Hamilton City Centre | ? | 3x30 & 24 fl | Proposal

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by davidcappi

this developer + this architect = zero chance this gets executed well

It looks like they're trying their hardest to do something like The Well but it lacks the diversity and level of detail BDP and HPA brought to that site.

Trying to find existing buildings by this developer, are there any good examples that are finished?

[hlucham]

All I can picture is having a Christmas Market like the one in Toronto in that King William extension/market square area.

[TheHonestMaple]

Originally Posted by hlucham

All I can picture is having a Christmas Market like the one in Toronto in that King William extension/market square area.

Yeah this remind me a lot of the developments in the West Don Lands and surrounding area in Toronto.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

Trying to find existing buildings by this developer, are there any good examples that are finished?

This is a partnership with Harlo Capital and IN8 Developments. IN8 has completed all of the Sage condo buildings in the Waterloo Student ghetto. There are 7 or 8 of them, but this is one:

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.47484...7i16384!8i8192

They are also building DTK condos in Kitchener, which I posted an image of on the previous page.

[Berklon]

I love it.

Agreed that King William is going to be amazing once the developments on/around them are done.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by hlucham

All I can picture is having a Christmas Market like the one in Toronto in that King William extension/market square area.

The only thing that worries me is that the King William pedestrian streetscape terminates at Jackson Square, creating a dead end. Dead ends aren't great for pedestrian streets, or lively streets in general.

[craftbeerdad]

Fingers crossed the central square and extension of KW and Rebecca play out well. Going to be tougher to do sketchy things around the mall now hah. Hopefully this will spur on Jackson Square to be revitalized, renovated or blown up or something. Doesn't Vranich own Jackson Square? So I guess I answered my own question on the mall front.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by craftbeerdad

Fingers crossed the central square and extension of KW and Rebecca play out well. Going to be tougher to do sketchy things around the mall now hah. Hopefully this will spur on Jackson Square to be revitalized, renovated or blown up or something. Doesn't Vranich own Jackson Square? So I guess I answered my own question on the mall front.

No, Jackson Square is owned by Yale Properties: https://jacksonsquare.ca/

Which is either a money laundering operation, or a company that wants to die already: http://www.yalecanada.com/

Check out their absolutely garbage website that barely works.

[ShavedParmesanCheese]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

No, Jackson Square is owned by Yale Properties: https://jacksonsquare.ca/

Which is either a money laundering operation, or a company that wants to die already: http://www.yalecanada.com/

Check out their absolutely garbage website that barely works.

Apparently this company was formed to build and operate Jackson Square in the first place, so you just know it's involved with the mob. Same with the harbour infill.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by craftbeerdad

Fingers crossed the central square and extension of KW and Rebecca play out well. Going to be tougher to do sketchy things around the mall now hah. Hopefully this will spur on Jackson Square to be revitalized, renovated or blown up or something.

It looks like there may be a connection between the two pedestrian corridors, through the centre of this development. You can see large openings in the 3rd and 8th images, and others seem to show a central courtyard. Hopefully site plans are posted soon.

Definite opportunity for Yale to finally do something inventive and major with JS, which would not only help them increase sales for mall retailers (and thus rents) but improve the whole urban experience of that block. Or perhaps this redevelopment just makes the sale of the older mall a lot more lucrative for them? Hopefully to someone who will take action?

[craftbeerdad]

They must have bought their whole portfolio in the 80s. The Calgary and Hamilton buildings are all quite dated. They literally own the whole block plus the mall.

Why I mentioned the V-man; I've seen leasing posters on vacant storefronts and it points to his company.

Those websites are legendary. We must solve the ownership mystery. Maybe they need a Fifth Real Properties Limited?

Manulife (real estate arm) is connected to Yale, so maybe they have some insight into this conglomerate that's Yale Properties Limited.

[Innsertnamehere]

Yale is now the holding company for the site from my understanding - the overhead company is now "Real Properties Limited".

Their website is much more legitimate:

https://www.realpropertieslimited.com/

But yea, the mall could use a more institutional owner. Oxford or First Gulf or Cadillac Fairview or someone to that affect.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

Yale is now the holding company for the site from my understanding - the overhead company is now "Real Properties Limited".

Their website is much more legitimate:

https://www.realpropertieslimited.com/

But yea, the mall could use a more institutional owner. Oxford or First Gulf or Cadillac Fairview or someone to that affect.

*More* but not by much.

[StEC]

I LOVE the street level this is giving me Toronto Distillery District vibes! This could be a wonderful addition to downtown if done right! The condos above though need work and must be varied in design. It would be brutal if they are all the same height and same design.

[King&James]

Good to see these more detailed renders coming out and getting a sense of what street level retail will look like. the parking entrance off York will be crazy busy (taking full load for all the towers, wonder what the parking ratio will be here. Also converting all or most of all that retail into residential will be a massive boon to JS, so hope they actually do something to refresh their offerings.

[JoeyColeman]

I happened to speak with the City Planning division on this file last week.

The development needs to make a formal re-submission to the City with changes to bring the project into compliance with the Downtown Hamilton Tall Buildings Guidelines and the Downtown Hamilton Secondary Plan.

If they meet the requirements of the Guidelines and Plan, they get approved. The purpose of the new DTSP is to enable developments to be approved without the costs of Zoning Bylaw Amendment, Official Plan Amendment - each of which comes with the possibility of an appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

[johnnyhamont]

Originally Posted by JoeyColeman

I happened to speak with the City Planning division on this file last week.

The development needs to make a formal re-submission to the City with changes to bring the project into compliance with the Downtown Hamilton Tall Buildings Guidelines and the Downtown Hamilton Secondary Plan.

If they meet the requirements of the Guidelines and Plan, they get approved. The purpose of the new DTSP is to enable developments to be approved without the costs of Zoning Bylaw Amendment, Official Plan Amendment - each of which comes with the possibility of an appeal to the Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

Thanks, Joey. It's great that the DTSP enables proposals like these to proceed without taking burdensome steps to receive permissions that make sense. But as for the monotony of the towers, the only tool the City has to address that is the DRP. Will this development have to be brought before DPR again?

[JoeyColeman]

Originally Posted by johnnyhamont

Thanks, Joey. It's great that the DTSP enables proposals like these to proceed without taking burdensome steps to receive permissions that make sense. But as for the monotony of the towers, the only tool the City has to address that is the DRP. Will this development have to be brought before DPR again?

It could be, however, the redesign does account for the suggestions from the previous Design Review Panel meeting.

[TheHonestMaple]

If the city puts any resistance to this project they are fools. It's a nice looking project that will completely transform the core. Get it approved already.....

[Hawrylyshyn]

Ya it's obviously not *perfect* there's no real reason to delay this and drag it out. The benefits of building it as is far outweigh any potential gain from making changes to it