Lister Block | ? | 6 fl | Renovation - Page 5

raisethehammer · #81 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 1:44 PM**

lets not forget - the city is in the position of strength here, not LIUNA.
they can scream about demolition all they want. they own a historically designated building and both the city and province have prevented them from skirting the most basic rule of that designation - NO demolition.

The city is the one who should say "take it or leave it"...and by the way, I prefer if they 'leave it'.
Demolition is not an option. LIUNA is backed into a corner now and despite having butt-kissing allies like Dreschel, it still won't change the FACTS - no demolition allowed.

DC83 · #82 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 2:20 PM**

LIUNA will just keep raising their price tag, no doubt.
They knew what they were getting into when the bought the bldg.
Even if the city says 'yes' to $37/sq.ft., LIUNA will raise it once construction starts and the price tag keeps going up.

LIUNA is zero in this city now... and it's too bad they had to ruin their rep over this. I don't think the city will ever partner w/ LIUNA after this!

realcity · #83 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 3:21 PM**

nice comment DC

"LIUNA is zero in this city now... and it's too bad they had to ruin their rep over this. I don't think the city will ever partner w/ LIUNA after this!"

It's worth repeating.

realcity · #84 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 3:30 PM**

If they want to tear it down and rebuild then why build a replica? Lister isn't that great of a building. It's nice and historical. But the only thing going for it is its history. But if you're going to demo and rebuild something, then why does it have to look like the old Lister? The replica looses all the charm, and it really is just a brown box then.

If LIUNA showed a building like this as the replacement, do you think there would've been as much opposition? I for one would be saying 'tear it down'.

coalminecanary · #85 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 3:51 PM**

I was walking downtown and I saw that someone had hocked a huge loogie on a sidewalk-level window, and I thought "That is disgusting, why would anyone do that!? Now the building owner has to clean up their snot", then as I walked further I looked up and noticed the window belonged to the LIUNA office and then I understood.

DC83 · #86 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 4:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by coalminecanary

I was walking downtown and I saw that someone had hocked a huge loogie on a sidewalk-level window, and I thought "That is disgusting, why would anyone do that!? Now the building owner has to clean up their snot", then as I walked further I looked up and noticed the window belonged to the LIUNA office and then I understood.

HAHAHAHAHAHA Awesome!!! Alright guys, who did it? RTH... I'm lookin ur way

hahaha jks

raisethehammer · #87 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 4:25 PM**

lol...no way. kudos to whoever did though.
no offense realcity, but I would have chained myself to Lister if the above building was proposed instead. it's hideous! the podium looks like it's from Home Depot.

flar · #88 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 4:41 PM**

Obviously the lister should be saved and converted to residential with ground level retail. But if it were demolished, I am completely and utterly against any sort of attempt at replication or even attempts to make it look old. That never ever works, see how ridiculous the faux Victorian Amica building in Dundas looks or the replictated Talbot block on the corner of the JLC in London.

DC83 · #89 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 4:44 PM**

to replicate looks rediculous... but to make LOOK old seems to work alright.
I like Village Green Ctr in Stoney Creek Village, and City Place Apts on Walnust betweek King/King William.

matt602 · #90 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 5:11 PM**

Had a little walk downtown today and picked up a Mayday. I thought this shot was kinda appropriate for today's news:

SteelTown · #91 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 5:12 PM**

Another road block in Lister Block rejuvenation

HAMILTON (AM900 CHML) - New concerns about the plans for the future of the Lister Block.

The city had planned to be a major tenant of the rejuvenated building, but council will be told today the cost has skyrocketed to 37-dollars a square foot.

That's more than double the current rental rate downtown.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger agrees those rates are too high, but he tells CHML, the rejuvenation project is far from dead.

He says he will wait for a provincial review of the developers analysis before making any final decisions.

Downtown councillor Bob Bratina doesn't believe the Lister Block is that important to downtown revitalization.

