[ihateittoo]

I noticed they have finally did some work here - looks like they are beginning to add another floor.

[SteelTown]

http://www.raisethehammer.org/images/rendering_james_hunter.jpg

[raisethehammer]

yup...forgot to mention that last week. 4th floor going up....will be a welcome change after having that corner sit empty for years...maybe it'll help out the GO Station restaurant.

[LikeHamilton]

Update

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/9111/img4201ld8.jpg

http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/1040/img4202fj6.jpg

[raisethehammer]

looks pretty good with the brick. I worry that it might look horrendous by the time the stucco is applied as shown in the rendering.

[markbarbera]

I don't think stucco is being used in this reno. The original brick elements will remain. The beige elements may be stucco, but I get a feeling it is going to be maintenance-free cladding.

[DC83]

Hey LikeHamilton, you must be in my mind!! haha
I was just thinkin how good it was looking when I passed it on my way home! It looks better in real life, I think. I hope they keep the brick.

[raisethehammer]

yea, its hard to tell from the picture in front of the site...I hope it's not stucco.
the windows are nice at least.

[RePinion]

It does look pretty damn good. David Blanchard strikes again! He is probably the best developer in the city. At least he has one top notch restoration under his belt (Gowlings) and now it looks as though he might score another one with this ...

[FRM]

will this be an office building?

[raisethehammer]

yup

[Hammer Town]

I was also quite Impressed when I saw this today!!!

[markbarbera]

I don't think stucco is being used in this reno. The original brick elements will remain. The beige elements may be stucco, but I get a feeling it is going to be maintenance-free cladding.

Looks like I was wrong about the brick. They've started covering the brick on the west wall with some sort of insulation. Regardless, it is shaping into a good-looking building that remains true to the basic original elements.

[Hammer Native]

This is a modernist style building that was designed by the same architect that did City Hall, Stanley Roscoe. I believe he is still around, although retired.

[flar]

I like how the actual building looks just like the rendering. I wish more projects could manage that!

[matt602]

The actual building actually looks better than the rendering in my opinion.

[raisethehammer]

this building is looking uglier by the day..... stucco heaven.

[raisethehammer]

wow...I'm quite impressed with the finished product.
I mean, it's stucco, but darn nice still.

Good job.

[DC83]

Ya, I'm not a fan of the stucco... but the sun shimmering off the windows every AM when I walk by is enough to make me forget about the stucco haha

Landscaping is next I guess. What a great addition to Hunter St!

[raisethehammer]

yes, you're right...it's those windows. They are really nice. Perhaps that's what makes this project so good despite the fact that the stucco will look like shite in a few years.

[matt602]

Definitely looking very good.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/Downtown%20Hamilton/hunter.jpg

I only wish they had put on more additions to it. This building would look really nice with about 3 more floors.

[DC83]

Totally! AND it looks even better than the rendering! :)
Thanks for the update, Matt602!

[LikeHamilton]

I love it! It looks very european to me.

[Berklon]

I saw this building everyday while it was being renovated (since I take the GO to work) and I wasn't sure what to make of it during that time.

But now that it's pretty much taken it's final form, I have to say I like it. I think it's all those windows that really add to the look. When it's fully complete and there's some landscaping with nice greenery added around it - it'll look pretty sweet.

[raisethehammer]

I agree...at times during the reno I thought it stunk, but it turned out great...much better than the rendering.

[SteelTown]

I like it because they still managed to renovate the building but kept its true architectural design (International design). I believe it’s still considered an International design. Think it’s the same architect that developed City Hall. Top it off with some nice landscaping layout along Hunter St it’ll be super.

[highwater]

Yes, you're right. It was designed by Stanley Roscoe, and it was a lovely little gem of a building and I am very sorry to see it go. I'm afraid you couldn't really classify what they've done to it as International Style. More like Early Suburban Dentist's Office. I wouldn't mind it if it had been built anywhere else, I'm just sad that it replaced a truly remarkable building.

Our forebears didn't appreciate Victorian architecture, so much of our Victorian heritage was destroyed in a bid to 'renew' our city. Now we're doing the same thing to our Modernist heritage. Our kids are going to be pissed.

[DC83]

^^ That's true! I used to hate City Hall, now I can actually appreciate it seeing the stuff they build now.

Does anyone have a pic of the original? I swore I took one but can't find it anywhere... I was probably too turned off to by the homeless that used to call this building 'home'.
I'm so glad it's been reno'd, it'll definately add more life to the GO Stn area!

[highwater]

Here's a link:

http://pages.interlog.com/~urbanism/moham.html

Scroll down past the City Hall pics. These pics don't really do it justice, I'll keep looking. He also designed the Westdale library which has since been completely emasculated. I saw a picture of the original building and it had this gorgeous cantilevered glass canopy over the entrance. Now it's just a stucco box. If I can find that pic, I'll post it as well. It's terrible what we've done to Stan Roscoe's legacy. Future generations will NOT be impressed. Thank God the City Hall was saved.

