[SteelTown]

Meet the plan......


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/Aallen396/bartonferguson.jpg

Here's the fence like to cover the view along Barton
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/Aallen396/bartonst.jpg

[raisethehammer]

mixed-use this aint'. the staff report says that they will follow the guidelines set out in Setting Sail for this property.
They aren't.
Barton street was to have mixed use buildings with street facing retail and upper floor apartments...not 2 buildings that are perfectly sized to hold a Wendy's and Burger King with a big metal fence in front of a parking lot and a big box store behind the parking lot.
this is why I wonder about all the time people like me waste going to public forums and planning meetings...when the time comes to build, city hall and the builders don't give a rip about what is SUPPOSED to go on these properties...only what will make them a quick buck.

[flar]

Those plans are ridiculous. Why are they doing so much work on Ferguson (like the cobblestone) when the "primary access" is on Cathcart? Also, having a fenced in parking lot along Barton St is criminal. Is there some way to stall this development like all the good developments that are/were stalled?
◄Жж►


__.. ҉

[SteelTown]

Seems like Hotz is going quickly with this development. Seems like he'll start the clean up job for the land this spring. Plus Hotz specialize in brownfield clean up.

At first I thought these two small buildings along Barton would be a fast food chain but then I noticed drive thru are banned so that cancels that out. I'll bectha a medical store will locate here.

[the dude]

yikes! take that crap back to the drawing board. that's all i gotta say.

[raisethehammer]

don't rule anything out...drive-thrus' etc.... half this plan goes against the Setting Sail plan 'adopted' by council. anything goes.

[SteelTown]

According to the document the city has slapped a drive thru ban for this property.

There is many different interpretation of “mixed-use”. Your assumption was that mixed-use means placing a building that will be mixed used like residential, commercial, office, etc. In this case the whole property zoning will be mixed used. Gotta be careful since the definition of “mixed-use” is different for some.

[raisethehammer]

I attended the public meetings and the feedback was overwhelmingly in favour of 'mixed-use buildings'...ground floor uses facing Barton with upper floor apartments in order to continue the streetscape.
Also, residents were abundantly clear that NO box store type development would happen...that rotten Beer store is already there and now it looks like the big building on this site is going to be a box format...unless it's divided into multiple units.

[Lukey]

Hey All,

I have an opinion question for everyone that keeps current on future development plans for the downtown Hamilton area. As many of you may know I purchased a unit in Trinity Landing (King William and Catherine) but due to delays am looking at going into Cityview Terrace (Napier and Caroline). I was wondering in peoples opinion which location has the better outlook (for lack of a better word) with regards to future development.

For example, I've read the King William plan that outlines the park. While there has been mention of expanding Hess along to Bay, and making Caroline north of Cannon a closed street.

Hopefully this makes sense and people can provide their opinions as I'm looking for perspectives from those who are knowledgeable about Hamilton and where it's going.

Thanks in advance to anyone who provides their thoughts/opinions.

[raisethehammer]

great question.
I think both locations have great things to come in the next number of years.
Right now the cityview terrace is probably already more desirable simply becuase it is in a nice neighbourhood, close to Hess, King West and the waterfront. There's been a lot of development over there in the past few years and yes, Hess is being expanded down George.
King William and King East will be radically different at some point, but nobody knows when for sure. I think we'll see a lot of lofts and condos built on those parking lots along King William and Rebecca especially after the Connuaght is finished, along with trinity landing and the 5 story city housing building. Both are close to the market, jackson, transit. the only real difference is being close to hess or being close to king east/international village.

[SteelTown]

If you noticed most of the redevelopment is happening in the East side of the downtown (East of James St). So if you’re looking at a potential investment I think Trinity would be good, Connaught, parks on King William, new condos, the surroundings of Gore Park is getting fixed up, International Village is getting all spruced up, etc. Also next to Trinity will be a big park so that's a nice improvement for the area.

Now with Cityview the location is the biggest attraction. But I don’t think much will happen in terms of redevelopment in the area for awhile. Yea a hotel will go up, federal building will get converted, a new retail on Main and Hess will happen and Hess Village will grow. But much more should happen in the area, fixing up retail along King West, traffic, corner of King and Bay needs fixing up, corner of Hess and King needs fixing (abandon building and the top two floors collapsed), etc.

[realcity]

that not only goes against Setting Sail but also the Secondary Plan. another example of the city saying one thing then developing the opposite.

I'm fu**ing selling my house and moving, this city gets the future wasteland it deserves.... all self-inflicted of course.

[raisethehammer]

anyone know why they are taking down the St Deny's crane today???
Do we need to start another 'crane watch' for pete's sake....

