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  #61  
Old Posted Nov 14, 2014, 6:53 PM
movingtohamilton movingtohamilton is offline
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Originally Posted by markbarbera View Post
Toronto.
Oh, really? That's too bad. I hear there's a great new sushi place on King St called Tatemono (I'm blatantly hijacking this thread).

See you in the Cuisine threads!
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  #62  
Old Posted Nov 14, 2014, 7:26 PM
king10 king10 is offline
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Not at all! Hamilton politics are a combo of the bizarre, the hilarious, and the stupid...with the occasional intelligent decision. There seem to be no direct threats to life and limb coming from that 3-ring circus at 71 Main St. West, so I've got no reason to write anyone. I'll just harass you, king10!

It's just a shame there are no leaders with any real vision. Instead, the new mayor is, apparently, an old mayor? Now that's progress!
haha you aren't that bad i guess!
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  #63  
Old Posted Nov 16, 2014, 5:08 AM
palace1 palace1 is offline
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Interesting mix of opinions on this.

Can anyone comment on the Vranich Empire?

He owns the Sheraton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Staybridge Suites, and as this thread indicates may be proposing a Holiday Inn for the site at King and Queen.

Staybridge, Holiday Inn and the non-Vranich Crowne-Plaza are part of the InterContinental Hotel Group; Sheraton is part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Homewood Suites is part of the Hilton Hotels & Resorts.

Is there any conflict of interest in one developer owning competing brands? Or do each of these brands serve different segments of the market?
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  #64  
Old Posted Nov 16, 2014, 1:41 PM
bornagainbiking bornagainbiking is offline
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So many diverse and conflicting opinions on the path to prosperity. being self-sufficient and how Hamilton is defined or will be?
To see the downtown now and the construction it means jobs, new residents and maybe our families not having to move out West or go to bigger centers. We are benefiting with the exodus of people from Toronto moving here.
So to build tall building in the city center is I feel a good thing.
Yet the moaning over blocking the view. We are way past that. We need progress to survive and prosper. Stelco and Dofasco are rebranded and in decline. So the wheel must be re-invented. The view from the brow if you look ther wrong way is industrial wasteland.
If the downtown grows then the transportation is a priority.
It's not about the glass half empty or half full, it how we are able to refill the glass.
Hopefully the new(old) municipal government is on-board.
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  #65  
Old Posted Nov 16, 2014, 6:03 PM
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Originally Posted by palace1 View Post
Interesting mix of opinions on this.

Can anyone comment on the Vranich Empire?

He owns the Sheraton, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Staybridge Suites, and as this thread indicates may be proposing a Holiday Inn for the site at King and Queen.

Staybridge, Holiday Inn and the non-Vranich Crowne-Plaza are part of the InterContinental Hotel Group; Sheraton is part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts; Homewood Suites is part of the Hilton Hotels & Resorts.

Is there any conflict of interest in one developer owning competing brands? Or do each of these brands serve different segments of the market?
The Vrancor Group (from his web site)

Head Office
366 King St West, Hamilton Ontario

15 Hotels Built
20 Managed Properties
1000 Employees

Partners
Hilton Worldwide
InterContinental Hotel Group
Starwood Hotels and Resorts
Starbucks
Shoppers Drug Mart

Hotels

SHERATON HAMILTON HOTEL
HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON HAMILTON
STAYBRIDGE SUITES HAMILTON
HAMPTON INN BY HILTON TIMMINS
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITES TIMMINS
WATERFRONT HOTEL DOWNTOWN BURLINGTON
HAMPTON INN BY HILTON NORTH BAY
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS TORONTO - NORTH YORK
WATERFRONT HOTEL DOWNTOWN WINDSOR
HAMPTON INN BY HILTON SUDBURY
HOMEWOOD SUITES BY HILTON SUDBURY
HAMPTON INN BY HILTON LONDON
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS & SUITES HUNTSVILLE
PINESTONE RESORT & CONFERENCE CENTRE

Food Services and Conventions
MARQUIS GARDENS BURLINGTON
MARQUIS GARDENS HAMILTON
MARQUIS GARDENS ANCASTER
AJAX CONVENTION CENTRE
BEAVER & BULLDOG NEIGHBOURHOOD TAPS & GRILLE
STARBUCKS - SHERATON HAMILTON

Commercial - Retail
SHOPPERS DRUG MART - MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
LEASING OPPORTUNITY - SHERATON HAMILTON HOTEL / JACKSON SQUARE HAMILTON
LEASING OPPORTUNITY - 150 MAIN WEST, HAMILTON
LEASING OPPORTUNITY - BELLA TOWER LUXURY APARTMENTS, HAMILTON

Residential
ONE12 ST. CLAIR AVENUE WEST, TORONTO
150 MAIN WEST RESIDENTIAL LOFTS, HAMILTON
BELLA TOWER LUXURY APARTMENTS, HAMILTON
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  #66  
Old Posted Nov 20, 2014, 4:09 AM
palace1 palace1 is offline
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The Vrancor Group (from his web site)...
Thanks for that list, I didn't know about the three Marquis Gardens or the three Beaver & Bulldog restaurants... surprised he would own a restaurant chain but doesn't use it as the hotel restaurant in any of his hotels.

