If you were a developer (Just for Fun)

[the905sDW]

Originally Posted by pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce

^Yeah, I'd like to see that, too.

I've got a pretty big project for you. This is my 'plan' for a new market square.

Imagine Jackson Square plaza being at street level and not raised above the street as it is now.

The blue lines denote through streets - Market street running east-west and Park street running north-south. The red hash lines denote pedestrian streets running from King into the square.

The part of Jackson Square located directly under Stelco Tower, Thomson, the Sheraton, etc. would be gutted-out and redesigned to be accessible from the street - Market street and King street in this case.

There would be a large square located behind the library/ market, with residential located along Park beside Copps and anywhere else it can be jammed in.

It might be hard for others to conceptualise. Imagine something vaguely similar to Quincy Market in Boston...but new.

Pete, this is a great plan! It would certainly change the core of the city. I love the idea of making that area more street level and open to street level. like a small community of it's own. I'd love to tackle a concept for this. It will take come time to sketch some ideas of the site and placement of buildings and features. I'll try to make a paper sketch of some ideas. Thanks for your map! I like the streets and pedestrian walks.

[the905sDW]

Originally Posted by MeIsThomas

How about this location? Two mostly empty lots right next to each other and are big enough for 2 80+ floor towers.

Blue Outline = Tower Locations
Red Outline = Property lines/Podiums

Thanks for the map! That's definitely the challenge finding a spot to support 2 massive structures. I actually made a map myself denoting proposed / planned and empty lots. Those lots seem best as they are closest to the core and big enough.

here is my map of empty lots in red. I don't have your 2 on there, but now looking at it from an aerial view, they really are huge.

[thomax]

Another location I thought of is the site where Sir John A Macdonald High School is on York Blvd. The school is suppose to be closing in 2015 and it was rumored that the Carmen's Hotel & Condo will be built there. I made a quick outline of how the towers could stand.

[thomax]

And that Jackson Square plan is great. It should all be at street level and it was originally suppose to be. Here is the original plans:


Source


Source

[the905sDW]

Originally Posted by MeIsThomas

Another location I thought of is the site where Sir John A Macdonald High School is on York Blvd. The school is suppose to be closing in 2015 and it was rumored that the Carmen's Hotel & Condo will be built there. I made a quick outline of how the towers could stand.

I totally forgot about the school! Well thats an even better spot! Thanks for the sketch up too! I'll have to see where the scale looks best for something super tall. As for the style of the towers, I want them to be unique, and the defining feature of the skyline, but I don't want to make anything too futuristic looking...not my thing. I like classic style in a modern way.

Those original Jackson Sq diagrams are awesome! That would have been much better to have it built that way to begin with.

[thomax]

Just to get an idea of what twin buildings would look like in the skyline, I used paint to add some in quick...


Original Skyline Shot Source

[Dr Awesomesauce]

That Civic Square plan would have been quite interesting.

I love how City Hall, the planetarium and the auditorium line up in a perfect row. That's the way it should be.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by the905sDW

Very cool! I like the variation in designs!

Thanks. I tried to make them seem realistic and figured it wasn't too likely to have them all made by the same company.

Originally Posted by MeIsThomas

Awesome. It's gonna be great when TOD projects like this become a reality in Hamilton.

Yeah, it will be nice, especially when the other lines get build. The area from Gage to Ottawa is supposed to have three stops if this map is correct, so it will probably get a fair bit of attention being the densest grouping of stops outside the most central core. That focus area would probably expand to Kenilworth when the T-Line goes through.

[the905sDW]

Originally Posted by MeIsThomas

Just to get an idea of what twin buildings would look like in the skyline, I used paint to add some in quick...

Original Skyline Shot Source

You made that in Paint? Pretty nice for paint! That really looks awesome! I'm gonna have to build this now!

[thomax]

Originally Posted by the905sDW

You made that in Paint? Pretty nice for paint! That really looks awesome! I'm gonna have to build this now!

Yup, and thanks

[thomax]

I've been working on my King & Bay Condos design. I switched the material combination from blue glass, industrial metal, and dark wood to blue glass, industrial metal, and black brick. Here is a preview. I am working on the base and I added three spaces for ground floor retail facing King Street (I haven't put in their doors yet).


Source: My Photo

[thomax]

Originally Posted by MeIsThomas

I've been working on my King & Bay Condos design. I switched the material combination from blue glass, industrial metal, and dark wood to blue glass, industrial metal, and black brick. Here is a preview. I am working on the base and I added three spaces for ground floor retail facing King Street (I haven't put in their doors yet).


Source: My Photo

And to go with that last post ^ .....

....I added a door and a Starbucks sign quickly to show how the 3 ground floor retail spaces will face King Street:

Source: My Photo

[Beedok]

Trying to get a full downtown render for future use.

Still have while to go.

[thomax]

Originally Posted by Beedok

Trying to get a full downtown render for future use.

Still have while to go.

There is some way that you can download all of the Google Earth models that have already been made so you don't have to make them all yourself, but none of the Hamilton models are downloadable for me for some reason. You should try to do that before you spend all the time making all the buildings and if you figure it out let me know how you did it, haha.

[Beedok]

Originally Posted by MeIsThomas

There is some way that you can download all of the Google Earth models that have already been made so you don't have to make them all yourself, but none of the Hamilton models are downloadable for me for some reason. You should try to do that before you spend all the time making all the buildings and if you figure it out let me know how you did it, haha.

Well there's only some of them that are done, I don't think any of the ones I've modelled are present. I should check though. . .

[thomax]

.

[SteelTown]

Originally Posted by the905sDW

Well I do like twins vs a single when it comes to unique buildings. That would definitely be a good challenge for me! Where did you think these twin towers should go? In replace of the Ellen Fairclough building? or some other location?

Personally I feel it's time the Ellen Fairclough building got a new facade. Most brick facade hi rise across Canada has been replaced.

[thomax]

I've been working on the design for my building in between the Pigott Building and Commerce Place. It started as 1 tower, but the lot was so big so I copied the tower and rotated it to make a twin tower facing the other street. I'm not sure if I am going to keep the two buildings connected all the way up like they currently are. I'll post more updates as it gets closer to being complete.


Source: My Photo

[the905sDW]

Great job ya'll with the renders and city wide mapping of buildings! Good to have to reference! I'm working on the Bay York site right now. It's a huge space for 2 large towers. Perhaps a casino of some sorts.

I still want to tackle to jackson square site but at a later date. That will be the most complex project for sure.

For Bay and York, I'm going to call that complex "Bay York Centre" for now. I know, it's sounding an awful like Toronto! ... I mean I can hear the future subway announcement already... "The next station is Bay-York Centre, Bay-York Centre station" lol

BTW, one of the towers on this complex is inspired by the never built City Tech Tower in Brooklyn NY

[thomax]

For the last couple hours I've been working on the design for my building to go in between the Pigott Building and Commerce Place. This is what I've got (The towers are both 80 floors):


Source: My Photo


Source: My Photo


Source: My Photo


Source: My Photo