[the dude]

it was all a big tease. they're not actually building anything there. just a huge charade so they could tear down those empty buildings.

[raisethehammer]

all the pieces are sitting on the foundation tonight. even the huge boom part...it barely fits in there, but it's laying there.
I wonder if they had a wrong connection made somewhere?

[flar]

The crane was no longer needed because the city imposed a height restriction of one storey on the property, so as not to cast a shadow on King Street. The property owners have determined that the only way a one storey facility would be profitable would be to lease the property to a Tim Horton's frachisee. The building behind the property will be demolished to accomodate drive-thru access to Main St.

(I'm just kidding--sadly I had to say so because someone might have believed this)

[the dude]

hardy har har :slob:

[SteelTown]

HHHBA holds State of the City Luncheon

HAMILTON - Mayors Fred Eisenberger and Cam Jackson have taken in the 6th Annual Hamilton-Halton Homebuiders' Association's State of the City Luncheon.

Association President Vince Molinaro says he expects to see a bit of a decline in housing starts.

Molinaro points to land supply and higher fees as the reasons, citing the Province's Green Belt legislation.

He says in Hamilton we can expect to see intensifiction in the form of more high rise buildings in the downtown core.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger welcomes the Green Belt legislation, saying he doesn't see it as a challenge, rather a helpful growth guide.

[raisethehammer]

this mayor is sooooo refreshing already.
he's a common sense guy, not always trying to appease a certain special interest group.

[raisethehammer]

ok, found out that the workers at Spallacci noticed something wrong with the top piece of the crane on Monday...not sure if it was related to the ice storm or not, but they had to take it down and get a new piece before putting it back up.
so now we start another crane watch...lol.

[raisethehammer]

someone asked about why Mohawk students don't get the HSR pass...here is your answer from the ACT office at Mac:

Note the reference to the Mohawk students at the Mac campus too.  The article is mistaken in that the referendum is yet to happen, so until the referendum of the Mohawk IAHS students has passed, the further expansion of the HSR U-pass program is yet to be finalized.  Great news if/when it is passed.
Mohawk did such a referendum of its larger body of students a few years ago that failed...

[realcity]

The crane was no longer needed because the city imposed a height restriction of one storey on the property, so as not to cast a shadow on King Street. The property owners have determined that the only way a one storey facility would be profitable would be to lease the property to a Tim Horton's frachisee. The building behind the property will be demolished to accomodate drive-thru access to Main St.

(I'm just kidding--sadly I had to say so because someone might have believed this)

o frig. that's funny... man. i laughed out loud... i knew it was a joke but it wouldn't surpise me it were true....

[realcity]

HHHBA holds State of the City Luncheon

HAMILTON - Mayors Fred Eisenberger and Cam Jackson have taken in the 6th Annual Hamilton-Halton Homebuiders' Association's State of the City Luncheon.

Association President Vince Molinaro says he expects to see a bit of a decline in housing starts.

Molinaro points to land supply and higher fees as the reasons, citing the Province's Green Belt legislation.

He says in Hamilton we can expect to see intensifiction in the form of more high rise buildings in the downtown core.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger welcomes the Green Belt legislation, saying he doesn't see it as a challenge, rather a helpful growth guide.

thank the good lord. they (developers) are not going to give up on trying to smear the Greenbelt. idiots.. they can't change their business model i guess. they never really did build anything despite calling themselves 'builders' they are land speculators..

The Hamilton-Halton Landspeculators Association.

they forgot that when they bought that farmer's land for song and rented it back to the farmer. that the purchase was a gamble in hopes that one day the city would run sewer mains to the land and they could hire sub-contractors (the real builders) who would staple and glue together houses once the land owners pre-sold the house. It was never a guarantee... unless of course the landspeculating was done on the city limits of Hamilton.

[realcity]

ok, found out that the workers at Spallacci noticed something wrong with the top piece of the crane on Monday...not sure if it was related to the ice storm or not, but they had to take it down and get a new piece before putting it back up. so now we start another crane watch...lol.

that's what they get for getting the crane from Home Depot.. if came as a bonus for all the schlocky columns they bought.

[raisethehammer]

boy, you're on a roll today eh.....

[SteelTown]

Via Rail likely to locate station on James North
Kevin Werner, Mountain

(Jan 19, 2007)
The city's Via Rail Task Force is expected to identify the James North area as the preferred location for a new Via Rail train station.

Downtown councillor Bob Bratina told council last week that a city-sponsored $50,000 business plan had supported the Task Force's contention that a downtown location is the best one for a Via Rail station.

