[SteelTown]

Hamilton Construction List

Downtown

Main and Catharine Street - 20 storey condo - Planning stage
No Rendering
Main and Catharine Street - 20 storey senior residence - Planning stage
No Rendering
221 York Boulevard - 15 storey condo – Approved
http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/hess_york_01.jpg
212 King William – 15 storey condo – Approved
No Rendering
McMaster Graduate Residence – 15 storey residential - Proposed
http://rflintack.com/fileupload/uploads/portfolio/TITLE-SHEET_copy.jpg
Chateau Royale Condominiums - 14 storey condo - Completed
Renaissance Royal Connaught Hotel – 12 storey 5 star hotel – Renovation
No Rendering
St Deny’s - 11 storey residential – Under construction
http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/1214/img3104zm8.jpg
Hilton Homewood Suites Hotel – 10 storey hotel – Planning stage
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k28/segaert/oddstuff/hilton.jpg
Lister Block phase 2 – 10 storey office – Planning stage
No Rendering
Hamilton Port Authority – 9 storey office – Proposed
http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/port_office_rendering.jpg
Bay/Hunter - 9 storey condo - Approved
No Rendering
John C. Munro Federal building - 9 storey office - Completed
150 Main Street West – 8 storey condo – Approved
No Rendering
City Hall – 8 storey office – Renovation
66 Bay Street South - 7 storey condo - Completed
Cityview Terrace – 6 storey condo – Under construction
http://www.silvestri.ca/rendering.jpg
Lister Block – 6 storey office – Approved
http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/new_lister_block_rendering.jpg
Hamilton Health Sciences Research Institute - 6 storey Institute - Approved
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/Appster/researchHHS.jpg
Victoria and MacKay building – 6 storey condo/retail – Planning stage
No Rendering
14-18 Mary Street – 6 storey condo – Planning stage
http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/lyric_century_theatre.jpg
11 Rebecca Street - 6 storey condo - Completed
No Rendering
Hamilton Central Library - 6 storey Institute - Renovation
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a382/hammer396/central.jpg
87-89 King St East – 5 storey condo – Approved
http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/89_king_st_e.jpg
121 James Street North – 5 storey office – Approved
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/Aallen396/vine.jpg
Strathcona/Head - 5 storey condo - Under construction
No Rendering
193 King Street East - 5 storey mixed used condo/retail - Planning stage
No Rendering
Catharine Street - 5 storey parking garage - Approved
No Rendering
Hamilton City Centre – 4 storey office – Under construction
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/dahammer/citycentre.jpg
Trinity Landing – 4 storey condo – Under construction
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v384/Aallen396/trinity2.jpg
Tivoli Theatre - 4 storey office/Institute - Planning stage
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/Bonaducci1/tivoli.jpg
53 King Street East - 4 storey condo/retail - Approved
No Rendering
Augusta & Walnut - 4 storey loft - Approved
http://rflintack.com/fileupload/uploads/portfolio/walnut-augusta2.jpg
1 Hunter Street East - 4 storey office - Under construction
http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/rendering_james_hunter.jpg
HHS Rehab Hospital - 3 storey Institute - Approved
http://www.cornerstoneofcare.ca/img/rehab1.jpg

West Hamilton
17 Ewen Road - 12 storey student residence - Proposed
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/dahammer/studentcondo.jpg
1686 Main Street West – 9 storey student residence – Under construction
http://aas.ath.cx/west_village_condos/1.00006.jpg
McMaster University – 5 storey engineering building – Under construction
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y184/Jayou/newjhebld.jpg


East Hamilton
1100 South Service Rd - 4 storey office - Under construction
http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a382/hammer396/businesspark.jpg
Mohawk (STARRT) Institute - 3 storey Institute - Approved
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/Appster/STARRT.jpg

Hamilton Mountain
174-182 Mountain Park Avenue – 11 storey condo – Under construction
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/dahammer/madison.jpg
Henderson General Hospital – 5 storey hospital – Under construction
http://www.cornerstoneofcare.ca/img/hendrend_l.jpg
Marriott Courtyard Hotel – 4 storey hotel – Completed
728 Sanatorium Road - 4 storey student residence – Approved
No Rendering
Marriott Residence Inn - 4 storey hotel - Approved
No Rendering
1725 Upper James Street – 3 storey office space – Planning stage
No Rendering

Ancaster
Golf Links – 6 storey hotel – Planning stage
No Rendering

Dundas
1000 Creekside Drive – 9 storey condo - Under construction
4000 Creekside Drive – 9 storey condo – Under construction
Amica at Dundas – 6 storey residential – Under construction
http://www.foreveryoungnews.com/foreveryoung/archive/20060103/21412-9244.jpg

Summary
Under construction – 14
Planning – 10
Approved – 15
Renovation - 3
Proposed – 3
Completed - 5
Total - 50

[SteelTown]

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/Bonaducci1/futureparkland.jpg

That proposal came from Windermere Basin Steering Committee in 2001. They had to develop a vision statement for the Basin to see the area restored natural area with passive recreational uses.

Under the proposal it called for new trails to connect with existing trails (Red Hill Valley, Industrial Heritage trail, and the Lake Ontario Waterfront trail), pedestrian trail around the Basin, lookout/observation towers, interpretive signage, 2 pedestrian bridges (designed to reflect the industrial heritage).

[raisethehammer]

cool...I'd love to see that happen. Anyone hear if the pedestrian bridge over the QEW was approved?
Remember, the archway bridge?

[itom 987]

Here is a link to the previous thread.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=48807

[raisethehammer]

you can scrap the condo tower at York and Hess....from what I've been told it ain't happening. We'll know for sure if the city pulls back the loan money.

Also, am I the only one who sees this list of renderings and finds Hamilton's new batch of architecture to be completely underwhelming?
Go check out the forum pages from Winnipeg, Portland and Buffalo - all similar sized cities...and all building some amazing buildings right now. Especially Buffalo and Winnipeg.
Our architects and developers must be stuck in the 70's.

[raisethehammer]

as a follow up to my earlier comment, it seems that hamilton health sciences is the only group presenting any good architecture...the 5 storey building at general hospital is sweet and the henderson site is very cool how it uses the escarpment edge and lots of glass.
Other than that....booooring.

[Hammer Town]

I have to agree that the arcitecture is not overly exciting.

[architect1]

Wow there are some exciting projects in that list.