Also, I didn't know about the five Shoppers Drug Marts including the Dundas location.
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  #67  
Old Posted Nov 20, 2014, 3:36 PM
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Didn't know about the Ajax convention centre either. Im currently working out in Oshawa and by the sounds of it, it gets a lot of business and gets good reviews. You can see it off the 401 and is a relatively new building.
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  #68  
Old Posted Nov 20, 2014, 3:37 PM
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Originally Posted by palace1 View Post
Thanks for that list, I didn't know about the three Marquis Gardens or the three Beaver & Bulldog restaurants... surprised he would own a restaurant chain but doesn't use it as the hotel restaurant in any of his hotels.

Also, I didn't know about the five Shoppers Drug Marts including the Dundas location.
There was a rumor going around that a Beaver and Bulldog would be going in with a patio front location at his complex on Main and Bay. Not sure if there is any truth to that?
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  #69  
Old Posted Nov 20, 2014, 9:28 PM
thistleclub thistleclub is offline
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Thanks for that list, I didn't know about the three Marquis Gardens or the three Beaver & Bulldog restaurants... surprised he would own a restaurant chain but doesn't use it as the hotel restaurant in any of his hotels.
Waterfront Burlington Hotel / Marquis Gardens / Beaver & Bulldog
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  #70  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 5:13 AM
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thespec.com - Developer puts orphanage demolition on hold

Developer Darko Vranich says he is holding off the demolition of the former Mount St. Joseph orphanage pending the outcome of negotiations with three former orphans who want to refurbish the building into offices and a retirement home.

Vranich's company King West Crossings Inc. received a demolition permit from the city earlier this month for the property on the north side of King at Queen Street that he bought in 2005 for $2.2 million.

His plan, he said in an interview Thursday, is for a $100-million development of two, four-storey office buildings and a 22-storey apartment building.

But he is willing to pass on one of the office buildings to another developer who wants to incorporate the former orphanage in the design.


That building, said to be in grim shape, was opened in 1936 by the Sisters of St. Joseph. Its dominant feature is that it is shaped like a cross as viewed from above. After its time as an orphanage, the building was used by McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences.

"I cannot promise anything, but it seems to be quite interesting," Vranich said of the plan by two brothers and a sister.

He would not divulge the names of the siblings, who he says have a sentimental attachment to the building that they used to live in.

Councillor Brian McHattie told the Hamilton Municipal Heritage Committee yesterday that he, incoming councillor Aidan Johnson and others, met with Vranich on Wednesday.

McHattie said the adaptive reuse proposal for the orphanage building was mentioned at the meeting and Vranich gave him the name and phone number of one of the brothers. He plans to contact him later this week.

"I don't have a sense of how real it is," said McHattie. "I don't have a sense of (their) capabilities."

He said the plan would likely need financial assistance through city programs that encourage heritage preservation. But he said municipal funds would be limited, perhaps $200,000, which would be a small percentage of a multimillion-dollar development.

Vranich said he has no interest in refurbishing the former orphanage himself because the office building he is contemplating, with retail on the first floor, needs to be built from scratch.

"I will hold up demolition for maybe a couple of weeks or so. If we cannot strike a deal, I will definitely demolish it in early December," Vranich said.

Although the building has historical interest to some — it is among the last standing of numerous orphanages that once operated in Hamilton — it is not designated on the municipal register. Consequently, there is no legal protection, according to city staff.

Members of the heritage committee decided not to press for an emergency heritage designation on Thursday.

Committee member Michael Adkins argued it would be better "not to dictate, but negotiate.

"I think we can save the building by negotiating."

For his part, Vranich says he'll wait to see how things shake out, but one way or another property will be developed because he believes the city's growing economy will support it.

"Let's build Hamilton. Hamilton is a city of opportunity," he said.
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  #71  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 9:02 AM
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Well, this is definitely starting to sound better.
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  #72  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 2:26 PM
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Just another Vranich neglected property. Now this guy is 'building Hamilton' after sitting on a property for 9 years? Please.
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  #73  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 3:12 PM
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There is no other reason for them to save this building than "sentimental attachment". There is nothing historical or unique with this building. I would rather see a $100-million development of two, four-storey office buildings and a 22-storey apartment building at this corner. Vranich will only sell if he can make a huge profit for this property.
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  #74  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 4:26 PM
king10 king10 is offline
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Just another Vranich neglected property. Now this guy is 'building Hamilton' after sitting on a property for 9 years? Please.
Cannot believe how people just rip on Vranich. The man single handidly made a massive improvement to our skyline building 3 towers on one block and ppl continue to find a reason to rip on him. Not to mention 2 new hotels downtown that Hamilton was in dire need of. His son also renovated a beautiful rental at the corner of king and hess. While he was sitting on that property he was building at 5 others downtown. As well as his hospitality headquarters on main. And running the most successful hotel downtown the sheraton. Compare that with developers who sit on ALL their properties as parking lots. Not to mention he took a gamble and started construction before pre sales were even put on the market.