Mr. Bratina, a strong proponent of locating a Via Rail station in downtown Hamilton preferably near the LIUNA building on James Street North, has been frustrated by the hold up of the decision.

Mr. Bratina has also been worried that Via officials have not been overly enthusiastic about locating in downtown Hamilton. But he stated that a city-endorsed recommendation for a downtown location would be directed to the federal government for consideration and not to Via Rail.

Since his 2004 election Mr. Bratina has been fighting the city and the federal government to follow up on the federal government's announcement by former Liberal transport minister David Collenette in 2001 that Via Rail would resume service to Hamilton. Mr. Bratina has stated that after six years, the city has done nothing to encourage the return of rail service to the city.

Mr. Bratina was also caught up in a move in late 2005 by former Stoney Creek Liberal MPP Tony Valeri to relocate the Via station in the Hamilton east end or in Stoney Creek, such as at Centre Mall or on the former Solid Waste Reduction Unit site.

Mr. Bratina said the task force is expected to approve of the downtown location, and send its recommendation to council for its Jan. 24 meeting.

[raisethehammer]

for crying out loud...give me the $50,000 next time and I'll give you the same result in about 4 hours, not 9 months.

[BCTed]

for crying out loud...give me the $50,000 next time and I'll give you the same result in about 4 hours, not 9 months.

I'd rather pay $50,000 and have some professionals conduct proper due diligence over a number of months than give some dude on an Internet forum $50,000 for a highly biased brain dump.

That said, I could beat you on response time. I could come up with a statement in twenty seconds for the $50,000.

[raisethehammer]

lol....brain dump.
at least I can 'dump' in less than a calendar year.
I mean was the big parking lot next to Stelco or the luscious surroundings of the old SWARU incinerator on Kenora Ave ever real options for this thing??
I sure hope not.

[the dude]

Via Rail likely to locate station on James North
Kevin Werner, Mountain

that title's a little misleading. is there any guarantee via's coming at all?

[paleale2]

I heard today from an informed insider that the proposed keg restaurant downtown at John and King has been scrapped.

Anybody know where they are in the Connaught reno process?
Hopefully this one is still going ahead, but it seems to be really stalled at this point

[SteelTown]

I know in the past a Via spokeperson said they will hold off any decision until this report was made public. Once this report is public Via said they'll likely base their decsion off the report therefore the reality of a Via station on James Street is likely.

Remember this is a $50,000 proving a James Street station will maximum Via passegner in Hamilton. It's not a bias report so really the city has helped finance a report to help Via make their decsion.

[the dude]

i don't know what's going on with the connaught but judging by the recent announcements of condos, parking garage, etc. everything is fine. given the scale of the project we just need to be patient. oh ya, i'm not a keg fan so no skin off my back. they'll find something better to replace it.

will they build a new station or incorporate it into the former cn station? a new one would be nice on that barren piece of land adjacent to liuna.

[raisethehammer]

the new station will be built across the street from LIUNA...probably a mixed-use building with a hotel or office space above it.

[DC83]

Ok, that Barton Street proposal is BS!
Can't someone take the city to the OMB for allowing that as it goes against a) Setting Sail, b) Vision 2020 and c) Ontario Greenbelt Plan?

I'm SO happy to hear about VIA!
Is this for sure... or does this just mean the City came to it's senses and decided on a Downtown Station? Like, in actuality, will we EVER see VIA stop in Hamilton?

[SteelTown]

They'll likely demo those houses on James St to Murray St, think there's 2 empty buildings there.

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a382/hammer396/viastation.jpg
You can see the empty land next to LIUNA Station. Plus a parking lot and a building at the corner of James and Murray, probably demo.

My bet is that the city will be stuck with paying a new parking garage.

I can't think of any mixed use VIA station in Canada. So it'll likely be a station and that's it. I just hope to god the City doesn't allow a VIA station like the VIA station in London, basically a stucco suburban design much like Aldershot.

[SteelTown]

Have you guys voted in this thread yet?

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=123761&page=1

Curious to know how many active Hamilton forumers there are in this site. So far only 4

[LikeHamilton]

The VIA Station

I personally know someone who has been sitting on some of the discussions for a new VIA Station for Hamilton and from them I had read some of the VIA reports and other reports VIA commissioned for this project. They would love to go into the GO Station, everything is there, and the operating cost would be low as it is already a 24 hour operation. The only 3 items they scored low was parking, security and start up costs. But the start up cost at the GO Center is way more than they are willing to spend or beg for from the different levels of government. Hamilton is just not worth it to then. There are only 6 trains a day through Hamilton. There are 2 VIA trains east and westbound and 1 Amtrak train east and westbound.