[SteelTown]

It should be interesting in February, that’s when the city approves applicants for the 2007 residential loan program. That’s when we'll know if 221 York Boulevard is still active or dead. Odds are we'll hear more details about the two 20 storey condos at the Connaught site in February.

[Hammer Town]

193 King Street East - 5 storey mixed used condo/retail - Planning stage
Where exactly is this site?

Thanks for the help.

[SteelTown]

That's the old crack house that the city took over last year. There was an article about it recently saying the city intends to demo the place and build a parking garage with retail possible condo and a new park at the back along King William where it's currently a parking lot for the police station.

[raisethehammer]

as far as I know, 193 King East will remain 3 floors as it currently is, not 5.

[SteelTown]

You know what would be really cool in Hamilton is if it built an aerial tram from the mountain to the lower end. Perhaps from Ancaster to McMaster or Sam Lawrence to downtown or the waterfront.

I know the Chedoke ski area had a lift system so maybe from Chedoke to McMaster.

I know Portland just finished it's aerial tram cost $55 million

http://static.flickr.com/112/311477418_06d9d03de7.jpg?v=0

http://static.flickr.com/107/313436567_df90b54840.jpg?v=0

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l177/dougall5505/DSC_0218.jpg?t=1166819270

Would that not be the coolest thing ever in Hamilton?

[raisethehammer]

How about one from Sam Lawrence Park down to St Joes on the Charlton side?
Or from Henderson hospital to St Joes...two huge employers right smack in the middle of high density residential neighbourhoods and urban shopping districts.
A nice angled tram cutting across the escarpment.

[raisethehammer]

also, it appears to me that the 3rd pic from Portland you can see streetcar tracks and a station right in front of the tram station there. Very nice.
Chedoke to Mac would be a good line too, but probably a lot longer and more expensive than this portland one.

[raisethehammer]

by the way, there's a huge crane at St Deny's today. I don't see any tower crane pieces around, just this massive 'extendable' type crane. It's certainly long enough to be used in putting up a tower crane, but as of 11am there was no sign of a permanent crane.

[SteelTown]

If the tram had to go to St Joes it would probably go from the Mountain St Joes site, the old HPH. St Joes is forcing a lot of employees to park up on the Mountain instead and has a shuttle.

Another option is along the hydro corridor, I think the city has plans for some kind of transport (personal rapid transit I think) along the hydro corridor in the future to connect with McMaster. Anything will be good because there's no room to park so employees or students need to park somewhere else.

Btw I saw the plans St Joes laid out for the Mountain, old HPH, and apparently the city forced them to scrap the idea and redo it. The city said it's too close to the escarpment. St Joes wanted the hospital to be close to the escarpment (like how it used to be when it was the Hamilton Asylum) so it could have rooms and the cafe with a panorama view employees and mental patients to calm down.

Picture of the Hamilton Asylum
http://www.fhs.mcmaster.ca/history/images/psychiatric/asylum.jpg

[raisethehammer]

too close to the escarpment?? but the condo at mountain park isn't??
moron's. we need to take advantage of our great views, not hide them.

[SteelTown]

If I remember the plan right the hospital would be literally next to the edge of the escarpment. You could wheel patients off onto a deck or something and have the panorama view.

So now there gonna have to build the hospital further away from the escarpment but they'll still try to have an area for patients to be wheeled out for fresh air and a nice view.

Problem is it's such a huge piece of land there's always going to be plenty of space. I know Mohawk College tried to purchase some land along Fennell on the hospital side but they didn't want to sell. So if the hospital needs money it will probably sell the land off to make money.

[raisethehammer]

forget that...I say the hospital use the land right at Fennell for a tram station. It would be used by hospital workers from both above and below the escarpment as well as Mohawk College workers and students.
Of course, we're dreaming....let's get BRT and light rail first and then go onto flashier projects.

[raisethehammer]

wow...I just looked at that picture you linked to of the hospital site.
are those buildings still there??
amazing group of buildings with great views!

[the dude]

the city likely canned st.joe's plans for environmental reasons. we shouldn't be too critical of that considering the city's general disregard for such things throughout its history. it's a beautiful property that needs to be dealt with carefully.

the tram idea is awesome. back in the good old days the rbg floated the idea of connecting its properties by tram. it fell apart after the financial 'unpleasantness' began a few years ago. anyway, that idea pretty much sucked but this one i like: sam lawrence-downtown; sam-lawrence-st.joe's; sam lawrence-waterfront, etc. it's all good.

ya, regarding this city's new buildings, not impressive. as i've said before, we need to crank up our collective imagination in a big way.

oh ya, why does portland have to be so awesome all the time?? i'm getting sick of their crap!

[SteelTown]

The main Hamilton Asylum hospital is long gone but there still is one historical house there, I forget the name of it. It's currently empty but kept in good shape. Hopefully St Joe's will do something with it, it's listed as a historical house so it can't be knocked down.

I used to work at the HPH and it has a museum, there you'll see pictures of the old hospital. It's really a stunning piece of architecture, a real shame. Back in the day the hospital was surrounded with farms. The farmers would let the patients help them farm the crop. Back in the 70's it was taken down for 2 storey hospital with multiple wings like A wing, C wing, E wing, J wing which is the forensic ward (I was petrified of that wing lol), etc.

[raisethehammer]

yea, Portland is annoying. they've caught onto 21st Century city-building and don't seem to want to stop.
I remember that RBG tram idea...I thought it was great. I always hoped they would add a final extension onto it to Bayfront Park/Waterfront Trail area...or in the railyard once it's developed.
That would be a LOT of money though...the escarpment one makes more sense....i wonder how much an incline railway would cost? i remember hearing of one in Quebec city that was pretty cheap. If it's much cheaper than a tram, we could build a couple of them. One downtown and the other down to Wentworth or Sherman from the escarpment/Henderson area.

[flar]

So I guess nobody's heard any further details about the possible incline railway we heard about a few months ago? The city really should pursue this more vigorously. An incline railway or a cable car of some sort would be great. It could serve as both public transportation and tourist attraction. Just think about the awesome view as you climbed the escarpment. It absolutely must tie in to Sam Lawrence Park. The cities geography itself is its biggest attraction, so you could really show it off this way and tie it into the downtown. Tourists could stay at the newly renovated luxury hotel and have easy access to the great mountain view from SL Park, and easy access to the bayfront, ideally via a trolley of some sort. A nice walk through up James St. or through Corktown to the incline and up to the park for a view. That would sure beat taking a bus or driving. Tourists would get lost on the winding access roads trying to find the escarpment lookouts (I did when I first moved here).

