Jackson Square

[thistleclub]

Urban Planet going under shortly. Will be interesting to see what goes in there.

Also, Nygård Fashion Outlet may be in for a facelift.

[movingtohamilton]

Originally Posted by thistleclub

Urban Planet going under shortly. Will be interesting to see what goes in there....

Urban Planet opened a large store at Limeridge. I fear nothing will fill the empty space at Jackson Square.

So many storefront vacancies at JS. It's become a gloomy, unpleasant place imo.

[Markus83]

Originally Posted by movingtohamilton

Urban Planet opened a large store at Limeridge. I fear nothing will fill the empty space at Jackson Square.

So many storefront vacancies at JS. It's become a gloomy, unpleasant place imo.

It's a good and interesting place to people watch however.

[johnnyhamont]

Anyone know what Vrancor has to do with Jackson Square? Why are they leasing out space in the mall, they don't operate it do they?

[DavefromSt.Vital]

Originally Posted by johnnyhamont

Anyone know what Vrancor has to do with Jackson Square? Why are they leasing out space in the mall, they don't operate it do they?

"Jackson Square" is actually owned by several different groups, each with a separate piece of the property. Vrancor owns the Sheraton Hamilton and the somewhat down at the heels collection of stores adjacent to it.

[realcity]

Sheraton Mezzanine in JS is between the two sets of doors inside the mall. Includes the new high end Minden Jewellers, all rented by Vrancor.

[ScreamingViking]

From the "Spec 175" anniversary series:


Jackson Square was the first phase of a new vision for downtown Hamilton

https://www.thespec.com/life/local-h...on-square.html

The Hamilton Spectator
Sat., Aug. 28, 2021


After years of planning, expropriation, demolition and construction, the first phase of the city’s vision for downtown Hamilton opened in 1972. It was called Lloyd D. Jackson Square, named after the city mayor who had laid the groundwork for core renewal many years before.

...

An Aug. 22, 1972, Spectator article about the Phase 1 opening said: “Hamiltonians, you are about to take a $30 million step into the future. At a brief ceremony tomorrow morning, the first phase of the giant Lloyd D. Jackson Square project will be opened. And a new life for the downtown area will have begun.

“It is hoped that the new buildings at King and James streets will bring suburban shoppers flocking back to the city centre ...”

Urban renewal timeline
— 1972: Jackson Square Phase I opens.
— 1973: Hamilton Place opens as well as the Canadian Football Hall of Fame nearby.
— 1977: Second phase of Jackson Square opens with a six-storey office tower.
— 1980: Central Library and new Farmers’ Market opens on York Boulevard.
— 1981: Hamilton Convention Centre and the government office tower, later known as the Ellen Fairclough Building, opens.
— 1983: Standard Life Building opens.
— 1985: Copps Coliseum opens as well as the Sheraton Hamilton hotel.
— 1990: Hamilton Eaton Centre opens.


The site, cleared of all that old rot... making way for newer rot.


1970: construction begins


1985: Copps Coliseum nearing completion


Cheers to a project... done (at least the early phase of it).



full story here

[TheRitsman]

Had to go to 120 King St W today in Jackson Square, and I thought I'd take some pictures of the small renovations done to clean up the active office floors.







One thing I've always found odd, is that they only have buttons for floors 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11. I've always wondered why the elevator never had the other floors put in. Seems like a waste of time to have to cut out additional buttons if the floors were ever rented out, not sure why they wouldn't just include them and have them non-functional:

[ScreamingViking]

Do they (or did they intend to) have separate elevators for the upper and lower floors? It's not a tall building, but does have a large floorplate even given the atrium.

I've only ever been as far up as the second floor, to go to the passport office.

[TheRitsman]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Do they (or did they intend to) have separate elevators for the upper and lower floors? It's not a tall building, but does have a large floorplate even given the atrium.

I've only ever been as far up as the second floor, to go to the passport office.

Ive been in all the elevators and they seem to all go to the same floors with the exception of the mechanical floor. There are elevators on the other side though I think? Perhaps those ones go to the missing floors? I haven't used that side before. Maybe I'll check someday soon. I'm pretty sure the elevator on that side only goes to the plaza level though, not the first floor. Kind of odd to have 5 elevators go to 7-11 (& mech.) And then less on the other side for 3, 4, 5, 6.

