McMaster University

[Dr Awesomesauce]

^It's a shame they didn't weasel their way into the Pan-Am Games somehow.

[SteelTown]

Don't be surprised if Mac request something like $10 million from the City for a new Aquatic Centre.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Fine. Take it out of the road budget.

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

McMaster is currently selecting a consultant to create a feasibility study for major renovations or expansion of the McMaster Aquatic Centre.

If this actually happens, it will be a welcome improvement. The current facilities are not aging well.

I hope the consultant visits the new Windsor Aquatic Centre for a look at what could be done. That facility is amazing. I would love to see a similar facility developed as a partnership with the city and centrally located. I understand the city has some property available at Barton and Tiffany that would suit a project like that.

[mattgrande]

Originally Posted by Dr Awesomesauce

^It's a shame they didn't weasel their way into the Pan-Am Games somehow.

They were supposed to get badminton, weren't they? They were involved in the original plan somehow...

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by mattgrande

They were supposed to get badminton, weren't they? They were involved in the original plan somehow...

Mac was originally supposed to get a new pool for the games. When the organizing committee changed the venue plan all the swimming was consolidated at UofT Scarborough.

http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/article...nam-games-bid/
http://www.hamiltonnews.com/opinion/pan-am-letdown/

[ScreamingViking]

Love it or hate it, it's one of the most unique buildings in the city.

But the "landmark" definitely needs an exterior cleaning. A lot of that concrete paneling is quite stained now, particularly on the north side.


McMaster hospital hailed as ‘landmark’
The Hamilton Spectator - June 20, 2014
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/45...-as-landmark-/

By Meredith MacLeod

It may not jump to top of mind as you contemplate Hamilton's built beauties, but McMaster hospital is now a landmark.

The 42-year-old concrete and steel teaching hospital, which faced controversy and community opposition when it was built, has been given a 2014 landmark designation by the Ontario Association of Architects.

Association president Bill Birdsell says the designation recognizes "buildings that were award winners in their day that have stood the test of time," and the hospital design was revolutionary in a number of ways.

Its architect, Eb Zeidler, says winning the landmark designation is a "reminder that many, many years later you can find out that people really liked what you did."

He recalls being given just two months to come up with a concept for the hospital after McMaster doctors leading the project determined another firm's plan wouldn't work.

"We called it the October Scheme because October was our deadline," said Zeidler, who is 88 and officially retired but still works each day.

"We had fascinating talks with the doctors. They were thinking differently about hospitals and felt a teaching hospital shouldn't be separated into different units, but integrated. They thought of the patient as a whole unit."

Zeidler came up with a plan that would allow what was then called McMaster University Medical Centre to be expanded and reconfigured as its needs changed. He says he was working on an expansion of the Lindsay hospital at the same time, which cost as much as tearing down and building a bigger hospital.

McMaster was among the first hospitals to run the wiring, pipes and conduits of its mechanical systems between the floors in hidden "interstitial" space. And with no interior weight-bearing walls, the design allowed huge expanses of open space. Its steel structure and stairwells were exposed in glass towers.

The plan provided for a fifth floor on the roof that would add 200,000 square feet of space.

The grey, precast concrete exterior was in stark contrast to the kaleidoscope of bold colours inside on walls and floors, meant to help visitors navigate the big building but to also improve the moods of patients, visitors and staff.

"Big institutional buildings are normally rather dull, suppressed and colourless," Algis Banelis, an architect with Zeidler's firm, said in a Spectator story from October 1971.

"We added all this colour to give a pleasant appearance, excitement and interest — to help give warmth to what is a very functional design. We want to invite people, rather than repulse them as might otherwise be the case with such a big building."

The $66-million project won a national architecture award in 1969 and was studied around the world for its "space frame" design. Zeidler says thousands of architects wanted to know about the building so he started charging them for his time and used proceeds to buy art for the hospital.

More than 3,000 people showed up for the official opening May 27, 1972.

However, the building also had a lot of critics at the time. First, its construction required the demolition of the Sunken Gardens, a large, European-style formal garden operated by the Royal Botanical Gardens. A headline in The Spectator on May 20, 1972 read: "A landmark died … and another replaced it."

Building the hospital also meant expropriating 90 homes in stately Westdale and ending King Street West at Dalewood Avenue.

Neighbours fought the university's plan for two years, suggesting instead that the medical school should be built on the Mountain, on the northwest section of the campus, or even on stilts and piers in the Cootes marsh.

Alex Naismith, who sold his home to McMaster in 1968, called the complex a "monstrosity."

At the time, the building contained more floor space than all other McMaster buildings combined. Shortly before construction was finished, Hamilton MP and cabinet minister John Munro said the medical school facilities should have been spread across the city.

Members of the city's board of control also didn't hold back, though the body itself voted not to officially criticize the building.