[SteelTown]

Personally I think an incline rail system would be in much more demand if it was located at Sam Lawrence Park than at Upper Wentworth (or is it Wellington?). If it was at Sam Lawrence Park tourist and people using transit could get off at Concession St and take the incline down to St Joe's. If they put it at Wentworth it'll mostly be for recreational use.

I'm gonna email McHattie about an idea he brought up having a Mountain bus terminal near Sam Lawrence Park, therefore keeping all the buses on the Mountain, takes 15 minutes to catch an Upper James bus now if it stayed up on the Mountain it could be literally every 5 minutes. I think is a good idea as long some sort of rapid transit is put in place for people wanting to go down the escarpment, it can't be regular buses. Doing that could distract transit users. I think an aerial tram would be good, it comes around every 3 minutes and it can hold 75 people. 3 minute wait is good instead of having to wait 15 minutes for a bus.

[flar]

The main problem with keeping mountain buses on the mountain is that people would have to transfer, that's a major disincentive.

[Hammer Town]

Beavers at work in harbour

Photos by Barry Gray, the Hamilton Spectator
Trees on Hamilton Harbour's north shore show evidence of the beavers' work. The city may have to plant beaver favourites such as willow to preserve shade trees.


Improving water quality has beavers building dams at Bayfront Park.


Everybody's happy to see them back, but there's concern about saving trees
By Wade Hemsworth
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 9, 2007)
The beavers are back in Hamilton Harbour.

Their return has harbour advocates simultaneously cheering at the return of wildlife and worrying about the damage the animals may cause.

"It's kind of a fine line we walk," said Sherry Houston of the Bay Area Restoration Council (BARC). "We need to protect trees, but we also need to protect beavers."

In the past several weeks, beavers have taken up residence at Hamilton's Bayfront Park and across the bay at LaSalle Park in Burlington.

Improving water quality and the proliferation of woody plants along the water's edge have suddenly made the harbour a desirable habitat for beavers.

The Bayfront beaver -- possibly more than one -- moved in about six weeks ago, while the Burlington beaver apparently set up house late last year.

Sightings are rare, since beavers work at night and slow down during winter, but the evidence is plain to see.

All along the eastern edge of Bayfront Park, just below the paved pathway, the beaver has chewed down dozens of small shoreline trees and a number of mature willows with trunks more than 30 centimetres in diameter.

In the shallows where Bayfront Park meets the Macassa Bay Yacht Club, there's a small lodge of sticks and mud, featuring a finishing touch available only to the urban beaver: a few old planks.

These may be the first beavers in modern memory for Hamilton Harbour, but this is not the first time that Canada's most beloved rodent has presented itself in an urban Ontario setting.

At Confederation Park, for example, a colony of beavers that was felling tall poplars had to be trapped in 1998. This past autumn, the trapping of beavers at the University of Waterloo generated a community uproar.

For now, there are no plans to disturb the Hamilton Harbour beavers. Relocating them now that they have put away their winter food would be a death sentence.

The City of Hamilton and BARC are consulting experts to determine the best approach to take in the springtime.

Hamilton's manager of parks and cemeteries, Al Dore, is happy to see the Bayfront beaver, but has mixed feelings about it staying.

"It's great that that kind of wildlife is now coming back to the harbour," he said. "I think it speaks to the remediation work that's been going on down there."

He's concerned, though, about how hungry the beaver or beavers will get later. January is mating season and by May, there could be a small colony.

Dore's main concern is for the shade trees in the grassy areas high above the waterline. If the beavers start taking those, the city might have to act, he said.

One option is planting the shoreline with beaver favourites such as poplar and willow as a compromise that would allow them to stay, but keep them away from the shade trees.

whemsworth@thespec.com

905-526-3254


Hey guys
I saw this this morning and thought it was worth a mention.

Kinda cool hopefull they don't get too hungry or need to many homes.

[raisethehammer]

Beavers in the city...very cool.
I'm not sure what to think of the idea to keep mountain buses on the mountain.
It may be a good idea once we have BRT using Upper James, Rymal and the Linc. There could be a Concession-Harbour BRT that runs every 5 minutes and is coordinated with Mountain schedules so folks literally get right on under a covered station (like the back of GO Station).
You're probably right about the incline - Sam Lawrence makes the most sense, especially if council allows a restaurant to be built there instead of letting a few stuck-up neighbours cry about it and kill restaurant plans everytime they are brought up.

[raisethehammer]

ok folks...just came from downtown and the spallacci crane IS being put up as we speak.
This is not a false alarm. I saw the first few pieces erected with my own eyes. If I had a camera I would have snapped a pic.
Anyone with a camera, feel free to stop by later today when it's done. Been a long time coming.

[Hammer Town]

I will definatly go by on my way to work today and post the pics tonight past St Dennys that is.

I was up at sam Lawrence today and noticed there was also another crane back further towards the bay looks to be around barton adn ferguson. Anyone have any Ideas as to why.

[raisethehammer]

that one is constructing the Mary St pedestrian bridge over the tracks north of Barton.
I was at Sam Lawrence too...were you the guy on the bike?

[Hammer Town]

No but I did see that guy.
I was in the silver Honda Civic with the Old Gentleman we also too a short walk. I was the younger guy.

Cheers

[SteelTown]

Awesome start a new year, a new thread and we get a new crane. Refreshing!!

[raisethehammer]

i'm guessing the next crane will be next summer - Hilton at Main and Bay.
by the way, speaking of transit, my wife had an appointment today at Mac - she was going to catch the 10:45 bus from King and Strathcona. She had our two young kids with her. By 11:15, 8 buses had passed by completely jammed with no room for her. She finally got on the 9th one and only because the other folks waiting at the stop knew she had been there longer then them...so they let her go and they waited.
9 buses!! I think the HSR needs to put WAY more money and attention into areas like this where people are already using their service instead of trying to attract new riders in the suburbs.
In a perfect world it would be nice to do both, but if you've got to choose - choose to enhance service for those who are already stepping onto your system...now she's planning on never taking the bus to Mac again. What good does it do to attract new riders in the suburbs only to lose riders because 8 buses are packed.
Crazy eh?