Wouldn’t in be nice to see VIA and Amtrak trains in the core and have people from other places see the core? It is very nice, even though a lot of people from Hamilton do not think so.

They want nothing to do with James Street North. It is to close to Aldershot and has no parking. They don’t care about putting a bus into there. For people seeing Hamilton or seeing the train, the tracks are in a ditch.

They don’t really want the Center Mall location for the same reasons as James Street. It is to close to Aldershot. They had had some talks with the owners of the centre mall.

They want the east end of the city, old Hamilton/Stoney Creek area and preferably in the Centennial Parkway area. They want lots of parking, easy access to the QEW, HWY 20 and the Red Hill Expressway and not to close to Aldershot or Grimsby.

Most people drive or are delivered to the station by car or cab. They want somewhere there is easy access for people living in the east end, Stoney Creek, Upper Stoney Creek, east Hamilton Mountain and the area south and east of Upper Stoney Creek/Binbrook.

The city was the one who offered the SWARU property but it is not the only vacate land in the area. I would not be surprised if they have not contacted the owners of the Waxman property on Centennial at the South Service Road. They are builders of Power Centres and this would fit into the area as a draw. Its south end of the property has the tracks running up against it.

There is also a large lot on Lake Avenue up against the tracks that would be large enough for a train station.

As to Mr. Bratina, he has a love affair with trains especially steam. I don’t believe VIA has the same love affair with him.

My prediction is that it will be built on HWY 20 regardless of what the cities business plan states.

My dream (and two cents worth) is that they will spend the money on the GO centre downtown and bring the trains down the Gage Avenue line and back to the main line at Ottawa Street. This would allow Go to expand out to the east.

[LikeHamilton]

“Ideas Charrette”
for the
Hamilton Farmers’ Market
We want to make our Farmers’ Market a special destination.
Let’s talk about the Market’s future.
Come and discuss future possibilities and goals.
Wednesday, February 7, 2007
6 PM - 8 PM
Presentation at 7 pm
Room 110
Hamilton City Hall
71 Main Street West
For further info please call (905) 546-2096

What is an “Ideas Charrette”?
A charrette is a forum where citizens and City staff collaborate on finding a collective vision.
It provides a forum for ideas and offers the unique advantage of giving immediate feedback to City staff. More importantly, it allows
everyone who participates to be a mutual author of the vision.

PLEASE JOIN US AND BE PART OF THE VISION

Hosted by Community Services Department,
Culture & Recreation, Culture Section
City of Hamilton

[SteelTown]

Problem with the GO Centre is the tunnel from Queen to the station. I believe only one train can fit inside the tunnel, that's why we'll probably never get a 24 hrs GO Train service.

Millions will be needed to make the tunnel larger. But I don't think that's an option since there's so many apartment buildings along Hunter Street that I think those underground parking garage goes right next to the tunnel.

The parking issue could be solved by placing a parking garage next to the GO Station. Does seem kinda odd to have a GO Station yet no parking for anyone.

[the dude]

i admire people's optimism that a station will be built on james north. that would be great but it really is too close to aldershot. the term clickity clack comes to mind. as for the east end, it would be better than a kick in the ass. maybe what we need is better bus service to aldershot. hmmmm.

actually, what we really need is a bullet train in this country. that would be totally sweet. it could run from quebec down the corridor through hamilton to niagara falls and beyond. i used to be familiar with the costs of such a project but it escapes me now. anyway, that's what we REALLY need. not some slow-ass, over-priced, corrupt company like via telling us where we can have a station!

[the dude]

ok, here it is: taiwan's just finished a bullet train project linking taipei with kaohsiung. the distance is approximately 350km. the trip takes a mere 90 minutes compared to the 4-5 hours it would normally take. what's the cost, you ask? $15B. ouch. that said, it looks like one could get a one-way ticket from taipei to k. for something like $50. not bad. anyway, a line from montreal to niagara falls is about twice as far, so you can do the math on that one. it's just a little fantasy of mine.

[raisethehammer]

Hwy 20?? get real...if they do that they'll have to develop a rapid transit line between the GO Station and Aldershot station. nobody downtown or west end (think 40,000 office jobs, hotels, galleries, McMaster, Columbia, Innovation Park) will trek out to the big box boonies on Hwy 20.
How pathetic is this when Canada's 'national' public rail transport company is more interested about highways and cars then anything else. Gee, I wonder why people believe that the feds are basically puppets for the oil industry.

[flar]

Hwy 20 is just as close to Grimsby as James N is to Aldershot. Here's a novel idea: Move the Aldershot station to Hamilton. Of course they'd never do that since Hamilton's only the 9th (soon to be 8th) largest city in Canada. It must be better for VIA's business to be located in the middle of nowhere.

