18-30 King St East | 106.9m | 32 fl | Proposed

[Innsertnamehere]

going to committee. Notably, the arch plans are in here;

https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings...umentId=296066

This will be adding a decent amount of retail and about 60,000sf of new office space to the core. Not bad!

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by innsertnamehere

going to committee. Notably, the arch plans are in here;

https://pub-hamilton.escribemeetings...umentid=296066

this will be adding a decent amount of retail and about 60,000sf of new office space to the core. Not bad!

finally!!!

Also glad they made the potential crack alley into a patio lolol..

[Markus83]

Taken yesterday. December 2, 2021

[Chronamut]

Thank da laaawd

let's get one of those 3d renders in here for good measure as the link above no longer seems to.. link to anything..



Thaat is one BEAUTIFUL render for the record. Can't wait to see those dormers properly rebuilt too

VERY happy with this proposal - it does this area justice.. unlike SOME OTHER PARTS WE KNOW..

Modern glass on top - stone on the bottom - modern and glassy meets heritage - I really do think this is the way to go - it's been beautifully done with every single example in hamilton.

[TheRitsman]

The Gore Park Buildings, 18-30 King Street West, have clearing planning. Building permits will be issued.
Council is approving the lifting of holding provisions next Friday. #HamOnt #yhmcc https://t.co/n1HgMPlpA5

https://twitter.com/JoeyColeman/stat...YppsiWISg&s=19

[Innsertnamehere]

no permits filed yet, at least.

Regardless, good news. If this iteration of the project can actually move forward, I will be very excited.

[Crapht]

I’ve always liked Gore Park although it has seen some pretty rough times. It is going through a transformation now that could hopefully make it one of the jewels in the city once more. It’s about time permanent bollards we’re installed to prevent any cars or trucks through. No entrance from John or Hughson streets.

[matt602]

I think we're probably gonna see action on this finally with all the activity around it. Been a long time coming now.

[JoeyColeman]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

no permits filed yet, at least.

Regardless, good news. If this iteration of the project can actually move forward, I will be very excited.

They cannot apply until the holding provision is formally lifted this Friday.
There could still be some minor variance requirements, which be a formality from the City's perspective.

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by JoeyColeman

They cannot apply until the holding provision is formally lifted this Friday.
There could still be some minor variance requirements, which be a formality from the City's perspective.

I was honestly afraid these buildings would collapse or be vandalized past the point of no return - It's amazing how much of this side of gage park is either boarded up or under renovation - it will be nice when we can actually use the downtown area like a.. downtown again. I actually really like their proposal - but only if they actually fix the stonework and clean off the century of grime and don't leave it all looking deteriorated.

Traditional bottom floors tastefully leading to recessed modern upper floors - practical yet still showcasing craftmanship capabilities, is imo the way for this city to move forward. And new traditional facades for new floors filling in downtown gaps. Core urban has shown it can be done. Maybe core urban can even partner with new builds, at least if it's in the core.

[TheHonestMaple]

What's happening with this project? I saw a twitter thread yesterday, and Cameron chimed in, said it would be discussed today with staff.

[Innsertnamehere]

It looks like Blanchard filed the demolition permit in 2022 some time. Still not issued, and no actual construction permits, at least yet.

I also noticed that some crews painted all the plywood hoarding on the buildings facing Gore Park black yesterday.



With Blanshard's other lot across the street seeming like it's being prepped to operate as a commercial lot, some (minor) movement on site, and actual permit applications - could this actually be happening?

[King&James]

pics from today - quiet here



nice to see others hard at work

[Innsertnamehere]

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..

I wandered by 20 Jackson last night and it's in use as a lot. A review of satellite imagery and streetview makes it appear as though it was converted to parking sometime between August and October of last year.

I also noticed there was a crew on site again this morning - looked like someone was shoveling up all the garbage and natural waste which has accumulated along the fence along King St.

Doing basic property maintenance, or getting ready for something? who knows.

[Corktowner]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I wandered by 20 Jackson last night and it's in use as a lot. A review of satellite imagery and streetview makes it appear as though it was converted to parking sometime between August and October of last year.

Hmmm… The exemption to the parking ban was granted “for the purpose of accommodating the displaced parking for the duration of the construction period,” but Blanchard went ahead and converted it to parking before he even had a construction permit. Seems like something Councillor Kroetsch could raise a stink about if he’s so inclined.

[Chronamut]

"selective facades to remain"? I thought as per their render ALL the facades were to remain?

I smell torches and pitchforks.. it'll be the gore park tree disaster all over again lol..

[Innsertnamehere]

I can confirm a small number of contractors are on site today with a dumpster and porta-john. It looks like some interior demolition is occurring as well as some sort of work on the southeast corner of the building.

[TheHonestMaple]

Going before DRP in September.

[Innsertnamehere]

Oh wow, much larger site. Very interested to see who is behind this, as my understanding was that Blanchard does not own that parking lot.

[TheHonestMaple]

Longtime Gore Park development now envisions 32-storey tower above old facades
New pitch for mixed-use King Street East comes after many years of anticipation

The Hamilton Spectator
2 Sep 2023
TEVIAH MORO

A long-standing plan for a stretch of 19th-century landmarks at Gore Park that were to be incorporated into a new six-storey building has taken a turn.
Developers behind a longtime plan to incorporate heritage facades into a new building at Gore Park have come up with a loftier pitch.

Instead of six storeys, the consortium now proposes a 32-storey tower atop a five-storey podium, throwing a new twist into the decade-old project.

Hughson Business Space Corporation’s renewed vision for 18-22, 24 and 28 King St. E. still includes preservation of the old facades.

At first blush, the proposal appears to abide by the downtown secondary plan, city planning director Steve Robichaud told The Spectator.

It also ticks off the “three Hs: height, heritage and housing,” he said.

“We’re getting the intensification. We’re getting additional residential. We’re getting commercial and heritage preservation.”

The mixed-use proposal features 478 residential units, 4,372 square metres of commercial space and 426 parking spaces.

Robichaud noted the plan expands a “super block” toward Main Street East, where the city envisions more residential development to complement a plan to convert the busy thoroughfare to twoway traffic.

Markland Property Management said consortium representatives were “unable to comment at this time” on the new Gore Park proposal.

In 2013, the developers’ initial plan to completely demolish the buildings, which date to the 1840s and 1870s, sparked outrage from heritage advocates.

But in a last-minute move, city council spared them the wrecking ball by giving the facades heritage protection.

Ever since, it has been a work in progress, while the old buildings in downtown Hamilton’s signature park remained in a state of disarray.

In 2021, a heritage consultant noted one brick facade, No. 24, was too deteriorated to be saved but would be replicated.

Meanwhile, the pre-Confederation stone fronts of 18-22 were to be secured by a steel structure on-site while the rest of the work continued.

The plan for No. 28 was to dismantle the stone and later put it back into place.

The buildings are unfinished, boarded-up and behind fencing.

The project has active permits and the city is “monitoring the situation to ensure that it’s safe and it’s stable,” Robichaud noted.

The new application is to be discussed with city planners as part of formal consultation and put before Hamilton’s design review panel for feedback on Sept. 20.

Hughson Business Space Corporation’s new towering pitch echoes a flurry of development around Gore Park, including LIUNA’s twin highrises on the north side of King.

Just east, another effort to breathe new life into more-than-centuryold buildings — also with direct access to the park’s southern flank — is making progress.

Partner Patrick Bermingham said the two buildings, No. 62 and No. 64, will offer “prime office space” and a new eatery in the downtown.