Rumour Mill

[Corktowner]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

It is illegal for them to use it for parking. Hamilton passed a bylaw many years ago disallowing demolished buildings from becoming parking lots after many decades of it happening to reduce property tax payable on vacant buildings.

That's true, but a few years ago Jason Farr gave Wilson-Blanchard a shady special exemption to use this property and one other on Jackson Street as "temporary" parking on the dubious grounds that they would need it during construction of their project at 18-28 King Street East—which still hasn't even started three years later!

https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings...umentId=218296.

(I would be very curious to know more about the status of that 18-28 King project BTW.)

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

It is illegal for them to use it for parking. Hamilton passed a bylaw many years ago disallowing demolished buildings from becoming parking lots after many decades of it happening to reduce property tax payable on vacant buildings.

I mean satellite imagery shows that the building on that site was demolished between 1999 and 2002, so it's been vacant for a long time. Likely before whatever ban you are referencing.

I'm also not sure about what ban you are referencing, Vranich managed to demolish a site and operate a parking lot at 213 King St W as recently as what, 2018? Even if there is such a ban there definitely seems like there are ways around it. I suspect that such ways would result in a paper trail though.. Which does not seem to exist here.

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by Corktowner

That's true, but a few years ago Jason Farr gave Wilson-Blanchard a shady special exemption to use this property and one other on Jackson Street as "temporary" parking on the dubious grounds that they would need it during construction of their project at 18-28 King Street East—which still hasn't even started three years later!

https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings...umentId=218296.

(I would be very curious to know more about the status of that 18-28 King project BTW.)

Aha! Juicy details!

My bet - Blanchard is indeed finally following through, converting this to parking in advance of the 18-28 King St project. Whether he ever actually gets to 18-28 King.. who knows! I'll wander by 20 Jackson St sometime soon to see if it's similarly closed off..

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I mean satellite imagery shows that the building on that site was demolished between 1999 and 2002, so it's been vacant for a long time. Likely before whatever ban you are referencing.

I'm also not sure about what ban you are referencing, Vranich managed to demolish a site and operate a parking lot at 213 King St W as recently as what, 2018? Even if there is such a ban there definitely seems like there are ways around it. I suspect that such ways would result in a paper trail though.. Which does not seem to exist here.

Darko did that and immediately got in shit for it after I and a few others reported it. It was able to be used for staging materials, but not public parking and as such parking was banned from that lot quickly.

I'll try to find out when the parking ban went into affect.

[Corktowner]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

Darko did that and immediately got in shit for it after I and a few others reported it. It was able to be used for staging materials, but not public parking and as such parking was banned from that lot quickly.

I'll try to find out when the parking ban went into affect.

It looks like everybody's commenting at the same time and the thread is getting all messed up! The parking ban went into effect in 1999, but as I noted in my earlier comment Jason Farr gave Blanchard a shady special exemption for this site and one other.

[Fruitloops]

Will LRT ever be built article in todays Spec. Several curious comments in the article but the article does not address probable large cost increase and....I have to wonder how much of our hard earned taxes have been spent on Metrolynx employees, consultants, city planners et al on a project that has produced....wait for it..NOTHING.

[king10]

Originally Posted by Fruitloops

Will LRT ever be built article in todays Spec. Several curious comments in the article but the article does not address probable large cost increase and....I have to wonder how much of our hard earned taxes have been spent on Metrolynx employees, consultants, city planners et al on a project that has produced....wait for it..NOTHING.

Thats what happens in the planning and design phase of a multi billion dollar project….. a lot has to happen before construction.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Fruitloops

Will LRT ever be built article in todays Spec. Several curious comments in the article but the article does not address probable large cost increase and....I have to wonder how much of our hard earned taxes have been spent on Metrolynx employees, consultants, city planners et al on a project that has produced....wait for it..NOTHING.

Cost also depends on how much contingency has been built into the estimates... which have never been shared publicly in detail (and we don't even know if that multi-billion dollar figure was just construction cost, or if it included ongoing maintenance and periodic rehab costs)

At the "conceptual" stage contingency cost estimates are large. When detailed design happens it shrinks, but it's always a part of budgeting.

The complexity of this project, and the need to move/replace ancient utility and other infrastructure, makes this an expensive one. They're likely to find more than a few surprises too during construction.

The cost of staff, consultants, planning will be a waste if a senior level of government decides to cancel this again. That's not about the project, it's about the politics. Having worked in government, one of my greatest frustrations has been seeing something that's taken YEARS of staff and consultant effort put in the waste bin... only to be revived later with more staff and consultant effort expended to update the plans. It's just the way it is, I guess.

[Fruitloops]

Fully understand and appreciate the complexities involved.

My taxpayer beef is that this was "shovel ready" in 2019/20. One thing for certain is the cost is not going down.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Fruitloops

My taxpayer beef is that this was "shovel ready" in 2019/20. One thing for certain is the cost is not going down.

"Shovel ready" according to a government that often shovels 'stuff' when it communicates with Folks.

Once cancelled, things changed. Personally, I think if the ON-PCs had let the initial procurement play out to see what the bids were, it would have been helpful (either to justify the cancellation, or pause and reconsider the elements of the proposed plan). There was no commitment to accept any of the bids!

And yeah, costs never go down. What detailed design may offer is an opportunity to make changes that will curtail some of them.