[raisethehammer]

great point...Aldershot is a joke.
every other major city bigger and smaller than Hamilton has VIA in their downtown...again, we pay taxes and get screwed in return. I suggest we figure out the cost to our tax bill for VIA and stop paying it...same goes for CBC. Every othe rinky-dink city and town in Canada has CBC service except us.
Hamiltonians get screwed more than anyone else in the country.

[DC83]

Amen!
I agree 100% with you, RTH.
I think it all lies within the fact that we're almost a Toronto Suburb!
Apparently just b/c we're "close" to them, we're suppose to care about what happens there (CBC news)... And sadly we have no REAL alternative (CH is terrible).

Hey Flar, what city are we about to take out in the Top 10 list?

[SteelTown]

Probably Winnipeg

I know the CRTC pushed Sun Tv to cover Hamilton but as usual once they get a license they ignore everything until it's time to renewal the license again. Sun Tv is pathetic anyways.

[flar]

I think StatsCan will be releasing the new CMA populations from the 2006 census around March. If population growth has been as expected, Hamilton's CMA should be a little bigger than Winnipeg's and just a few thousand behind Quebec City.

[raisethehammer]

yes, you're right...we've steadily gained on both of those cities over the past decade and probably have passed winterpeg by now and will pass quebec city very soon.

[DC83]

Phewph... b/c I see London creeping up on us all the time, gets me scared! haha

Ya, I'm rather NOT Have SunTV than have it in our region - it is pretty pathetic :s

Perhaps SunTV should move it's operations to Hamilton and start-up it's own, Hamilton-based station much like a Hamilton-version of CityTV.
This is totally needed seeing as Hamilton is the largest city in the country with only ONE TV Station & ONE Daily Newspaper.

[SteelTown]

Would be MUCH better if the CRTC didn't make the stupidest decision ever to allow Craig TV the new Toronto station. Eventually bankrupt and sold off to CHUM and than Quebecor Media took it over, hence Sun Tv with like the stupidest format, 3 over weight males talking about sports, really entertaining! :yuck:

In the beginning the CRTC should have awarded the station to Torstar. Torstar wanted to create 3 branches Torstar, the Spectator and the Record. Toronto, Hamilton and Waterloo would all have its own station but run by its local newspaper company. Therefore the Hamilton Spectator would have a TV station.

Yea Spectator isn't all that great but at least it would have been a new TV station to watch other than watching a bunch of misfit news reporters on CH. Definitely Karen Cummings was the queen errr I should say king of the misfit news reporter, that thing is a man....hmm guess her/his last name suits her/him well I guess. Thank god she/he is gone.

[flar]

Yeah it would be nice if Hamilton had some decent media, especially TV. When I lived in London, the New PL was everywhere. Even I was on TV about five times. They filmed a morning show in the Covent Garden Market downtown, they interviewed people on the street, they gave exposure to local musicians and businesses, stuff like that. Good local media can really benefit a city, CityTV (what London's station used to be based on) being the best example.

I'm glad the Spectator didn't get a TV station. I've been a daily newspaper reader since I was six years old, and the Spec doesn't cut it. I read the Globe and Mail these days...but even it's suffered lately, as all newspapers have since all the consolidation of media ownership and the internet.

[raisethehammer]

Read the Star for a month and tell me what you think.
I think it's amazing. Kicks the crap out of the Spec...I actually wish they would impose their same structure on the Spec.

[LikeHamilton]

This is totally needed seeing as Hamilton is the largest city in the country with only ONE TV Station & ONE Daily Newspaper.

Actually, Mississauga is way bigger and has only 2 twice weekly papers and a radio station.

Hamilton does need a second TV station to balance out CH news coverage. We do have 4 FM stations and 3 AM stations. It could also use a second daily paper, also to balance the Spec. They don’t always get the story right and sometime they will print a story days after it happens. We do have 5 weekly papers in the city (Sometimes better stories than the Spec) and a cable station.

The Toronto papers don’t cut it if you want local news. The international news in the Spec comes from the Star and is usually the exact story. They only print Hamilton news if it is a slow day or is really juicy. That is why Mississauga has gotten away with such big sprawl. The Toronto papers do not cover it as it is not interesting. Most people in Mississauga (and I know a few) know more about Toronto than in their own city. In Hamilton you actually have, between all of the media outlets, 13 news gathering agencies at time tripping over each other to get a story.

