it all depends on the outcome from the OMB. That can take up to a year or more depending on its place in queue and the complexity of the appeal ( which I can't speak to)

If I had to guess, I would say within a year before marketing/sales and then construction once they hit a certain % of units sold (usually 50% or more depending on the developer)

Construction on a project like this would take 2-3 years minimum because of the complexity of the build. It took the same developer longer to build their similar Pier 27 project on the waterfront in Downtown Toronto, so I anticipate this one taking the same amount of time if not longer to build.

All speculation of course. We'll have to wait and see for concrete updates as they come in.

[durandy]

Originally Posted by hamilton23

As David wrote in an earlier post, it all depends on the outcome from the OMB. That can take up to a year or more depending on its place in queue and the complexity of the appeal ( which I can't speak to)

If I had to guess, I would say within a year before marketing/sales and then construction once they hit a certain % of units sold (usually 50% or more depending on the developer)

Construction on a project like this would take 2-3 years minimum because of the complexity of the build. It took the same developer longer to build their similar Pier 27 project on the waterfront in Downtown Toronto, so I anticipate this one taking the same amount of time if not longer to build.

All speculation of course. We'll have to wait and see for concrete updates as they come in.

Does the fact this is a tendered project make any difference? The city is basically guiding this project along so rather than fighting the city as in many OMB appeals, this is just against private interests, and with the new LPAT rules the rules seem more favourable to the municipality. Also, the financing may be more favourable since the consortium actually has an equity company in the mix - Greybrook capital. They may evaluatethe risk differently than a typical private development?

[hamilton23]

Originally Posted by durandy

Does the fact this is a tendered project make any difference? The city is basically guiding this project along so rather than fighting the city as in many OMB appeals, this is just against private interests, and with the new LPAT rules the rules seem more favourable to the municipality. Also, the financing may be more favourable since the consortium actually has an equity company in the mix - Greybrook capital. They may evaluatethe risk differently than a typical private development?

Yes and No. In short, It does help that the city is on the same side as the developers, but an appeal is an appeal regardless and will still hold things up and the developers will still go through a similar process than if they were going up against the municipality.

Because there are so many appeals at the OMB, each appeal is dealt with on a case to case basis. Therefore, it depends on where this particular development currently is in the queue, how strong of an argument they are facing from the opposing party, what concessions either party is willing to make in order to move this forward, how far the opposing party is willing to go in order to oppose a specific portion of the project (or the entire project), etc. Lots of factors, but I'm sure since the city is aiding in getting this land developed, they will likely be making arguments in favor of the development to the OMB, which will likely help their case.

Time will tell.

[johnnyhamont]

Saw some appalling newer suburban neighbourhoods around Hamilton's urban boundary today and got me thinking... The Urban Design Review Panel is a great tool making its way to municipalities all around. Glad Hamilton finally picked up on it. Has any city tried anything like a Suburban design review panel??
In a city like Hamilton, far more development is suburban than urban. Suburban neighbourhood developers should be subject to the same standards of decency that urban tower developers are. Is a tool like some kind of SDRP an option with precedent? Have other municipalities tried other tools to promote smart suburban development? Or do suburban neighbourhood developers get a far-too-free pass in other places too?

[Chronamut]

Sometimes I wonder if our city needs something like the cn tower to draw people to it. What do you guys think? If you could think of one thing to draw tourists to hamilton that could be built, what would your ideas be?

[LRTfan]

Skywheel and a new Tower with rooftop restaurant/patio, event space, art gallery

[anactualalien]

I always liked the cable car idea.

[HamiltonBoyInToronto]

I like the cable idea .... But what about a glass elevator going up the escarpment to a skywalk pier jetting out from the edge of the brow ...imagine the views from both ....and even a tower at the edge of the brow

[LRTfan]

Originally Posted by HamiltonBoyInToronto

I like the cable idea .... But what about a glass elevator going up the escarpment to a skywalk pier jetting out from the edge of the brow ...imagine the views from both ....and even a tower at the edge of the brow

very cool....love it.

[SantaClo]

We could definitely do something with the devil's punchbowl (skywalk, zipline) and our "hundreds" of waterfalls. We have the only mountain/escarpment of the whole GTHA, we should use it.

[King&James]

I'm going with a funicular from Sam Lawrence park to the TH&B station. Restaurant/meeting space and viewing deck.

[thistleclub]

what about a glass elevator going up the escarpment to a skywalk pier jetting out from the edge of the brow ....and even a tower at the edge of the brow

CBC Hamilton, Apr 5, 2017:

Dr. Carolyn Eyles, a professor in the school of interdisciplinary science at McMaster University, says no matter what the weather is doing, Hamilton had better get used to falling rocks.

"When we drive up the escarpment, we are actually driving up a geological feature that's still forming," she said. Elyes is glacial sedimentologist, which makes her knowledgeable about formations, like the Niagara escarpment, that are formed by glaciers over millions of years.

"The whole length of the Niagara escarpment is a very active land feature," Eyles said.

She said the process of rock falling down isn't going to end any time soon. It's an immutable geologic process, millions of years into its process of solid cap rocks on top of less-hardy shale rock, slowly tumbling backward over the ages, with millions of years still to go.…

"The rocks are being eroded backwards," Eyles explained.

The escarpment, she says, has a hard upper layer they call the cap rocks. Normally, the cap rocks would be resistant to erosion. "It's quite strong. That's why we have the escarpment," Eyles said.

But in this 150 million year-old formation, the cap rocks are sitting atop a layer of shale rock called mudstone, and that's weaker. It erodes. The eroding mudstone base affects the integrity of the cap rocks. "It causes the cap rocks to fail," said Eyles.

"The fractures on top fill with rain water," she said, and when that freezes, the cap rocks become further compromised, eventually breaking apart.

"It's a unique geological feature because we have this particular layering. The rocks are slightly tilted down, to the southwest."

"So in past glaciations," said Eyles, "the ice has been able to erode parts of the edge and start the erosion process backwards."

"The escarpment is moving down toward London," she said.

venicular

Vehicular funicular?