[LikeHamilton]

This should be the last update for this building as it is 99% done and looking through the windows it is full.

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/7302/img5102th3.jpg

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/1511/img5104fb4.jpg

This is a plaque that is in front of the building

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/4049/img5105kv0.jpg

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/8402/img5106hb5.jpg

Here is the view of what is across the street.

http://img54.imageshack.us/img54/4792/img5107po7.jpg

[adam]

So I guess when city hall is all redone we'll have a situation where the go station is a nicer building than city hall... wierd.. .really really wierd.

[NuclearNerd]

I was a real skeptic about 1 Hunter, but they've done a fantastic job (finally). I hope the stucco doesn't get stained by the Hamilton air too quickly, or the elegant white and beige will start to look like this:
http://lh3.ggpht.com/rujacob/RsnbCBsVkaI/AAAAAAAABWI/IL58BJeNSyw/s400/PICT0307.jpg (http://lh3.ggpht.com/_qNCAFeQUAz4/RsnbCBsVkaI/AAAAAAAABWI/DXg5-zzNuZ0/PICT0307.jpg)

[raisethehammer]

even though it's stucco, I don't mind this building.
But it doesn't do any justice to what used to be there.
If it was built on an empty lot I'd be praising it, but praise is tempered considering what was there before.

[highwater]

I agree. It's a net loss. The old Public Health building was a gem and should have been designated. Now they're desecrating City Hall, they've already desecrated the Westdale Library. Soon we'll have nothing of Roscoe left.:hell:

[realcity]

I'm afraid you couldn't really classify what they've done to it as International Style. More like Early Suburban Dentist's Office. I wouldn't mind it if it had been built anywhere else, I'm just sad that it replaced a truly remarkable building.

Our forebears didn't appreciate Victorian architecture, so much of our Victorian heritage was destroyed in a bid to 'renew' our city. Now we're doing the same thing to our Modernist heritage. Our kids are going to be pissed.

that's hilarious "Dentist Office" Sadly though I agree totally. I'm a fan of modernist and even brutalist if only because they mark a time in history of can represent what human behaviour valued and they functioned in a given time.

Everyone imo is being to kind to this building. I think it sucks. It is too squat, it has no style and to even piss me off more, they tore down a building to build this when there is vacant lots everywhere.

If history will label our buildings now, since I think Post-modernism is over now, today's architectural style will be called "Disposablism". ANd what will posterity say about our society? That we cared for very little, not even where we lived, we wanted cheap, quick, easy money, instagratification and something for nothing.

This building will be torn down in 20 years and will look like hell in 12. If it looses its law firm tenants, Blanchard will never lease this piece of non-design building, unless its filled with dentists.

[DC83]

^^ I agree the stucco was a poor choice.. it always is in this climate really.
But I like this bldg.
I like the fact that you can see the working elevator thru the middle window. that's kinda neat. The landscaping was done nice too. I like that they laid a diagonal flagstone path from Hunter to James since they knew ppl would be walking thru that corner anyway.

I like it. Good job.

[LikeHamilton]

They tore nothing down. They added one floor and I think the building looks great. The old building is under the Styrofoam.

[Jon Dalton]

New surface parking on James and Hughson. Awesome.

[raisethehammer]

The old building is under the Styrofoam.

exactly.

[realcity]

exactly.

good to know. that the styrofoam is buried under this building. the question remains. is this building better than its predecessor?

I'm all for nostalgia and history, but if a building or land use improves then I'm for tearing it down for a better building or land use. sidebar: enough with the fuckn parkettes already, don't people have enough places for their dogs to shit?

[adam]

A better building surely isn't one that will look like crap 5 years after it is built, and yes, the majority of human being prefer to have a balance of green space to asphault.

[raisethehammer]

how about lots of trees and benches.
Like in Montreal. You can stop and sit all over town and enjoy life.
Here, we seem to value these stupid little wasted green spaces with no benches or trees.

[realcity]

even worse... in hamilton we install bars over the benches to prevent someone from laying down. Assuming of course (in Hamilton only) that only homeless, alcoholic, drug adicted, bums need or want to lie down on a bench. God help me if I'm on my lunch break from a downtown office and would like to lay down on a bench in the sun for 15 minutes..... nooo. not in Hamilton... only bums do that.

[adam]

I am a bum btw LOL!