If he didn't own the property it would have sat as a parking lot for 50 years. Nevermind actual development after 10 years.

People were pissed off he was demolishing the building to build 2 office buidings and a 22 story tower(god forbid we demolish a building over 50 years old with no historical designation). So he says he is willing to play ball and preserve the orphanage. NOW ppl comlpain that he has been sitting on the property for 10 years. Nothing he does can please ppl.

When will ppl be happy? Everyone always finds something to complain about. Jesus. I find ppl criticize him because of a shady past but that is exactly it, in his PAST. Everything he has done going forward has been positive economic development for our city.
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  #75  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 4:35 PM
Beedok Beedok is offline
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For a long while it simply wasn't economical to build much in downtown Hamilton. It reminds me of those people saying that Hamilton should have been doing modern new urbanism in the 70s. If they'd done that they would have failed. Almost no one wanted to set up shop in brownfields or whatnot. If Vranich had tried to build all these hotels and condos in Hamilton 10 years ago they'd have probably failed and put the city of the whole concept for years. By waiting until the market was showing signs of existing he's instead helped to spearhead confidence and development. I'm not saying he's perfect, but in reality "build it and they will come" only works for a few specific things (otherwise White Elephants wouldn't exist). So he isn't really evil for waiting until there was a market for downtown hotels and condos. Well no more evil than any other developper.
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  #76  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 5:53 PM
HillStreetBlues HillStreetBlues is offline
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I find ppl criticize him because of a shady past but that is exactly it, in his PAST. Everything he has done going forward has been positive economic development for our city.
To be fair, you’re the first one I think to bring up his “shady past.” Also, “everything he has done going forward” doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

It’s good that the building is now less likely to be demolished before there are actual plans for something to replace it. What Oldcoote said wasn’t wrong.
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  #77  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 6:45 PM
king10 king10 is offline
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To be fair, you’re the first one I think to bring up his “shady past.” Also, “everything he has done going forward” doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

It’s good that the building is now less likely to be demolished before there are actual plans for something to replace it. What Oldcoote said wasn’t wrong.
I respecfully disagree. "just another Vranich neglected property" isn't completely correct.

It is not the case, many of his lots are actually under development with buildings 10 stories plus or not neglected at all. Not to mention the staybridge suites, homewood suites, sheraton hotel, Marquis garden, Vrancor hospitality headquarters, Visitors inn, Shoppers Drug Marts, Beaver and Bulldog locations. What he said was wrong IMO, it is not just another neglected Vranich lot because many of his lots are not neglected.

Whats meant by "everything he has done going forward" is that evrything he has done in the recent past, and the proposed developments he has going forward into the future look to add positive ecomomic development in the city. I hope that makes more sense to you.
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  #78  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 8:13 PM
HillStreetBlues HillStreetBlues is offline
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Whats meant by "everything he has done going forward" is that evrything he has done in the recent past, and the proposed developments he has going forward into the future look to add positive ecomomic development in the city. I hope that makes more sense to you.
Sorry, I said that tongue-in-cheek: "everything he has done [past tense] going forward" just made me smile. I do understand, though wonder what the statute of limitations is on these things, and how distant the past need be before you think we should ignore it. Anyway, no one did bring up his "shady past" until you (and I'm guessing you mean his criminal conviction, or maybe there are other things you're referencing). Oldcoote mentioned the fact that nothing has happened on this property, and that's true; even a few of the developments you mentioned, were on lots that languished for some time before.

I personally try to judge these things on a case-by-case basis. Developers are out to make money, so just because their last project added a lot of value doesn't mean we should just trust them to do well again. Queen and King would be a great site for office towers as (briefly) described, but I can't judge a plan that doesn't exist.
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  #79  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 8:24 PM
king10 king10 is offline
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Originally Posted by HillStreetBlues View Post
Sorry, I said that tongue-in-cheek: "everything he has done [past tense] going forward" just made me smile. I do understand, though wonder what the statute of limitations is on these things, and how distant the past need be before you think we should ignore it. Anyway, no one did bring up his "shady past" until you (and I'm guessing you mean his criminal conviction, or maybe there are other things you're referencing). Oldcoote mentioned the fact that nothing has happened on this property, and that's true; even a few of the developments you mentioned, were on lots that languished for some time before.

I personally try to judge these things on a case-by-case basis. Developers are out to make money, so just because their last project added a lot of value doesn't mean we should just trust them to do well again. Queen and King would be a great site for office towers as (briefly) described, but I can't judge a plan that doesn't exist.
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  #80  
Old Posted Nov 21, 2014, 8:46 PM
markbarbera markbarbera is offline
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...and I'm guessing you mean his criminal conviction
Darko Vranich has no criminal conviction. You are thinking of the wrong Vranich.

To address the question as to why he had held on to his property so long before developing, if I may add perspective without making someone's personal life more public that it needs to be, from I understand Vranich was (until relatively recently) embroiled in a lengthy divorce proceeding, which I suspect influenced how and when he could develop properties that he held.
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