Downtown Update - Page 8

raisethehammer · #**141** Posted **Feb 12, 2008, 2:02 AM**

hmmm, I'd like to know who bought it. the old owner came down with cancer.

LikeHamilton · #**142** Posted **Feb 12, 2008, 5:18 PM**

see

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=142908

raisethehammer · #**143** Posted **Feb 15, 2008, 5:49 PM**

a great new restaurant just opened on Augusta St. http://www.thespottedpig.ca/

awesome menu. organic, fair trade coffee beans. patio.
I saw it the other day walking by. Used to be a Parisian tea house with crappy hours. This place should do great with that nice patio.

DC83 · #**144** Posted **Feb 15, 2008, 6:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

a great new restaurant just opened on Augusta St. http://www.thespottedpig.ca/

awesome menu. organic, fair trade coffee beans. patio.
I saw it the other day walking by. Used to be a Parisian tea house with crappy hours. This place should do great with that nice patio.

Thanks! This place sounds great, rth! I'll definately have to check it out. I hit up Augusta for pub fare pretty often. Better/cheaper than Hess and it's a 5 min walk away!

And BYOW (Bring Your Own Wine)??? AWESOME! I feel so Montréalais!

Fun article about the Winking Judge on Augusta from yesterday (feb 14th)'s Spec: http://thespec.com/article/324856

Augusta should be the "Haunted Pub District"! haha

raisethehammer · #**145** Posted **Feb 19, 2008, 12:16 AM**

I can't find a thread on the Asian Business Centre, so I'll post here.
Just came back from dinner across the road and this building is done...at least the outside is done. Not the greatest colour stucco I've ever seen, but hey, it's stucco. what can you do?
any word on tenants?

ihateittoo · #**146** Posted **Feb 22, 2008, 7:37 PM**

didn't see it anywhere yet - but apparently the "starbucks: coming soon" banner is up at 158 Locke St now.

raisethehammer · #**147** Posted **Feb 22, 2008, 10:23 PM**

yup, it is.

IronWarrior · #**148** Posted **Feb 24, 2008, 8:31 AM**

Looks like theres renovations being done in the old ODEON theatre....? I wonder whats up?

IronWarrior · #**149** Posted **Feb 24, 2008, 8:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ihateittoo

didn't see it anywhere yet - but apparently the "starbucks: coming soon" banner is up at 158 Locke St now.

I know....Cant wait!

right around the corner from my house!

matt602 · #**150** Posted **Feb 24, 2008, 9:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by IronWarrior

Looks like theres renovations being done in the old ODEON theatre....? I wonder whats up?

It will be the Lincoln Alexander Banquet Centre for the hotel next adjoined to it. Should be open for the summer or fall. They've been working on it for the past couple of years, they stepped it up in the last year.

LikeHamilton · #**151** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 5:48 PM**

New eateries on King Street East!

King Karaoke

CBE Bistro & MC Lounge

CBE Bistro

MC Lounge

That makes 5 restaurants in a row on that block. 7 in total for that side of that block.

Buddies Greek Takeout at King William and John has closed as of March 1st. The owner Sabena has moved to Upper Paradise and Stone Church into a plaza. She had a real problem with the landlord. He is spending no money on the building to try and clean it up. He rents only to crack heads and other types of low life. She complains to him that they are hanging around the building and scaring off her customers. They have told her they will not go into her place or down the street because of it. She told me she spends a fortune every week to have bug and pest controls come in and try to keep the bugs and mice at bay. The owner will do nothing to the building. She tried to convince him to fix up the building and the front. He is not interested in spending any money. The last straw was a rent increase.

She is a very smart girl. She is from Montreal and has a law degree from McGill. She got a better offer on the mountain. A clean building, free parking and less rent.

I loved her food.

Flar. Maybe when the weather is nicer, a project for your wonderful camera is to take pictures of just eating places in the core? Bay to Wellington, the base of the mountain to the waterfront. Just a thought.

RePinion · #**152** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 6:01 PM**

What's she doing running running a Greek takeout if she's got a law degree from McGill? That's one of the best schools in the country and McGill law grads are almost as a rule very sought after in Ontario (they have designation in both civil and common law, and are usually bilingual). Where I work we had one McGill grad and she left - I'm sure we'd hire another as there's still a vacancy left.

RePinion · #**153** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 6:02 PM**

Aaaacccchhh ... more stucco. But at least they look clean. Not the sort of aesthetic I'd be promoting on King Street though, looks hopelessly cheap.

DC83 · #**154** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 6:24 PM**

Wow. I'm actually really upset as I LOVE My Buddies (both John St & Fennell). I'm very sad to see this leave the core... but don't blame her for doing so!

The core seems to be full of slumlords who care nothing about their bldgs. The city needs to take action to kick these losers out and replace them with caring investors who will actually take the city's grants and fix up their properties!

RePinion · #**155** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 6:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DC83

The core seems to be full of slumlords who care nothing about their bldgs. The city needs to take action to kick these losers out and replace them with caring investors who will actually take the city's grants and fix up their properties!

I wish this were easy to do. It would solve so many of the downtown's problems.

To begin with, very strong disincentives for neglect are what is called for. But then again, we'd need a progressive city government actually willing to enforce them ... and to get that, we'd have to get over this city's terrible collective action problem and elect a truly outstanding administration without ties to developers, property speculators, etc.

raisethehammer · #**156** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 6:44 PM**

dang! buddy's was awesome...I'm sure she could have found a good deal around the corner on King or in Jackson Sq.
I could see a 3rd location going out to Upp Paradise, but moving right out of downtown seems strange. Places like that make a killing late night and on weekends.
Oh well, Tony's Corner is still there along with LaLuna, Harvest Burger and Eat a Pita.

HAMRetrofit · #**157** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 7:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RePinion

I wish this were easy to do. It would solve so many of the downtown's problems.

To begin with, very strong disincentives for neglect are what is called for. But then again, we'd need a progressive city government actually willing to enforce them ... and to get that, we'd have to get over this city's terrible collective action problem and elect a truly outstanding administration without ties to developers, property speculators, etc.

When the market strengthens these individuals will be squeezed out through natural selection. The city needs to to subsidize this environment heavily. The downtown loans program is a good start, but there needs to be more. Proper enforcement and grants for renovations would be another good start. Also, rewarding good property owners for setting high standards is another.

RePinion · #**158** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 7:28 PM**

^ In principle that should happen. But relying on market forces alone isn't always a wise decision ... and it can take a very long time to effect a desired goal. It is contingent upon when the market strengthens, where it strengthens, and the degree to which it does strengthen. Intervention such as issuing grants and imposing penalties can accelerate latent market forces by encouraging the actions of owners whose efforts will increase property values while at the same time punishing those whose actions can stagnate or decrease them.

HAMRetrofit · #**159** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 7:44 PM**

I think if the right financial environment is created and the right guidelines are in place it is the best option for renewal. If not, there is not really much else that can be done besides the city acting as developer.

RePinion · #**160** Posted **Mar 3, 2008, 7:47 PM**

On a macro level, I'm usually very opposed to government intervention. On a micro level, such as here, I think it is utterly necessary. I agree with you. The area needs to be heavily subsidized. I wish the city would pour everything it had into revitalizing the downtown through loans, grants, tax breaks, etc. It would be nice if the province would chip in too (I won't even get started on the Feds ...).