[SteelTown]

Not surprised at all. It happened to me when I first started my job at McMaster, I think I even made a post about here being so mad about it. I felt all great thinking finally a job where I can take transit and not have to pay for parking. Well on my first day I was 2 hours late because I had to wait for like the 10th bus to finally squeeze my ass inside and I had to squeeze in until it stopped at McMaster where pretty much everyone got out.

Since then I've been driving to McMaster. That's why the new buses for the Beeline just won't cut it, it'll still be packed. Maybe if the buses had not just one extended bus at the back of it perhaps 3 more.

Hey what about a crane for King William and Ferguson?

[Hammer Town]

The Crane at St Dennys wasn't all the way up as of 4:30 today they just loaded all the parts into the whole for assembly tomorrow so if you misses it today you can go again tomorrow.

I was talking to a guy who owns a leather store downtown and said he said he saw the rendeings for the progect and said it looked great.

I think the next crane will be the King William and Ferguson I think and I hope, In face I hope the St Dennys Crane and the King William crane are up together that would be sweet.

[raisethehammer]

I don't think King William will be the next one up...they are nowhere near starting yet as far as anyone downtown knows. They still have to demolish the buildings on-site before they start digging a foundation.
My money is on Main and Bay - Hilton.
Yea, the crane is only about 3 stories up as of tonight.
I guess they'll finish if off tomorrow.

[raisethehammer]

Thought you all might be interested in an email I sent the mayor and some downtown area councillors today:

Hi Mayor Fred

I read with much interest your comments at this week’s council meeting regarding the possibility of receiving some senior government money for a transit project in Hamilton, especially since the upper levels are more committed these days to transit and since Ottawa just cancelled their big light rail plan.

You may recall I sent you an opinion piece I did last month about developing Bus Rapid Transit and Light Rail in Hamilton.

I came across this today and along with an interesting USA Today piece on US cities rapidly bringing back streetcars, I’ve got more ideas (what else is new!) percolating in my brain.

I wanted to send this along for your viewing. Some interesting points:
modern streetcar construction is much less intrusive than heavy rail since the street doesn’t need to be torn up. In Portland, they only dug a 12 inch deep track and laid down the rail tracks.
the cost is great – 20-25 million per mile.
Streetcars can run on their own lanes or in mixed traffic. This may prove useful in developing BRT and a modern streetcar line in Hamilton....for example, I see no reason why BRT or streetcars couldn’t have their own lanes on King and Main from Mac to Ottawa Street, but from Ottawa to just past Kenilworth there are lots of shops and on-street parking. BRT and Streetcars could share the centre lane here with cars, but then have their own lane again from Parkdale to Eastgate.
Finally, and possibly most important from your point of view as mayor, is the economic development track record that urban streetcar/rail systems bring. The numbers in Portland are amazing. I lived there for 4 years and let me tell you – it is very much like Hamilton. Only more vibrant, successful and fun....streetcars and rail lines play a large role in that successful urban vitality they now enjoy in that city.

I really hope our new council is serious about shaking Hamilton out of the doldrums and moving forward. I like what I’ve seen from you and council so far.
I’d suggest having the HSR and Transit Steering Committee develop some very preliminary streetcar/BRT plans that can be taken to Ottawa and Queens Park and get the ball rolling quickly on securing significant money for Hamilton’s transit makeover.

http://www.lightrailnow.org/news/n_por-stc-photoessay_2005-02.htm


Cheers

[raisethehammer]

no activity today at Spallacci....the huge extension crane is gone. I guess they're bringing in a smaller one to finish the crane.

[the dude]

rth: good letter to fred-o. street cars rule, though i'm surprised they aren't a little more affordable. once again, portland's the awesomest city ever.

oh ya, the crane watch has to stop. i'm gettin' an ulcer over here. just wake me when the building's finished.

[Hammer Town]

The Crane is 1/4 the way up and all the pieces are in the hole they just have to assemble but I think they have some wrong parts as I was there this morning and they were measuring some of the peices.

[the dude]

tell me you did that to be funny because that was funny...and insane.

[raisethehammer]

wrong parts??? sheesh...they might want to make sure they get that right.
We don't need flying cranes downtown.

[Hammer Town]

The crane is the type that is maybe 3ftx3ft for the first section then get a little narrower for the rest and the peice the goes from the wider bottom to the narrower top was what they were measuring today.

[excel]

Wasnt aware of all the action in Hamilton. Impressive.

[raisethehammer]

they're back at it this morning at St Deny's...let's hope they get the dumb thing up so someone can go take pics and get this over with.
how long can it take to put up a crane. lol.

[the dude]

Wasnt aware of all the action in Hamilton. Impressive.

oh there's action, buddy. action like you wouldn't believe. play by play of cranes being assembled and so much more. :slob:

[SteelTown]

I saw what the Ferguson and Mary bridge will look like. It's alright, bascially a smaller version of the Skyway Bridge. Just hope they paint it or something, it's currently a red rusty colour.

Any pictures on the St Deny's crane? I'm just way to busy with my part time job, schooling, gym and researching to take any pictures.

[raisethehammer]

I don't know what they're doing....still the same height today but all these white pieces are sitting there sticking out of the ground.
Looks kind of cool actually.

[LikeHamilton]

They where on the site working at 7 am as I drove by. They have/had(?) a large portable crane there today assembling the boom and the operator’s area that is attached to the boom. As of about 4:15 it was still on the ground.

[raisethehammer]

at 9am Friday they have the next big white section up. I'm guessing they'll be done today.
it looks like it's probably half-done now.

[LikeHamilton]

From Today's (January 12, 2007) Mountain News

Demolition looming at the Henderson
South section of 70 wing will start coming down in the spring
Mark Newman, Mountain


(Jan 12, 2007)
After four years of planning, the $200 million reconstruction of the Henderson General Hospital will take a big step forward this spring when demolition crews descend on the Concession Street building.

Cathy Lovett, site lead for the Henderson re-development project for Hamilton Health Sciences, said demolition of the south section of 70 wing will begin in March or April and take about six months to complete.

Located to the right of the main entrance, the south side of the wing juts out toward Concession Street.

The demolition will make way for a new, state-of-the-art, 425,000 square-foot L-shaped hospital building that is expected to go up in the next three years starting in the late fall.

"2007 is the year, it's pretty exciting," said Ms. Lovett, who feels the sight of some major construction finally happening at the Henderson should boost moral at the hospital and in the community.

