55 Queenston - CityHousing | 22.6m | 6 fl | Under Construction

[Innsertnamehere]

Cityhousing building at Queenston Circle. 6 storeys. Phase 2 looks like it would be taller. Features retail along Main St, behind a ridiculous 8.2 metre road widening(!!!).

[ShavedParmesanCheese]

Finally, the wasteland by my house will have activity!!!!

The widening you mentioned is on Main St., right? If so, that's not cause for too great of concern.... I hope. Right now, Main St. Jogs after the Queenston traffic circle. I suspect if they widen the road on the south side, it'll lessen the severity of the jog and allow for easier access.

Of course, it is also very important to mention that the Queenston traffic circle is due to be removed, being replaced by a T-junction with the LRT. We'll need further plans to determine just what they're up to.

It makes sense, though, if they end up building what looks to be a 12 storey building on that corner. If that part of Main ever wants to live up to its namesake, it'll need a greater right-of-way to accommodate street parking, but more importantly wider sidewalks (presently the bare minimum) and eventually bike lanes.

[Innsertnamehere]

The widening is there because the Hamilton Official Plan has insane road widening requirements for the inner city, which the city requires developers to submit "justification reports" as to why a crazy road widening is not needed in the middle of the city (hint: it's never needed). Its very unusual and I've never seen it in other municipalities.

This may be a case of just the initial application showing the widening until city staff approve it's removal.

If you look at the plans from the 2017 EPR Addendum for the LRT, Queenston will retain 4 lanes east of here to the RHVP, with the road narrowing to two lanes right in front of this project before reaching Strathearne. I suspect the city may ask for a slight widening here in order to allow the two westbound lanes to at least continue through to the intersection with Strathearne. But that wouldn't need more than an extra 4m or so of road right of way at most. 8m is overkill.

[TheHonestMaple]

[ShavedParmesanCheese]

Hmm. I didn't know they had that initiative. Very in-character though, not surprised.

I'm curious. This project only encompasses the Motor Hotel's lot, and stops at the Herbee's lot. What'll become of that, I wonder.

[matt602]

That looks like suburban garbage, over half the property isn't even taken up by a structure. Any social housing is good but this could have been such a better use of the land.

[ShavedParmesanCheese]

While the building itself isn't something I can get behind there are some aspects to it that I appreciate - namely the greenery they want to put at the perimeter.

Im on those narrow sidewalks every day and they're hell in the summer, there's not a single substantial tree that overhangs the sidewalk anywhere near this site. Would appreciate if they expanded the sidewalk though.

Though really, anything's better than this.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by matt602

That looks like suburban garbage, over half the property isn't even taken up by a structure. Any social housing is good but this could have been such a better use of the land.

+1

There could be more intensity and less surface parking in future phase(s), but why not go for that right off the bat?

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

+1

There could be more intensity and less surface parking in future phase(s), but why not go for that right off the bat?

given that it's public housing, there isn't the funding yet? I mean if they have funding for 40 units (what is proposed), I guess they could build it as townhouses covering the whole site in one phase, but I suspect people would rather land be reserved for a later phase which looks around 10 storeys in the sketch for when the funding becomes available.

The surface parking isn't great but its part of affordably building new public housing. It may be able to be put underground but then the funding envelope could probably only build 30 units instead of 40.

I mean it's public housing with tons of on street parking in this area, if you ask me this should be basically 0 parking anyway. Probably only a handful of tenants will even own cars, and those who do can probably easily be accommodated on surrounding streets.

The road widening needs to die a terrible death though for sure.

[Beedok]

Parking wouldn’t just be for tenants. It’s also for family visiting, delivery vehicles (low income people without cars still need new furniture and such), ambulances (affordable housing means higher odds of disabled folks who are more likely to need those), home visit care workers/councillors (see previous), and so on. And, even those who do own cars are reasonably likely to have mobility issues and not be able to walk as far to a parking space as the average person.

[ScreamingViking]

A story about this site and its history from the Spec today. The Metrolinx property referenced is the one directly to the east of the land CityHousing will build on.


Hamilton’s Queenston traffic circle: From City Motor, to rubble, to CityHousing

https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...tyhousing.html

By Teviah Moro
The Hamilton Spectator
Thu., July 15, 2021

• Video Link

Cam Gillespie seems only half-joking when he gripes about the overgrown flora on a rubble-strewn lot blocking the view of his business from drivers zipping around the Queenston Road traffic circle.

“The weeds are getting higher,” Gillespie says from his office in the east Hamilton furniture and mattress store. “It’s harder to see us on the other side of the street.”

The fenced-off brownfield littered with barrels, bricks and concrete blocks has been an eyesore for the residents in the area ever since the city expropriated and demolished the City Motor Hotel in 2013.

The recent public release of a design presenting a colourful, six-storey CityHousing building with 40 subsidized rental units is a reminder of the derelict site’s pending transformation after the years-long preamble.

“The colours are just meant to be a bright sign of life — lively, bright, bold colours that stand out,” says architect Graham McNally, whose firm, Toms + McNally Design, teamed up with Invizij Architects on the project.