[ScreamingViking]

More history:
https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...en-it-all.html

At 50 years of age, Jackson Square has seen it all
In 1969, more than 43 acres of Victorian buildings were torn down to make way for the downtown shopping centre

Mark McNeil
The Hamilton Spectator
Tue., Dec. 6, 2022

There was a recent 50th anniversary celebration in Hamilton’s downtown where organizers handed out 1,000 free red T-shirts with a pithy slogan that said:

“I’ve seen it all at Jackson Square.”

The managers of the shopping and office complex that opened its first phase in 1972 could have sugar-coated the message to go with the free coffee and doughnuts they were giving away near the King and James entrance.

But they decided on a more irreverent approach amid some harsh truths. They know Hamilton’s experiment in downtown mall making is a bit unsettling to some. Many have pleasant memories. But others, not so much.

Heritage advocates still scorn the blitzkrieg-like demolition that preceded its construction. They note the complex has fallen short of its objectives in revitalizing shopping in the core, and many today see it as a case study in making downtown problems worse.

In 1969, more than 43 acres of Victorian buildings were torn down to make way for what was called the Civic Square project that transformed the area between James and Bay, Main and York.

The demolition ushered in Lloyd D. Jackson Square; the Hamilton Eaton Centre (now the Hamilton City Centre that is about to be demolished to make way for a major condominium and commercial project); Hamilton Place (now the FirstOntario Concert Hall); the Convention Centre; the Sheraton Hotel and Copps Coliseum (now the FirstOntario Centre that is about to undergo a major renovation); among other buildings, over the following 15 years.

“Everyone knows we have had highs and lows,” says Jackson Square property manager Allison Drennan from First Real Properties Ltd. “We are back in 1972 almost, trying to reinvent or bring new life to Jackson Square and to say, ‘yes we are here.’”

...

Jackson Square through time
1972: Lloyd D. Jackson Square Phase 1 opens
1973: Hamilton Place opens as well as the nearby Canadian Football Hall of Fame
1977: Second phase of Jackson Square opens with a six-storey office tower
1980: Hamilton Public Library central branch and new Farmers’ Market opens on York Boulevard
1981: Hamilton Convention Centre and the Ellen Fairclough Building open
1983: Standard Life Building at 120 King West opens
1985: Copps Coliseum opens as well as the Sheraton Hamilton hotel
2013: The 55,000-square foot Nation’s Fresh Foods grocery store opens in Jackson Square
2014: Copps Coliseum renamed First Ontario Centre
2022: Jackson Square turns 50

Jackson Square has 99 retailers and 21 businesses within four office towers.

Six original tenants of Jackson Square still operate: Laura Secord; Coles; Suzy Shier; Tamblyn Drugs (now Rexall); TD Bank; and Landmark Cinemas (formerly Famous Players).

[Innsertnamehere]

I wouldn't say Landmark is an original tenant - they operate in the original theatre space but Landmark is not a part of the Cineplex brand like Famous Players now is.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Innsertnamehere

I wouldn't say Landmark is an original tenant - they operate in the original theatre space but Landmark is not a part of the Cineplex brand like Famous Players now is.

Very different theatres now too -- they used to have many rows of the smaller fabric seats, not the large leather recliners.

That was just a quote from the Spec.

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Would love a hi-rez version of this. Anyone know if there's one avaialble?

[johnnyhamont]

Originally Posted by Berklon

Would love a hi-rez version of this. Anyone know if there's one avaialble?

This isn't really hi-rez but slightly higher than that one:

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Berklon

Would love a hi-rez version of this. Anyone know if there's one avaialble?

I wonder if there's one in digital archives at Mac or the public library?

[TheRitsman]

I did some quick editing, but could probably do more later. I would check the archives with the library, they likely have a copy and could scan a copy for you. Imgur compressed this, so I'd have to upload it somewhere better for a high res download.

[The Gore]

Roots leaving Jackson Square next month

[HamiltonBoyInToronto]

Ice skating on the roof of Jackson square has returned for winterfest Feb 02 - 20 (I believe)

[TheRitsman]

So, so pumped that Jackson Square is beginning to give a shit again. Looking forward to the next 10 years.