The Connolly (98 James St S.) | 105.1 m | 31 fl | Planning - Page 27

TheHonestMaple · #**521** Posted **Nov 30, 2021, 6:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crapht

https://www.chch.com/windows-smashed...oB-faC1mlJGixI

Ah, pretty sure that is referring to the August break in of the bookstore.

Hopefully the developer of this project is aware of the damage? With the upcoming snow/rain, the open windows and door could cause some water penetration issues.... Would hate to see even more damage to this historic building.

lachlanholmes · #**522** Posted **Nov 30, 2021, 11:48 PM**

I believe that damage isn’t from a break-in, but from a fire on Sunday. There’s a picture in this tweet: https://twitter.com/busdriver007/sta...994788870?s=21

TheHonestMaple · #**523** Posted **Nov 30, 2021, 11:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lachlanholmes

I believe that damage isn’t from a break-in, but from a fire on Sunday. There’s a picture in this tweet: https://twitter.com/busdriver007/sta...994788870?s=21

wow, what a disaster that project has been. The city should really be getting on them about starting this project....

Likely some homeless went in to get out of the cold and started a fire to stay warm. There wouldn't be any active electrical in there.

TheHonestMaple · #**524** Posted **Dec 6, 2021, 3:59 PM**

Apparently there was another fire here this morning....

TheRitsman · #**525** Posted **Dec 6, 2021, 5:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHonestMaple

Apparently there was another fire here this morning....

Where did you hear this? Just curious.

ScreamingViking · #**526** Posted **Dec 6, 2021, 6:03 PM**

Time for the city to "light a fire" and get the developer to do something. It's getting to be a public safety issue.

Could they expropriate this, secure it, and sell to a company eager to build?

TheHonestMaple · #**527** Posted **Dec 6, 2021, 6:17 PM**

Looks like I jumped the gun. Apparently it was the Bell building next door. Odd that there has now been a fire at this area twice in the past two weeks though.

TheRitsman - Joey Coleman on twitter.

ScreamingViking · #**528** Posted **Apr 12, 2022, 10:17 PM**

Still nothing happening here?

Just rode the train past the other monument to the development prowess of former owner and condo aspirer Santaguida... the Great Pit of Mimico. It now has signage about a new development to come called "Grand Central Mimico", touting a partnership with Metrolinx.

Crapht · #**529** Posted **Sep 16, 2022, 7:38 PM**

F&F Instagram account says Hue Developments has sold this property.

catcher_of_cats · #**530** Posted **Sep 16, 2022, 8:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crapht

F&F Instagram account says Hue Developments has sold this property.

I am relieved by this news since Hue has done nothing but sat on the land since they bought it.

ScreamingViking · #**531** Posted **Sep 16, 2022, 8:58 PM**

Might take them another year or two to remove it from the website

https://huedevelopments.com/

It will probably be a while before anything happens here, even if a new developer has bought it.

matt602 · #**532** Posted **Sep 17, 2022, 1:22 AM**

Geez that one only took 3 years to die. I'm guessing they'll blame it on covid.

Innsertnamehere · #**533** Posted **Sep 17, 2022, 3:01 PM**

Wonder who bought it. Hopefully someone competent and well funded.

craftbeerdad · #**534** Posted **Sep 19, 2022, 6:37 PM**

With our luck, Stinson will somehow of bought development & funded through a social media platform crypto scam hah.

"Investing with Harry is easy and changed my life by providing stable income in just two weeks. Thanks Harry, I will recommend you to all my friends, including Hue Developments!"

ScreamingViking · #**535** Posted **Sep 20, 2022, 3:31 PM**

I'd love to see a developer purchase this and 100 James S. and combine the two sites into one complex. Build tall on the south end, and construct something on the north part that does not overwhelm the church facade.

LikeHamilton · #**536** Posted **Sep 21, 2022, 3:28 AM**

From Forge and Foster

This week's most exciting and expensive sale was at 98 James St. S. in downtown Hamilton. The Connolly Site sold for $24 million ($75 million/acre). It's an astronomically high price, but it could make sense at an estimated value of $80/buildable sq. ft, although that's still very high for Hamilton. Alternatively, the price could include some other form of value, like an approved site plan or pre-construction deposits.

The former James Street Baptist Church, constructed between 1878 and 1882, has had a tumultuous decade:

It was demolished in 2014, except for its historic stone facade, by developer Louie Santaguida for a planned $80-million, 30-storey condo development dubbed The Connolly.
That project was placed in receivership in 2017.
In 2018, it was sold to Hue Developments, which proposed a 31-storey tower with 315 units.
The buyer this time is Toronto's Milborne Group. They bill themselves as Canada's leading marketer of urban, master-planned, multi-phased communities. They're affiliated with the 1 Jarvis development and the 75 James Condominiums, kitty-corner to 98 James St. S.

SteelTown · #**537** Posted **Sep 21, 2022, 1:07 PM**

The Connolly: Historic Hamilton church property sold to Toronto developer

https://www.insauga.com/the-connolly...DD-2t5H8lQwMG8

After a series of owners and failed development projects, Toronto’s Milborne Group is taking The Connolly reigns. The same company that is affiliated with the 1 Jarvis condo development and the 75 James Condominiums.

Milborne Group reportedly paid $24 million for The Connolly property — an “astronomically high price”, according to Alex Manojlovich of Forge & Foster.

“It could make sense at an estimated value of $80 per buildable square feet, although that’s still very high for Hamilton,” says Manojlovich. “Alternatively, the price could include some other form of value, like an approved site plan or pre-construction deposits.”

The Connolly has been hanging in limbo since the building was demolished in 2014. The historic front stone facade was preserved, however, to make way for an $80 million, 30-storey condo development by Louie Santiguida.

That project was placed in receivership in 2017, a tool to assist creditors in recovering funds in default. Essentially, a receivership makes it easier for a lender to recover funds owed to them if a borrower defaults on a loan.

In 2018, it was sold to Hue Developments, which proposed a 31-storey tower with 315 units.

The former James Street Baptist Church was built in 1882. In 2022, it belongs to the Milborne Group, which will be looking to bring more residential units to the downtown core.

Innsertnamehere · #**538** Posted **Sep 21, 2022, 1:43 PM**

interesting. I thought Milborne was generally more a marketing agency that helps developers get their buildings sold, not so much a developer themselves.

Wonder what is going on here, particularly since the purchase price was apparently higher than expected.

Regardless, Milborne will be well financed and is likely news that something will finally happen on the site.

drpgq · #**539** Posted **Sep 21, 2022, 3:13 PM**

So assuming the original 315 units that would be approximately $76K per unit which seems high for Hamilton.

ScreamingViking · #**540** Posted **Sep 21, 2022, 3:31 PM**

Bet they ask for taller, to offset the cost of the property transaction.

And this would be a perfect site for it. I'm sure the usual complaints would be made by the usual suspects, but there's really nothing around this that would be negatively affected by 35, 40, 45+ floors. Not that we'll see that kind of height here, but it's an area where the arguments against are weak.