The future building has a passive house design, a standard of construction that aims for high energy efficiency.

The windows are smaller and there are no balconies, but there’s a large rooftop patio and outdoor plaza that will include a play area.

The current stark perimeter along Queenston — expected to be widened for a potential LRT line while the circle is to be replaced with T-shaped intersection — will also become greener.

“We are planting these trees so that they will be able to provide shade for pedestrians and also for the building,” says Emma Cubitt, who is with Invizij.

CityHousing expects to start construction on the $21.6-million rent-geared-to-income residence with 25 one-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom units by next summer. The targeted move-in date is summer 2023.

The idea is that development, later to be accompanied by a second 50-unit CityHousing building on the site, can help the car-centred area become more focused on pedestrians, Cubitt says.

“I would say that’s one of our goals — is being that bridge of the transition of this neighbourhood.”

CityHousing has selected a construction manager while studies of site remediation options are underway.

“We’re getting a lot closer to the finish line. There’s no doubt,” said Coun. Chad Collins, who’s president of CityHousing.

“This, I think, is going to be a welcome change for people, so it’s a little bit of short-term pain for long-term gain.”

The 40 rent-geared-to-income apartments will replace subsidized single-family and semi-detached homes CityHousing has sold in the east end and Mountain over the years.

The traffic circle project is one of a few the municipal housing provider has on the go amid a strategy that involves selling off real estate to fund new builds with a focus on mixed-income communities and private partnerships.

The cash-strapped agency, which has 1,236 properties and roughly 13,000 tenants, faces a multimillion-dollar repair backlog while the city struggles to make headway on a wait list for subsidized units that numbers about 5,200 households.

In its last annual report, CityHousing says it plans to “create or replace” more than 580 units over four years.

...

The Queenston traffic circle is a turning point for more than one interested party.

Metrolinx bought the property next to the CityHousing land, anticipating it would serve as the eastern terminus of a light-rail line.

A large commercial building that offered a grocery store, pharmacy and gym was levelled.

But in 2017, council opted to extend the future line farther east — to Eastgate Square at Centennial Parkway.

A for-lease sign sits on the Metrolinx property that’s thickening with tall grass, pooling with rainwater and fluttering with butterflies.

...

Mitch Cozens, who lives in a small bungalow on the edge of the properties, remembers when the City Motor Hotel was in full swing just a few steps down the street.

“It was always busy,” he said, referring to drug activity. “All hours of the night, people up and down the street here.”

Then the bulldozers came. “It was peaceful right after.”

...

full story here

[ShavedParmesanCheese]

Excavators are on site! They've begun ripping up the foundation for the old motor hotel, which had been sitting on the lot for years since they tore the rest of the building down.

[SteelTown]

Iconic sign for Hamilton’s former City Motor Hotel to get new life

https://www.insauga.com/iconic-sign-...n_7ElXGUfz8zfk

The City of Hamilton is looking to preserve a piece of Hamilton history that many likely thought was lost for good.

In a motion that received unanimous support from members of Hamilton’s Public Works Committee, ward 4 councillor Sam Merulla called on the city to refurbish the iconic City Motor Hotel sign and incorporate it into the mixed-use development planned for 55 Queenston Rd.

At Monday’s (Feb. 14) meeting, Merulla noted that the sign has been stored nearby since it was taken down. The hotel itself was demolished in 2013 after years of falling into disrepair and disrepute.

In introducing his motion, Merulla also said that even though in its later years, the hotel became a blight on the community, in its heyday, it was a luxury destination in the city.

The sign, the councillor said, holds significant meaning for longtime Hamiltonians and newcomers in that it stands as a symbol of the changes to the community over the years.

CityHousing Hamilton (CHH) is currently developing the site of the former hotel in east Hamilton to include a two-phase, mixed-use development.

The first phase will include a 40-unit mid-rise residential apartment complex with 25 one-bed and 15 three-bed units.

[ShavedParmesanCheese]

Finally, they're going through with it! I remember hearing they had plans for that years ago, from the lady who runs the Hamilton Store. She said the city wanted to do something similar with the Tivoli sign, but it was run over by a truck backing up

[johnnyhamont]

Thread title can be changed to Under Construction.

New renders for this one also show some colour vibrancy exchanged for more monochromatic earthy exterior pattern.
source

[Chronamut]

It's somehow even uglier in the new render than it was originally lol..

like what's the point of the brown things over the windows?

smh..

[TheRitsman]

I think it provides articulation.

[atnor]

Slightly less trashy looking than the meth-head infested hotel that used to stand here.

[ScreamingViking]

I think it's an improvement. Less like an Indwell, maybe? And downright classy compared to what's being completed at Reid and Lang farther to the east. I particularly prefer the look of the middle section where the elevator is -- fewer windows, but not as "cheap" looking.

Drove by the site today and saw the excavation. Main and Queenston east of the Delta will end up being a fairly dense corridor all the way to Centennial if more builds of around this size go up (plus the larger developments at the former Delta Secondary school and whatever gets done at Eastgate)

[Chronamut]

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

I think it provides articulation.

To quote uncle roger..