He points to the proposed McMaster Family Medicine and Public Health project, which is four times the size of the Lister Block.

raisethehammer · #92 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 9:11 PM**

give me a break Bratina. if we use that theory then places like Three16 lounge and the new 5 story city housing apartment don't mean jack in terms of downtown revitalization.
The reality is, they do. all projects, big and small make a difference.
He should be standing up to these thugs not just trying to deflect attention away from Lister.

chris k · #93 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 10:24 PM**

Haha listen to this story...

I was just looking at the updates on the forum and my grandpa walked downstairs and takes a peek over my shoulder. Hes sees the picture of the building and says hey i used to buy my furniture there, its a shame to what its become now.

Lets hope the city shuts them down on this and they realize that its more suited for other uses and develops it properly or sells it to someone who can..

chris k · #94 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 11:01 PM**

City sinks Lister Block deal

January 07, 2008
Hamilton Spectator

The City of Hamilton is walking away from the Lister Block.
Councillors have voted to walk away from a deal with the Labourers’ International Union of North America that would have restored the downtown landmark.
Politicians refused to accept a jump in price to $37 a square foot to house city staff.
Mayor Fred Eisenberger said he’ll be open to another LIUNA proposal that would involve tearing down the James Street North derelict and rebuilding a replica.
The Lister Block has not been designated for preservation. But the province has stated that the building is significant.
It’s not clear if Queen’s Park would step in if the owners seek a demolition permit.

I knew it but i hope they don't build the replica and do something new or sell. PLEASE SELL...

SteelTown · #95 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 11:11 PM**

Lister Block deal is dead. No money from Premier Dalton ($7 million). The new figure would have made the city spend $30 million extra, $52 million in total.

Now Mayor Fred is suggesting a replica now. Harry Stinson was present during the meeting and was interviewed at CH News.

BCTed · #96 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 11:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

give me a break Bratina. if we use that theory then places like Three16 lounge and the new 5 story city housing apartment don't mean jack in terms of downtown revitalization.
The reality is, they do. all projects, big and small make a difference.
He should be standing up to these thugs not just trying to deflect attention away from Lister.

The CHML blurb is pretty misleading --- Bratina did not actually say that the Lister Block is not very important. In the clip that I heard, what he actually said was that the Lister Block is not so important that the LIUNA lease rates can be justified, which seems reasonable to me.

And $37 per square foot does sound very high to me... that is nearly the same cost as Class A space in downtown Vancouver, which is in fairly short supply.

flar · #97 Posted **Jan 7, 2008, 11:35 PM**

Please no replica!!! What's wrong with people? Why would one want to replicate it anyway?

the dude · #98 Posted **Jan 8, 2008, 12:10 AM**

ya, she ain't a pretty building in the first place. worth saving, sure, but you wouldn't wanna take her to the prom.

SteelTown · #99 Posted **Jan 8, 2008, 12:51 AM**

Soaring Costs Scuttle Lister Deal
Jan, 07 2008 - 7:20 PM

HAMILTON (AM900 CHML) - Hamilton Councillor Brian McHattie says it may be the end of the Lister Block.

He's predicting that LIUNA and HighRise Developments will apply for a demolition permit, now that a deal with the city to restore the building has fallen through.

Soaring costs would have seen the price tag for leasing space in the redeveloped Lister.....jump from 24 dollars a square foot to 37 dollars a square foot.

The majority of politicians decided that was unacceptable to taxpayers, especially considering that the city currently pays nine dollars a square foot for office space in the City Center.

They are also unhappy that the developer's plan no longer calls for any retail or commercial space within the redevelopment project.

Mayor Eisenberger calls it an "unfortunate circumstance" and "a lousy way to start 2008".

raisethehammer · #**100** Posted **Jan 8, 2008, 2:46 AM**

what??!! no retail or commercial space? get ready Ted, I'm about to unload the rant of all rants!
well....forget it. I've made my feelings known on this. it's unbelievable this bull crap they're pulling. the city and province need to expropriate or do something to get it out of LIUNA's hands. we can't just issue a demo permit because their idiots say it's too expensive now. morons.

by the way Ted, thanks for clarification on the CHML piece...you're right, that is completely different than what it sounded like Bratina said.