[flar]

^^Well, Mississauga is Toronto, that's why they don't have TV stations and daily newspapers, and the TO media does cover it, there's just not that much to report from the burbs. Hamilton is an actual city with an identity and all that. The Spectator has gone the way of most medium and small dailies, basically running stories off the wire with lots of local advertising and a skeleton staff of writers. I imagine the Spec is a far cry from its former self if it's followed the same course as the London Free Press or Windsor Star.

I think I'll try the Toronto Star after my Globe subscription runs out. The problem with all the newspapers these days is that the news sources have all been consolidated, so they all run the same generic stories, all of it way after those same generic stories have been plastered all over the internet and TV. The corporate types call it "synergy" but really it makes the media more vulnerable to those who have the resources and desire to manipulate or frame issues, a real problem for democracy.

[raisethehammer]

please don't tell me that Grimsby has VIA service??? if so, this is crazy.

[SteelTown]

Every Canadian city and town that has VIA going through has a station expect Calgary since the route goes further up north to Edmonton.

[flar]

Grimsby has VIA service, as does Brantford. Ever heard of Thamesville? Or Glencoe? They have VIA stations too.

EDIT: I guess Thamesville doesn't have it anymore, but have you heard of Wyoming, ON?

[raisethehammer]

wow...hicktowns with better service than the hammer.
hey, check out this thread...i'd love to see our Hilton at Main and Bay look like this - I'm willing to bet it won't because this is Hamilton and builders don't care what their buildings look like here, but it's nice to dream:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=124086

[the dude]

hey, wyoming ain't no hicktown, dude. glencoe perhaps but not wyoming!

[Hammer Town]

Hey Everyone
I have posted a waterfalls Photo Thread.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=124096

[fastcarsfreedom]

RTH--I'm curious regarding your comments re: The Spectator vs. The Star. I've never had much love for The Star (understatement warning), I'm just wondering what aspects of that paper do you feel would be beneficial to The Spectator--are you talking physical layout, typeface, political bend? More curious than anything--I personally think The Spectator has thrived under Torstar, has worked to reclaim it's broader regional base and has modernized it's physical layout. One disappointment is the continued lack of a Sunday Edition--which I believe Torstar promised they would introduce when they bought the Spec from SunMedia. I also fail to understand the distaste for CH--Global has put money into the local news operation that was never provided by WIC during the ONtv era--they have solid news programming in all four major "dayparts" and they are more than visable in the local community. A previous poster's comments regarding CFPL in London should be prefaced with the fact that CHUM has slowly gutted that station as well as CHWI and CKNX down to the point that most of their news resources are shared--for years the local news on CHWI was actually anchored from London--it was actually a big deal when the 6pm and 11pm newscasts were moved to...gasp...Windsor...and our weather and sports are still anchored from London. So really...in spite of Karen Cumming or whoever else you haven't liked in the past--CH is a strong contender in local news--on par with any production in T.O. or Ottawa.

[raisethehammer]

I can't speak for CH since I haven't watched a news broadcast on there in years, but regarding the Spec vs Star stuff I notice the following:

1. In depth coverage in the Star. I HATE the Spec's new frontpage with mini-stories that go nowhere then end. Newspapers can't compete with the internet or radio/TV regarding 'up to the second' news, but they can kick the crap out of those mediums in offering in-depth content, research and analysis. CNN is too concerned with getting more commercials and pretty Hollywood faces, and the net is all about 'up to the minute'. The Star does this wonderfully, as does the Globe on weekends.
2. Urban news - that's my own definition of it, but the Star offers great insight into many things of an 'urban' nature whether you live in Toronto, Hamilton or Calgary. Sure, the content is Toronto-based, as it should be, but if you read that paper for a month you'll be shocked at how much more they care about cities, the environment, economy, creative-class and 21st Century city building. I'm convinced the Spec doesn't go down this road since it flies in the face of their largest advertiser - suburban sprawl builders.
The new front page logo stinks too, but that's just my opinion. Content is what matters, and the Spec really lags IMO. For example, the spec will put a short story on their website tonight and in the morning paper will reproduce it word for word. It could easily go from the front page to another page with more info and research, but doesn't. I don't need the paper for that. I can get that online or on CHML.

[SteelTown]

Fred Eisenberger will be meeting with PM Stephen Harper and a few cabinet ministers on Feb. 7, guess it's a good thing he's a former Conservative candidate. He brings with a list for the feds:

* Transfer CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory from Ottawa to Mac's Innovation Park
* Funding for remediating Randle Reef ($30 million)
* Funding for a pedestrian bridge over the QEW near the interchange with the Red Hill Valley Parkway ($6 million)

Fred should also push for funding of the BRT too.