[NewHammer]

Sorry to burst bubbles, but according to my neighbours who were talking with the workers setting up the barriers, it’s a sinkhole that needs fixing. A few weeks ago a utility crew cut that patched hole right in the driveway, and upon inspection they found a sizeable sinkhole that necessitated keeping the parking lot closed until it could be repaired. Don’t know the timeline, but that’s what I had been told as of Thursday. I have a unit facing north, so I’m always waiting for the day that something goes up on that lot and wrecks my view. Safe for a little while longer at least.

[NortheastWind]

Originally Posted by Fruitloops

Will LRT ever be built article in todays Spec. Several curious comments in the article but the article does not address probable large cost increase and....I have to wonder how much of our hard earned taxes have been spent on Metrolynx employees, consultants, city planners et al on a project that has produced....wait for it..NOTHING.

I wouldn't doubt the delay is in part due to the multiple delays on the Eglington Crosstown. There are only so many people to go around to fill the professional roles needed to manage the many facets of an LRT construction project. This would include at Metrolinx.

[Chronamut]

I noticed today the sun life building has some sorta hoarding all around the top of it - any idea what's going on here? I'd love for them to put that bigass cornice back on the roof..

[TheRitsman]

I heard a rumour from someone that would have good knowledge that there might be a land assembly acquisition of the properties fronting King St between Queen & Hess.

[HamiltonBoyInToronto]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

I heard a rumour from someone that would have good knowledge that there might be a land assembly acquisition of the properties fronting King St between Queen & Hess.

If only they would take over that nasty tim Hortons on the other side of king and demo it !!

[Bubba9000]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

I heard a rumour from someone that would have good knowledge that there might be a land assembly acquisition of the properties fronting King St between Queen & Hess.

If true, I imagine acquiring so many individual parcels would be fairly complex. It's the longest stretch of granular street facing commercial west of James. Would hate to see it wiped out. Having said that, I live only 2 blocks away and barely ever visit those businesses. A notable exception being La Luna.

As a sidenote I passed by the area last Friday around 7pm and there were a higher than normal amount of diverse people walking around there. Perhaps the new residents of Platinum and Marquee are starting to step out in their hood.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by Bubba9000

If true, I imagine acquiring so many individual parcels would be fairly complex. It's the longest stretch of granular street facing commercial west of James. Would hate to see it wiped out. Having said that, I live only 2 blocks away and barely ever visit those businesses. A notable exception being La Luna.

As a sidenote I passed by the area last Friday around 7pm and there were a higher than normal amount of diverse people walking around there. Perhaps the new residents of Platinum and Marquee are starting to step out in their hood.

I mean there's barely any businesses along the stretch. The buildings that house Coop and the building to the west are worth saving in my mind. I love, love, love Ark & Anchor and it would be sad to lose a great space like that. Casbah would also likely be part of this acquisition. It's very common in Toronto to acquire multiple properties for redevelopment.

[mikevbar1]

My only question here is if Hamilton has any kind of heritage preservation rules akin to Toronto, so the most worthwhile structures become part of whatever development is proposed. I can recognize how this is an ideal site for intensification, given that most of the buildings on this stretch either don't occupy their entire lot, are clearly postwar (La Luna), or are simply vacant. But, at the same time, the older buildings fronting the street should be preserved, even if that means a facadectomy like is so common now in Toronto. Something like Mirvish Village (ex-Honest Ed's), which incorporates and attempts to replicate the fine-grained retail that used to occupy the site would be ideal, and Isn't too much of an ask to be honest.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by mikevbar1

My only question here is if Hamilton has any kind of heritage preservation rules akin to Toronto, so the most worthwhile structures become part of whatever development is proposed. I can recognize how this is an ideal site for intensification, given that most of the buildings on this stretch either don't occupy their entire lot, are clearly postwar (La Luna), or are simply vacant. But, at the same time, the older buildings fronting the street should be preserved, even if that means a facadectomy like is so common now in Toronto. Something like Mirvish Village (ex-Honest Ed's), which incorporates and attempts to replicate the fine-grained retail that used to occupy the site would be ideal, and Isn't too much of an ask to be honest.

The ones closest to Hess would definitely be missed if not kept or used in some way. 294 to 300 King W. aren't quite as noteworthy but I'd hate to see them totally demolished. Other stuff on that block can go, though La Luna's building is a bit unique... but it's always seemed out of place to me.

The north side of King between Caroline and Hess has a much more interesting and complete street wall. I hope if anything gets proposed on that block, it will be built on the parking lots in behind.

I agree with the earlier post that the Tim Hortons on the south side needs to go. As does the little building beside it with the shawarma place and the variety store. I don't think it will be long before something happens on those properties.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

The ones closest to Hess would definitely be missed if not kept or used in some way. 294 to 300 King W. aren't quite as noteworthy but I'd hate to see them totally demolished. Other stuff on that block can go, though La Luna's building is a bit unique... but it's always seemed out of place to me.

The north side of King between Caroline and Hess has a much more interesting and complete street wall. I hope if anything gets proposed on that block, it will be built on the parking lots in behind.

I agree with the earlier post that the Tim Hortons on the south side needs to go. As does the little building beside it with the shawarma place and the variety store. I don't think it will be long before something happens on those properties.

There was a proposal for the plaza, but it didn't include the Tim Hortons building and property which surprised me, but then again, I'm pretty sure it was Vrancor, so cheap and quick is the game.