The new building will stretch east-west along Concession Street and north-south along the Sherman Cut. Signs about the demolition are slated to go up outside the hospital in the coming weeks.

While the public may not notice it, much has been going on inside the hospital over the past year or two to prepare for the demolition.

Several day clinics have been moved from the south end of 70 wing to the former maternity building behind the Juravinski Cancer Centre. About 55 in-patients were shifted about two years ago.

The new five storey building will feature 250 beds, 90 of which will be for cancer, hematology and palliative care patients. Two thirds of those beds will be in private rooms.

About 38 hospital units will be moved into the new building including emergency, orthopedics, diagnostic imaging, endoscopy and ambulatory care services as well as nine new operating rooms, 14 intensive care beds and 13 coronary care beds.

In addition to the medical services there will be four meeting rooms and a new board room on four storeys. The fifth storey will house the hospital's mechanical and electrical plants and the existing loading area at the rear of the hospital will double in size.

Visitors to the hospital will be directed to a new entrance in the fall.

Ms. Lovett said once the demolition is completed and construction begins on the new building, the existing lobby and auditorium will be torn down.

"We definitely want to keep the front entrance as long as we can," said Ms. Lovett, who noted the new, temporary main entrance to the hospital will be located outside the atrium near the 60 wing entrance, west of the current lobby.

With the construction, the 127 spot parking lot on the east side of the hospital will be lost, but Ms. Lovett said there is ample space at the parking ramps across the street and along Poplar Avenue.

Once construction (phase 1a) is completed and hospital services have been shifted to the new building, Ms. Lovett said work will begin on phase 1b of the reconstruction that will see the north side of the 70 wing and 80 wing torn down and replaced by four floors of office and hospital support space, including a new front lobby that will be located about 50 metres west of the existing lobby. The new lobby will be connected to the Juravinski Cancer Centre and a healing garden is planned for the second floor.

The province is paying about 70 per cent of the cost of the reconstruction with the remainder coming from HHS fundraising.

Phase two of the project is expected to take a year to build and once complete the approximately six hectare (14 acre) site will be known as the Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre in recognition of the multi-million dollar gifts to Hamilton Health Sciences from Margaret and Charles Juravinski.

[raisethehammer]

what a site for crane-starved eyes...coming down King this afternoon, rounding the bend at Wentworth and viola, there she is: huge tower crane hanging over the road. How sweet.
No pics....I went up to Sam Lawrence and checked out the view from there.
A few more cranes downtown and we'll be seriously rocking.

[raisethehammer]

anyone have renderings for the Henderson? I've seen them before and love the way it stands at the edge of the escarpment over the Sherman Cut.

[BCTed]

what a site for crane-starved eyes...coming down King this afternoon, rounding the bend at Wentworth and viola, there she is: huge tower crane hanging over the road. How sweet.
No pics....I went up to Sam Lawrence and checked out the view from there.
A few more cranes downtown and we'll be seriously rocking.

A very good friend of mine and I may well head downtown tomorrow to check the crane out. I left my digital camera with my aunt out West and forgot to take it to Hamilton. Hopefully, my friend will take his along.

[SteelTown]

Front
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v174/Appster/juravinski.jpg

Back
http://www.cornerstoneofcare.ca/img/hendrend_l.jpg

My Grandma is kinda angry that their going to change the name of the hospital to the Juravinski Hospital. Henderson (councillor) at the time helped my Grandma get a house on the Mountain, near the hospital. Since then the whole family has been raised on the Mountain. Guess it's time to change the name of the hospital.

Here's a more close up rendering of the Research building for the General

http://www.cornerstoneofcare.ca/img/research1.jpg

[the dude]

hmmm, i'm not happy with the name change either. oh well, this is the world we live in. deal with it. anyone have a rendering of the st.denys condo? maybe it's better i don't see it. if it's boring i'll be pissed off. :yuck:

[Hammer Town]

Here are some crane pics for everyone to see.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q299/ray_love737/Crane03.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q299/ray_love737/Crane02.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q299/ray_love737/Crane01.jpg

The pic on the top you can see the Upper Wentwoth and Concession Crane as well.

[Hammer Town]

UK Consul General says city has buzz
Kevin Werner, Mountain

(Jan 12, 2007)
Hamilton has a friend in the United Kingdom Consul General.

Nicholas Armour will be hosting the UK Trade and Investment conference scheduled for Hamilton's Sheraton Hotel in mid-April this year.

The annual gathering of United Kingdom officers from across Canada, and a few from England and Wales, had been held in Montreal and Deerhurst the last two years. But Mr. Armour wanted to showcase Hamilton to his colleagues and dispel a few deep-seated myths of the Steel City.

"There is a real buzz about Hamilton," said Mr. Armour. "It is a nice city, people there are friendly, and willing to listen and they are engaged."

A few of his colleagues living in Toronto at the Consul General office have a negative perception about Hamilton from reading on the Internet the latest mugging or crime in the downtown core.

Yet Mr. Armour, who visited Hamilton in 2005 during Dr. Marie Bountrogianni's, minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and Hamilton Mountain Liberal MPP, ministry-tour of the city, along with a number of other Toronto-based consular officials, saw the economic potential and cultural opportunities behind the usual bleak image of Hamilton.

He takes great pleasure when he is in Hamilton of showing a colleague the second highest waterfall along the Niagara Escarpment next to Niagara Falls. Hamilton's tourism officials have been promoting Hamilton as having about 100 waterfalls, a startling revelation from a non-resident.

"Hamilton is trying to preserve the best of the old things, while adapting to the global change that is occurring," he said.

Dr. Bountrogianni, who has championed the concept of consul generals getting involved with municipalities, says she will discuss with Mayor Fred Eisenberger expanding Hamilton's role to host more visiting foreign dignitaries in the hopes of better understand and future investment.

The Toronto-based consular corp is the largest group of consular representatives in Canada outside of Ottawa. They are interested in developing commercial, economic, cultural and scientific relations, while also providing consular services to immigrant nationals.

"I will keep bringing (consul generals) here so that when business tourists from other countries come to Toronto they also come to Hamilton," said Dr. Bountrogianni. "And I'm going to talk to Fred about that. We need to do more. They are our windows to the world."

Mr. Armour is already impressed with Hamilton's attempts to re-invent itself from a predominately steel manufacturing community to a city that is diversifying.