[the dude]

CH smells. my beef is the pirated american news stories they use. totally inappropriate. the station needs more canadian content, though i suppose that's global's fault. the quality of reportage isn't bad, though. in the end, it's on par with other local tv stations around the country, probably because they're all owned by the same 3 or 4 media providers.

[raisethehammer]

i saw the new pedestrian bridge on Mary St tonight. very nice. a little archway with Victorian lighting. this city is finally paying attention to design and people-friendly places.

[raisethehammer]

Crane Watch 2
St Deny's crane is being put back up right now.

[raisethehammer]

Crane Watch 2 comes to an end.
The crane is back up.

[Hammer Town]

Hey guys
This is kind of a weird question but anyway I was poking around the the MTO website tonight and Noticed the 1 right lane on the Southbound section of Highway 6 between Rymal Rd and Twenty Rd will be closed for a special event fropm 8pm tomorrow till 6am Friday anyone have any clue as to what this "Special Event" is

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/compass/camera/pictures/tris/hamilton.htm

Also BTW Flyglobespan has now added London Gatwick on top of London Stansted.

[fastcarsfreedom]

Awesome news Hammertown--assume this means Globespan has had good sales response--is the LGW flight nonstop?

[SteelTown]

I'm planning a trip to London this summer but would anybody know which airport is better? Gatwick or Stansted? Which is the closes to central London? Or better yet which one has better transit to London?

[raisethehammer]

I noticed today that a crane is putting up the large 5th floor on Trinity Landing. It looks like it will be just as the drawing shows with the huge east-facing windows.

[block43]

I'm planning a trip to London this summer but would anybody know which airport is better? Gatwick or Stansted? Which is the closes to central London? Or better yet which one has better transit to London?

I've flown to Heathrow and Gatwick. Gatwick is about a 30-40 minute train ride from downtown london but the train stop is right at the airport. The last time I was in Gatwick was about 4 years ago and I think the round trip train ticket to downtown and back was $70 canadian. If you are staying in downtown london for a week or two you should consider purchasing a weekly pass. I think you need a passport sized photo for your pass but it is worth it.

[beanmedic]

Lecture on Steeltown Cleanups
Posted on January 24, 2007 at 02:33 PM.

The L.R. Wilson Centre in Canadian History is sponsoring a joint talk by Joel Tarr of Carnegie Mellon University and Mark Sproule-Jones of McMaster University on the subject of Steeltown Cleanups.

Tarr is one of the leading scholars in the urban environmental history movement. Sproule-Jones has written extensively on Great Lakes governance and remediation issues. Both scholars have been participant observers in processes of large scale environmental remediation in their respective cities.

The lecture, Steeltown Cleanups, will be held Thursday, Feb. 1 in the Skylight Room of the Commons Building from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.

All are welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, please e-mail lobband@mcmaster.ca.

http://dailynews.mcmaster.ca/worthmentioning.cfm?ID=3282

[Hammer Town]

I think Gatwick is Closer but I can find out for sure for you. I also Asked A travel agent today about how bookings are and she siad they are slowing coming in. Thats was at Eastgate. I also herd on a nother forum they will be starting an advertising campaign very shortly.

Let you know on distance tomorrow.

[SteelTown]

^ Oh ok, thanx

Today I saw the new wind turbine spinning at the roof of the old Camco building. Guess the company has been going around installing the turbines. Looks cool going around.

[raisethehammer]

now we know why the prices are so high for the Mountain Park condos.
Check the details on the website:

www.themadison.info

9.5 foot ceilings, fireplaces, exercise club, tons of windows with great views etc.....

[SteelTown]

Just updated the construction list with the rendering......


Hamilton Mountain
174-182 Mountain Park Avenue – 11 storey condo – Under construction
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/dahammer/madison.jpg

They should also mention there's a strong possibility an incline rail system will literally be built next to the condo. I've heard rumours that Concession Street BIA wants to celebrate its 100th birthday with announcement of funding an incline system.

[raisethehammer]

when is their 100 birthday?

[raisethehammer]

only thing I don't get about an incline system here is the bottom is purely a residential neighbourhood. who would use it, and why??
sam lawrence park to downtown makes more sense to me.

[SteelTown]

This article talks about the 100th birthday. A party is planned for June 1st. It talks about the old incline system

http://www.hamiltonmountainnews.com/hmn/news/news_698587.html

[the dude]

re: the madison
$827,500-$980,500...say what?? i guess i'll only get one then.

[flar]

I agree with RTH, the priority should be an incline to Sam Lawrence Park, then it could be used by tourists. But access to Concession would be nice too, they have a pretty nice shopping area there, and it should only get better with the ritzy new condos and upgraded hospital. Ideally they could build two incline railways.