Controller Jim Campbell called it "terribly unattractive" while Herman Turkstra said it's "certainly no asset to the community."

Jim Bethune added: "Every time I see it, I think it looks like some giant floating houseboat."

But the OAA's Birdsell disagrees, saying the functionality of the building makes it beautiful.

"The precast concrete panels on the exterior can be removed or replaced. The essence of the building is the form is overriding design and the form has been re-envisioned over time. Virtually every hospital has gone through a transformation in Ontario and it's happened at Mac, but it's invisible because the design shines through."

Dr. Peter Fitzgerald, McMaster's president, says the recognition illustrates how "visually and functionally, this building is very unique."

He says just as it was designed to do, the building has changed dramatically in its 42-year life without requiring a massive rebuild or addition.

[SteelTown]

A Mac core campus is in Farr’s sights

By Meredith MacLeod
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/47...farr-s-sights/

McMaster is on the hunt to expand and a city councillor wants to ensure that growth comes downtown.

The university is among 27 applications for a provincial pot of money aimed at adding 60,000 spots in underserviced areas.

Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr will ask his fellow councillors at Friday's general issues meeting to formally support Mac's bid and direct staff to help find suitable space in the core.

In a letter to the province, signed by president Patrick Deane, the university does not commit to expanding downtown:

"McMaster's expansion plan focuses on our main campus but also includes the possibility of increasing our offerings in Hamilton's downtown core," it reads.

But Deane does say the university and city are discussing a downtown campus "focused on professional education and research in health, technology and management, buttressed by a new urban research institute and innovative partnerships with industry."

Farr says he is "100 per cent confident (McMaster) has a very keen interest in downtown." He said Councillor Brian McHattie has worked with McMaster for months on the issue.

Farr says the ideas being discussed are for a "significant" presence downtown.

"I often use clichés like game-changer … but I would say this may be in a category all to itself. I strongly believe in the vitality and economic uplift of student buying power."

The approved projects must accommodate 1,000 full-time students in the short term and have the potential to grow to 5,000 to 10,000 over the next 20 years. Physical spaces must be at least 70,000 square feet.

Farr says he sees the city's role as assistance, not funding. He points out there are a number of city-owned properties that may be suitable sites.

There is no commitment from the province to how many projects it will fund or how much money it will spend.

University spokesperson Andrea Farquhar says Mac officials plan to be at Friday's meeting. Project proposals are due Sept. 26.

"We see lots of opportunities to benefit us and the city in terms of downtown renewal and economic development."

The university, which has about 21,000 full-time undergrads, has seen increasing demand for many of its programs, says Farquhar. She said bringing students, faculty and staff to places off the main campus aligns with the university's community engagement mandate.

"It's quite exciting what it could look like in the future."

McMaster already operates its continuing education program downtown and is constructing an $84-million health campus at Bay and Main streets.

[SteelTown]

http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/public...s/mcmaster.pdf

[king10]

This is amazing news!. it looks like Mac really wants to expand its presence in the downtown core. It works for them because as most ppl know the Westdale campus is bursting at the seams with no space for new buildings. Expansion usually happens by knocking down an older smaller building and replacing it with a larger one(which is the case at Wentworth house for the new Social Sci Building)

It looks like Mac wants to move most of its professional development and graduate programs downtown and use that new vacated space on Main Campus to increase its undergrad enrolment.

Im an MBA student at DeGroote in Burlington and while I understand the reasoning for its location(catch the Toronto market ie. compete with Rotman, Schulich, Rogers, Ivey and Laurier) I really wish the school had been built in downtown Hamilton. This however is great news. A professional development campus coupled with the already under construction medical building and centre for continuing education at king and james.

Lets also not forget about the Innovation park which is slowly but surely growing. Mac and HHS are really driving this city and its great to see.

[CaptainKirk]

I'd like to see them at either the Hamilton City Centre or in Blanchard's new development at Gore Park.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Sounds promising.

[coalminecanary]

or how about on a parking lot? a new multi-block campus centred at john and wilson.... dreammmmmz

[durandy]

they already own the lot at Bay and King, why not keep the campus contiguous? If not there then Sir John A or the City Centre.

[davidcappi]

This is exciting news. It's only a matter of time before Mohawk follows. I'm an employee at the college, and I know there are three building proposals for Mohawk at the moment. The first is a new Engineering building at the Fennell Campus, the second is a marketplace at the Fennell Campus, but the third is a mystery. Sources say the college wants to move it's music program downtown.

[ScreamingViking]

There are lots of sites they could find space for growth (certain half-empty office towers among them). City Centre would be a great fit.