He applauds the city's efforts to improving its airport, investing in McMaster University and its health sciences and research, and praises the work being done along the waterfront by the Hamilton Port Authority.

Mr. Armour says Hamilton should look to what some communities have done in his country such as in Sheffield and Bristol, a port city. Sheffield, a city of 520,000, in South Yorkshire, was famous for its steel, but over the last 20 years has developed thriving cultural and technological industries. Mr. Armour points out the popular film, The Full Monty', was shot in Sheffield.

He sees in Hamilton, particularly in McMaster University, the start of a city re-inventing itself where politician and business leaders are encouraging the growth of science, research and innovation.

"There are some exciting things happening there," he said.

There are about 650 British companies operating in Canada. The UK is Canada's primary European trading partner, the second largest foreign direct investor in Canada after the United States and the UK is Canada's second largest partner worldwide in science and technology.



We need more people like this. This sounds pretty exciting. Anyone know much more about this guy and this confrence?

[SteelTown]

That picture of the crane makes me wanna cry....it's so beautiful! lol :D

I got some updates on the Lister Block....part of the deal is that since there won't be as much room for office in the Lister Block the city will try to convert the St. Mark’s Church on Bay Street into office space for the Community Services Department (24,000 square feet). So really this is a double whammy deal, two abandon historical buildings will be redeveloped.

[SteelTown]

Oh yea there's a down side to this as well. Remember that 1 billion dollar cutback Harper made? Well part of that cutback was killing the Commercial Heritage Properties Incentive Fund.

Therefore plans for the Victoria Hall is up in the air now.

I seriously won't be voting for the Conservatives, this is one of many reasons why I won't vote for them.

[raisethehammer]

nice crane pics and Henderson renderings..thank you.
I read that about St Marks - great news and once again, great idea by the city. I'm starting to like what I see and hear out of city hall these days...more appreciation for urban design and heritage.
I have never seen a rendering for St Deny's. I have a black and white sketch of the building...it'll basically be an 11 story version of the old St Deny's block combined with the new City Views building at King and Walnut. I think it has french balconies in some units too, with commercial space next to Denningers.
Now if we could just get Denningers to build a 10 story mixed-use loft building at their garbage property at King and Wellington.
I tell you one thing - I wouldn't want the job of those guys walking around up on the crane putting it together. I was there right when you took these pics...you look like you were a block west of me from where the pics are taken. I saw that guy up there - two of them I think - scurrying around doing their thing. Incredible job.

[SteelTown]

Check out the Planning and Development section under the city's website. The developer for the land around Ferguson and Barton is requesting a approval for a mixed used plan.

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

Basically 2 stand alone retail along Barton, no parking at the front. One big stand alone at the middle and another one behind it.

No drive through are allowed and the view from Barton must be landscaped to block the parking.

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

The proposed residential must have a density in the range of 150 – 300 units per gross hectare, and building heights between 4 to 8 storeys. Under the plan it didn't pen point how many floors this apartment will have. But it appears it'll go for the minimum so looking at 4 storey.

[Hammer Town]

I took a lot of photos of that crane today.

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this or not but the building is actulally going to be called the Terraces on King.

[LikeHamilton]

Check out the Planning and Development section under the city's website. The developer for the land around Ferguson and Barton is requesting a approval for a mixed used plan.

The property across Ferguson Street is the Weslley Centre. This is 2 high rises with town houses. The property is nice, but the only problem with it is the shelter for the homeless. I have dealt with this place in the past and it attracts the bottom of society. In the summertime when they spead out all over the lawn across the street to sleep, it looks like (not my quote) "a war zone". A lot of alcohol abuse (and mouthwash) people there. They would need to clean up this area if they want to sell it. This is one of the area's that a councillors year or two ago said that the city may have take too many of the wrong type of occupancies over the years into the core. It was easy money for the city as there was substantial funding from the feds and the province at the time it was built.

[raisethehammer]

that plan is crap. It's basically two small front buildings like a Wendys or Hortons (I don't see any indication in that report that they will be 'mixed-use with upper floor apartments' like the Setting Sail plan calls for) with 2 bigger box stores in the back. Tossing in a couple of apartments in the back of the site does not make a plan 'mixed-use'.
I've emailed the downtown councilor for more info including links and a quote to the official Setting Sail plan in which residents were VERY clear (I attended the meetings) that big box was not welcome. They wanted the streetwall to continue along Barton with shops. Throwing up an ugly metal fence to hide a huge parking lot is not my idea of a 'continuous streetwall'.

[SteelTown]

Yea, it's an interesting drive along Ferguson from Barton to Cannon, I know I wouldn't walk. You see people laying at the front lawn drinking out of brown bags, usually a chubby lady on a wheelchair reading national enquirer, a guy walking in circles talking to himself, etc. Just the usual stereotypical stuff. It was pretty dumb of the city to allow afordable housing one after another in the same area. It's like Hamilton's ghetto project, expect without the major crimes and all white people.

[SteelTown]

Does anyone have any details of the Hilton hotel on Bay? I know the developer is gonna try to incorporate the old carriage building facing Bay into the hotel, assuming it'll become the lobby area with restaurant space along George St. But that's all I know. What about that parking lot? Is it going to be turned into an entrance for the hotel?

I think the old HMP building facing Main will be turned into a parking garage for the condo owners at the old federal building.

[the dude]

Yea, it's an interesting drive along Ferguson from Barton to Cannon, I know I wouldn't walk. You see people laying at the front lawn drinking out of brown bags, usually a chubby lady on a wheelchair reading national enquirer, a guy walking in circles talking to himself, etc. Just the usual stereotypical stuff. It was pretty dumb of the city to allow afordable housing one after another in the same area. It's like Hamilton's ghetto project, expect without the major crimes and all white people.

that's what you get when you have too many people of a single socio-economic group living in one place: ghettoization. i hate to think what'll happen to the strathcona neighbourhood when wesley moves in. they're great people and do tremendous work but the density of the plan stinks.

[raisethehammer]

actually it's Good Shepherd moving to Strathcona, not Wesley.
It'll be mostly apartments, not a huge complex of social services like the Ferguson Ave one.

[the dude]

ok, i'll admit it; after all the build-up, the crane is pretty cool.