[raisethehammer]

fabulous article in today's spec about a new book that just came out - Green City.
It highlights 11 cities worldwide, and Hamilton is one of them.

Perhaps the Concession BIA could get a replica streetcar running from Sam Lawrence to the far east end of the strip (whatever the name of that park is) to connect the incline rail to the strip.

[SteelTown]

I created a thread talking about the Green City here

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=2590958&posted=1#post2590958

[Jayou]

Didn't see this in the construction list. Sorry if its posted somewhere and I missed it:

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/Jayou/newjhebld.jpg

from McMaster's web site
http://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/news/newsitems/new_bld_quantumleap.html

New engineering building is a "quantum leap forward"

by Susan Bubak
December 15, 2006

The new engineering building to be constructed near the front entrance of the University will provide much needed space for a growing number of engineering students and faculty, according to a report made by dean of engineering Mo Elbestawi at the Board of Governors meeting on Thursday, Dec. 14.

The building represents a "quantum leap forward" in the quality of learning experience offered to students, said Elbestawi.

The five-storey, 125,000 square foot building is the first phase of a building complex for the Faculties of Engineering, Science and Health Sciences.

Design development and planning for the building began in the spring of 2006. Construction began earlier this fall and is expected to be completed by the winter of 2008.

The building will include space for new graduate schools within the Faculty of Engineering, including the School of Biomedical Engineering, the School for Engineering Practice, Mechatronics and Energy Studies.

Space will be allocated for research labs, classrooms and offices that will be used by new faculty members (estimated at 45), new graduate students (estimated at 280) and first-year students (estimated at 850). The building will also include meeting and presentation rooms, a machine shop and student club rooms.

The basement and first floor of the building will be used by first-year engineering students.

The second floor will be allocated to the Xerox Centre for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Dofasco Centre for Engineering and Public Policy and the General Motors of Canada Centre for Engineering Design.

The third floor will house research space for micro- and nano-systems. This area recently received a $4.25 million grant from the CFI.

Labs for biomedical engineering will be located on the fourth floor. The Mechatronics Centre, which recently received $1 million in private sector funding for graduate studies, will be located on the fifth floor along with research facilities for sustainable energy.

(http://www.eng.mcmaster.ca/news/newsitems/new_bld_quantumleap.html)

[raisethehammer]

wow...nice building. Like I recently said, I'm starting to see better design coming forward in this city with the very newest projects and public places.
this is a prominent location right on Main Street too.
Great find.

[SteelTown]

Okay updated the construction list......


McMaster University – 5 storey engineering building – Under construction
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/Jayou/newjhebld.jpg


It's a lot better than the conceptual drawing

http://msbe.mcmaster.ca/images/building_sm.jpg

[raisethehammer]

wow...I'd say so.
the conceptual drawing looks like something Mac would build...the new one is sweet.

[SteelTown]

I just finished a silly little pretend work for CBC lol. You should see me on the National today or tomorrow lol. It's about stem cells and they wanted us to work so we pretended with lab coats.

[SteelTown]

If I'm in the clip and you happen to watch the National, dunno if they'll cut me off, I'll be the one with the curly blonde hair wearing a lab coat you might see a blue sweater with white collar underneath the lab coat. Me so famous lol

[Hammer Town]

London Gatwick and London Stansted are about the same distance to Downton London from either airport. In terms of business I think Gatwick over all is a Busy airport then Stansted. So flying inton Stansted might be less busy for you.

[flar]

Here's a new renovation project that has just begun in downtown Dundas:

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/oddstuff/00011.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/oddstuff/00010.jpg

There used to be a really ugly shingled front section on that old hotel.

[raisethehammer]

wow. nice building.
let's hope mayor Fred is serious about urban revitalization and urban growth instead of more sprawl...we'll see a lot more beautiful old buildings like that brought back to life if he is.

[the dude]

Here's a new renovation project that has just begun in downtown Dundas:

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/oddstuff/00011.jpg
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/oddstuff/00010.jpg

There used to be a really ugly shingled front section on that old hotel.

ah yes, the old owl's roost. what a dump that was! looks like a nice little reno for an already kick-ass street.

[fastcarsfreedom]

Even the air in the Owl's Roost was yellow.

[beanmedic]

looks like they are leaving the decorative aspects on the front of the building alone. looks good!

[SteelTown]

There restoring the building it what it actually should be like in the past. Flar do you have the before picture?

[SteelTown]

Find it in one of my Dundas photo album

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/dahammer/DCP_1708.jpg

[raisethehammer]

that is the 'before' pic??
it looks better than the new version. i hope they aren't stuccoing that nice stonework.
where is this wind turbine on Aberdeen??