If I were planning for Mac, I'd probably prioritize sites right on the main transit lines connecting to the central campus though. So the parking lot just north of the new medical building would make more sense as an academic centre than condos, the lot on the southwest corner of King and Bay (or the one north - behind The George Hamilton), partnering up with Wilson Blanchard to give them something concrete they can finally propose, or the lots on James between Commerce Place and the Pigott Building. There are a few on Main too.

The lots along Wilson and Rebecca would probably be more cost-effective though, and the most flexible in terms of space.

[movingtohamilton]

I need to be better informed on this, because all of you are excited by the prospect of Mac's increased presence downtown.

My concern is simple: Mac is spending public money, it's not generating wealth. I understand the multiplier effect when students and staff would be in the core and hopefully spending money at local businesses.

But a university is not private enterprise investing in the core of the city. Condos, for example, pay property taxes. What taxes does Mac pay?

So help me understand how public dollars will be the generator of renewal downtown. In some ways OLG spins a similar line when it promotes casinos.

[king10]

Originally Posted by movingtohamilton

I need to be better informed on this, because all of you are excited by the prospect of Mac's increased presence downtown.

My concern is simple: Mac is spending public money, it's not generating wealth. I understand the multiplier effect when students and staff would be in the core and hopefully spending money at local businesses.

But a university is not private enterprise investing in the core of the city. Condos, for example, pay property taxes. What taxes does Mac pay?

So help me understand how public dollars will be the generator of renewal downtown. In some ways OLG spins a similar line when it promotes casinos.

my goodness where to start with this. how can you compare a casino to a universtiy campus.

and you answered your own question, its the multiplier effect. a campus downtown means ppl need places to live aka new condos for young professionals. they need places to shop. aka better stores in jackson square. they need food to eat. aka perhaps another supermarket in the core. they probably have a taste for better dining. aka increasing the traffic at local eateries. not to mention the employment it brings to the core. more ppl with high salaries spending money in the core. and guess what all those listed above pay property taxes

also McMaster plans for it to be a professional campus which means older mature students perhaps already established with their careers. there are so many synergies that come into play here. perhaps more high paying employers locate around the campus to recruit the students. the campus will no doubt welcome other students from other universities by hosting conferences and perhaps case competitions which is what happens at my MBA school in Burlington. those ppl will be staying in hotels and eating out spending $$$$ in the city.

its putting ppl in the core that otherwise wouldn't have been there. ppl who go to the casino aren't living there. they go to gamble and leave. when Brantford built their casino they thought ppl would stick around and spend money in the city but that wasn't the cause

if a university makes a professional campus downtown then private enterprises will start investing in downtown to cater to the affluent ppl frequenting the spot. its not the other way around, private enterprises do not build buildings in the hopes that a world renown institution just happens to place a campus next door

also the property values in westdale are sky high, you can bet the university plays part of a role in that. Many Mac students frequent "downtown Westdale" which is why there are some unique restaurants and shops catering to the students. those types of establishments would be great downtown

When a university that is constantly ranked in the top 100 in the world and top 4 in canada wants to explore opportunities to expand its presence in your downtown you can bet they did their homework and feel the downtown is in renewal. McMaster is known around the world in academic circles and if downtown Hamilton can be associated with their name it will only bring about positive things

also property taxes aren't the be all and end all. all those surface parking lots pay property taxes too. should we keep the surface parking lots because they pay a higher tax rate than a public institution? all the money marts are private enterprises and pay property taxes, are they good for downtown renewal?? you get the idea

and on there are already tons of condos going up in the downtown. the most buildings since the 70's. empty lots are getting built up which means increased property tax

[markbarbera]

At first blush, this seems like exciting news, but a few things are raising a yellow flag for me, and I am glad council has resisted the urge to make a snap decision here. I don't like the false sense of urgency surrounding this. Council is prudent not to rush into any kind of commitment under the threat of a drop dead decision date.

Personally I am skeptical about McMaster's true motivation here. I suspect they are looking to swing another sweetheart land acquisition deal with some downtown property whose value is just beginning to appreciate after a long stagnant period of time.

McMaster recently gained a large chuck of property downtown along Bay between King and Main. They are developing half that property for the new Family Health Centre. Plans for the other half remain undetermined. If Mac is asking for the city to endorse development of that land using the federal funds referred to in Farr's motion, then I support it. If they are looking for the city to provide more land before fully developing the land the city has already provided them, then I would be much less supportive of that.

Council should have more information before offering any letter of support.

[movingtohamilton]

"Farr says he is "100 per cent confident (McMaster) has a very keen interest in downtown." He said Councillor Brian McHattie has worked with McMaster for months on the issue."

McHattie has worked for months on the issue? When was he planning to talk about it publicly? As for Farr, under his watch nothing seems to have happened with the old Delta Bingo/Kresge building.

I'm with markbarbera on this: the city should not rush in, and should resist a false sense of urgency.