[raisethehammer]

it'll be cooler if we can get one or two more up downtown in the spring/summer.
I don't think it was just 'the crane' that led to such a build-up. It's the 10 year wait.
This building became the International Village 'Lister Block' if you go talk to the merchants.
It's a huge step forward.

[Berklon]

Can someone explain the importance of the crane/St. Deny's construction?
I'm not familiar with the history behind it and why it seems to be crucial (at least based on the posts in this forum).

[SteelTown]

A crane symbolizes what skyscraperpage.com is all about, development and redevelopment of the urban core. Therefore we're all obsessed with cranes.

The St Deny's crane is great because it took down an ugly abandon building and is turning a new corner by replacing it with a new modern residential unit which will further help the downtown core with new customers for the downtown commerce. It’s a domino effect.

[Berklon]

A crane symbolizes what skyscraperpage.com is all about, development and redevelopment of the urban core. Therefore we're all obsessed with cranes.

The St Deny's crane is great because it took down an ugly abandon building and is turning a new corner by replacing it with a new modern residential unit which will further help the downtown core with new customers for the downtown commerce. It’s a domino effect.

Thanks. I thought it was something more specific to that exact location - either what used to be there, or what's going to be built there (or both). Either way, it's good to see these plans follow through.

[the dude]

fair enough. i'd argue the ugly part, though. i was sad to see those buildings go. i don't know why they're being so shy about advertising a rendering. considering the historic buildings that were razed i don't think there's been enough scrutiny regarding the project. but hey, that's just me i guess.

[SteelTown]

There's probably no rendering going around because remember this is an affordable housing project. Therefore the developer won't advertise the building, all the developer has to is call up the welfare office and say units are available.

[block43]

Just because housing is affordable doesn't mean the architecture has to be drab. There was a great article in last months Dwell Magazine about cool looking affordable housing projects in the US. It would be great if architecture firms here would pick up on this.

[SteelTown]

I'm not saying this affordable housing project will be crappy or anything, in fact I think it'll be a great project, I'm just pointing out why there probably isn't a rendering floating around.

This project has no potential buyers therefore the developer obviously doesn't feel the need to advertise the rendering or have a website dedicated to the project.

[raisethehammer]

actually, there is huge history at that location. The original St Deny's apartments and retail spaces were completely full back when the building was bought and everyone kicked out around 10-15 years ago.
Since then there have been proposals for homeless shelters, condos, lofts, parking lot, park etc..... the neighbourhood has battled hard year after year to see this site brought back to life. It literally is International Village's Lister.

[the dude]

hmmm, i'd forgotten this was an affordable housing project; that makes me very nervous all of a sudden.

[BCTed]

hmmm, i'd forgotten this was an affordable housing project; that makes me very nervous all of a sudden.

I understand exactly what you are saying. Whenever such a building went up in or near downtown Vancouver, I would cringe.

When my friend and I walked by the area yesterday to check out the crane, I told him that the building was going to be middle-class condos --- I must have misread something on SkyscraperPage to have embedded that idea in my head.

[raisethehammer]

actually, according to the folks building the place it will be a nice apartment building...look at the units in CityViews and CityPlaces on Walnut. That's what this will be like only taller. They're able to call it affordable because the province is kicking in a pile of money so that they don't need to charge $1,300 a month rents or anything like that....I think all the units will range from around $650-$900 a month if I remember correctly.

[realcity]

hmmm, i'd forgotten this was an affordable housing project; that makes me very nervous all of a sudden.

it'll be a shitbox. probably no street retail and most like a parking garage exit/entrance onto King street to add another curb cut for pedestrians to dodge. These are Hamilton Italian builders. They will tack on some columns from Home Depot in an attempt to make it nice and schlocky.

[raisethehammer]

from the drawings I've seen it'll be quite nice. it's being designed with the heritage of St Deny's in mind. there will be 2 streetlevel retail spaces and a 3rd floor rooftop garden/BBQ deck for the resdients. The building will consist of red brick which will blend nicely with the neighbourhood - again, think City Views at King and Walnut. Iron railings in some units for french balconies etc....

[SteelTown]

Is it going to have those bay windows like St Deny's did? Try to incorporate old and new together design.

I like the building at King I think it's called CityPlace, think the retail is a computer store. That building incorporated into the streets very nicely.

[fastcarsfreedom]

Wow man, is the negativity flying on here this morning. The St Deny's Project will be a great boost for downtown, on the I.V. in particular. RTH is on point--people should not confuse "affordable housing" as defined here and subsidized housing--those are two different things. Moreover, just because the building may not be chock-a-block with street level retail--the warm bodies it will add to the immediate neighborhood will be a wonderful addition to the street level retail that's already there in the I.V.

St Deny's WAS a great looking building--even as I remember it in the 80s and 90s--however, when the inital condo plan went through, the streetface hoarding went up and then the fire burned through the roof--that was the end--at that point saving the place was a lost cause from a financial perspective. Removing this black hole from the street is a huge leap--and yes RTH, it literally is Lister East.

[raisethehammer]

yea, it'll be a huge boost for I.V. You're right about 'afforable' housing vs. 'subsidized' housing.... City Views and City Places were built as 'affordable' housing. That's what we need more of downtown....nice, quality living spaces for young people, families, immigrants, seniors etc.... we're getting a good stock of higher end lofts and condos these days. Adding more proper residential buildings with streetfront retail like this is exactly what we need.
I suppose the odd 'glass' tower TO-Vancouver style building would look cool downtown, but I'm a huge fan of red brick buildings that fit into the streetscape.
I'll try to dig up a rendering.

[the dude]

ok, you've convinced me. if it looks anything like the other properties you've mentioned then we'll be fine. i'll sleep a little better tonight. :tup:

[SteelTown]

This should make RTH very happy lol..........

All city buses will get bike racks
By Nicole MacIntyre
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 16, 2007)

Bike racks are finally coming to city buses, after years of cyclists' begging.

Staff hope to use $224,000 of provincial gas tax funding to install racks on the city's entire transit fleet. Don Hull, the city's transit director, said every bus must be fitted with the new equipment because the routes change every day. A bus can travel up and down the escarpment one day and to McMaster University or an outlying community the next.

Staff had previously told council it couldn't add the bike racks because the added length would prevent all the buses from being stored inside. Two new parking lots have provided extra storage room but staff want buses stored inside in winter, so they plan to remove the racks then. The ongoing operational cost would be $50,000 a year. Transit staff also said yesterday 1,200 students at Mohawk College who attend health sciences classes at McMaster University have joined the student transit program. All students in the program pay a mandatory fee and have unlimited use of the bus.
---------------------------------

Why not give EVERY student at Mohawk the student transit program? Why must it only be for the McMaster campus.

[SteelTown]

Breathing new life into industrial land

Trust has vision of trees, flowers in North End
By Eric McGuinness
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 16, 2007)

Nature sanctuaries belong in the boonies, right?

Not along a railway track next to the site of the infamous Plastimet fire in industrial north Hamilton.

But that's just where the newly named Head-of-the-Lake Land Trust, an arm of the Hamilton Naturalists' Club, is planning its next venture.

It envisions native trees and wildflowers growing on old industrial land; habitat for birds, insects and other wildlife; a noise buffer; colourful foliage to enliven drab streets and an outdoor environmental laboratory for area schools.

Alan Ernest, the trust's program co-ordinator, says the club is already active in the inner city through its Nature in the Urban Neighbourhood project, run through schools and libraries.

It has long wanted to expand its volunteer efforts to restore natural areas there as well. Members want to go, "where the need is greatest, where kids need to have some relationship with the natural world. How else will we have a population in 20 years that values the natural environment?"

For its first urban core venture, the trust is focusing on the east end of Simcoe Street, across the tracks from Jackie Washington Park, which was built on the cleaned-up site of a spectacular 1997 fire that burned tonnes of scrap plastic stored in the old Usarco foundry on Wellington Street North.

With money from the Hamilton Community Foundation, the naturalists' club held a brainstorming session several years ago, then used air photos and land ownership maps to identify property along the edge of a valley that was part of Land's Inlet.

The inlet, which once allowed vessels to sail from the open harbour as far inland as Beasley Park on Wilson Street, was gradually filled during the 19th century and railway spurs were built along the valley bottom. One still in use is a CN track leased by the Southern Ontario Railway that crosses Simcoe Street as it runs diagonally between Ferguson Avenue and Wellington Street.

The land trust is eyeing two strips parallel to the track, one about 150 metres long by six to 15 metres wide north of Simcoe and another about 100 metres long and as wide as 20 metres to the south. Julia Kollek, a former Environment Hamilton staffer, has been hired to spearhead what's being called the Land's Inlet restoration. The trust is holding a community open house Saturday to ask area residents for their ideas.

Ernest says, "The kids' environmental group at the North Hamilton Community Centre is out every Saturday and they're already asking about installing bird boxes and bat boxes and collecting seed. And the Junior Ecoleaders program sponsored by the Royal Botanical Gardens and SISO (Settlement and Integration Services Organization) has already had kids and families there to clean up garbage, remove invasive Japanese knotweed and plant a pin oak."

If you go ...

What: A drop-in session to hear what North End residents have to say about a proposed project to bring more nature to the neighbourhood. When: 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. With tours of the site at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Where: Bennetto Community Centre, 450 Hughson St. N.

[realcity]

forgive my negativity. im sure it'll be nice....

[beanmedic]

This should make RTH very happy lol..........

All city buses will get bike racks
By Nicole MacIntyre
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 16, 2007)

Bike racks are finally coming to city buses, after years of cyclists' begging.

Staff hope to use $224,000 of provincial gas tax funding to install racks on the city's entire transit fleet. Don Hull, the city's transit director, said every bus must be fitted with the new equipment because the routes change every day. A bus can travel up and down the escarpment one day and to McMaster University or an outlying community the next.

Staff had previously told council it couldn't add the bike racks because the added length would prevent all the buses from being stored inside. Two new parking lots have provided extra storage room but staff want buses stored inside in winter, so they plan to remove the racks then. The ongoing operational cost would be $50,000 a year. Transit staff also said yesterday 1,200 students at Mohawk College who attend health sciences classes at McMaster University have joined the student transit program. All students in the program pay a mandatory fee and have unlimited use of the bus.
---------------------------------

Why not give EVERY student at Mohawk the student transit program? Why must it only be for the McMaster campus.



Is there any indication as to when the 1200 Mohawk students will begin using the bus pass? I am very interested because I am one of the 1200.

[SteelTown]

September 2007, fall semester

[raisethehammer]

I think they're also doing this for Columbia College students beginning in the fall too.
I've got a feeling the HSR is going to need to order about 10 more of these hybrid articulated buses once the 1st 6 get here this spring.

[the dude]

re: breathing new life..., bike racks, bus passes

dig it, love it, dig it again.

[SteelTown]

New life for downtown wasteland

By Nicole MacIntyre
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 17, 2007)

A downtown wasteland is set to become a thriving residential and commercial development.

The old industrial site between Wellington Street North and Ferguson Avenue North on Barton Street will be cleaned up and should see construction within the year.

Downtown Councillor Bob Bratina praised the three-hectare project for turning over a brownfield and bringing value to the beleaguered Beasley neighbourhood. "This is a keystone property."

The development by businessman Martin Hotz is broken down into seven blocks, with commercial buildings, townhouses and multiple dwelling units. Building will happen in phases. The city will not allow homes or buildings, like nursery care centres, to be built on the land until the developer has proven the site has been fully remediated. It is mainly empty now.

The site was contaminated years ago by a railway siding and should be easily cleaned up, said consultant James Webb, representing Hotz. "This is not something that's glowing in the dark."

[BCTed]

Why not give EVERY student at Mohawk the student transit program? Why must it only be for the McMaster campus.

Pay for play.

[the dude]

New life for downtown wasteland

By Nicole MacIntyre
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jan 17, 2007)

A downtown wasteland is set to become a thriving residential and commercial development.

The old industrial site between Wellington Street North and Ferguson Avenue North on Barton Street will be cleaned up and should see construction within the year.

Downtown Councillor Bob Bratina praised the three-hectare project for turning over a brownfield and bringing value to the beleaguered Beasley neighbourhood. "This is a keystone property."

The development by businessman Martin Hotz is broken down into seven blocks, with commercial buildings, townhouses and multiple dwelling units. Building will happen in phases. The city will not allow homes or buildings, like nursery care centres, to be built on the land until the developer has proven the site has been fully remediated. It is mainly empty now.

The site was contaminated years ago by a railway siding and should be easily cleaned up, said consultant James Webb, representing Hotz. "This is not something that's glowing in the dark."

great news! can't wait to see the plan for this property.