[raisethehammer]

this city has been run by anal whitebreads for too long...it's time to let the city just be a city again.
all historic photos of Gore park show 'bums' sitting around the park while ladies in dresses and hats walk and sit and enjoy the city.
THAT'S city life!! city life is NOT a bunch of white, plastic-surgeried, hollywood addicts walking through a shopping mall trying to pretend to be cool. Imagine the response of people if a 'bum' were to lay down in front of the Limeridge Mall entrance....mothers would scream and hurry their kids away...heaven forbid their kids grow up realizing that they are living in a FAKE bubble!
Let's start acting more like Montreal and less like Croakville.

[realcity]

what I'm saying is that I would like to have the option to lie down on a bench, if of course no one else was waiting to. There is nothing wrong with sitting down on the grass or laying on a park bench. This city assumes you're homeless if you do.

[raisethehammer]

no kidding. we're anal.

[omro]

But it doesn't do any justice to what used to be there.
If it was built on an empty lot I'd be praising it, but praise is tempered considering what was there before.

Are there any photos of its predecessor?

[highwater]

http://pages.interlog.com/~urbanism/moham.html

Scroll down to the Health Department Building. The pics don't really do it justice. It was a real floater, a la Villa Savoie.

[fastcarsfreedom]

I don't like the hatcheting of Roscoe's work either. It's a damn shame that the Health Department building couldn't be maintained closer to it's intended form--hell, no doubt it could've...but at least the building was not destroyed.

The modifications to the Westdale Library were a real travesty also. I remember driving by there all the time as a kid and marvelling at that lighted ceiling and the way it continued outside past the curtain wall to the upturn along the King Street frontage...such a shame it was destroyed.

[DC83]

^^ yep, the inner city used to impress me as a kid too.
So much more appealing than the cookie cutter crap we're stuck with now-a-days, eh Fastcars?

[BCTed]

city life is NOT a bunch of white, plastic-surgeried, hollywood addicts walking through a shopping mall trying to pretend to be cool. Imagine the response of people if a 'bum' were to lay down in front of the Limeridge Mall entrance....mothers would scream and hurry their kids away...heaven forbid their kids grow up realizing that they are living in a FAKE bubble!

I am perilously close to calling someone off-topic for the first time ever. Why always needlessly go out of your way to bi-sect the population into city people and suburbanites?

Is it not possible that these fake Lime Ridge-loving creatures would also like to lie on a park bench sometime?

[raisethehammer]

I am perilously close to calling someone off-topic for the first time ever. Why always needlessly go out of your way to bi-sect the population into city people and suburbanites?

Is it not possible that these fake Lime Ridge-loving creatures would also like to lie on a park bench sometime?

:haha: yea, I can just see it now. A mother and her daughter finish buying their preppy clothes and plastering on some more makeup before leaving the mall (so they look good for the walk through the parking lot to their car). The mother turns to the daughter and says "instead of going home to watch American Idol, why don't we head downtown to Gore Park and take a nap on a bench?"

[omro]

http://pages.interlog.com/~urbanism/moham.html

Scroll down to the Health Department Building. The pics don't really do it justice. It was a real floater, a la Villa Savoie.

Hmmm, based solely on that photo (having never personally seen the original) I like the look of what's there now more.

I'm loving that photo of city hall, it looks right out of Thunderbirds :yes:

[FRM]

:haha: yea, I can just see it now. A mother and her daughter finish buying their preppy clothes and plastering on some more makeup before leaving the mall (so they look good for the walk through the parking lot to their car). The mother turns to the daughter and says "instead of going home to watch American Idol, why don't we head downtown to Gore Park and take a nap on a bench?"

why do you have so much hate for people who have different lifestyles than you? Not everyone on the mountain is ignorant and not everyone in the downtown is like you.

[Dundasguy]

I have noticed this as well. In my short time on this board, I suspect that opinions of suburban dwellers' like me (Dundas) are not very welcome on this forum and are dismissed as small thinking.

[FairHamilton]

and not everyone in the downtown is like you.

Thankfully!!!

[FairHamilton]

I have noticed this as well. In my short time on this board, I suspect that opinions of suburban dwellers' like me (Dundas) are not very welcome on this forum and are dismissed as small thinking.

Welcome to the board!!!

Some are of the forumers with more open minds are welcoming. Please don't let those with narrow minds scare you away.

[DC83]

I have noticed this as well. In my short time on this board, I suspect that opinions of suburban dwellers' like me (Dundas) are not very welcome on this forum and are dismissed as small thinking.

Welcome to the board :)

We love Dundas and all of Hamilton (incl its suburbs) and it's developments. Unfortunately this City is always about moving one step foward, 2 steps back (I think it's our motto in Hamilton?), so some forumers get frustrated. Obviously.

So don't be afraid to share your opinion(s)! And don't be afraid to lay on a downtown bench somewhere... just check the seat b4 u do :s

[raisethehammer]

don't let the people with no sense of humour scare you away either! Lol.
Welcome aboard. Dundas is the best small town/suburb in the area....possibly the province!
We'd love to have more representation from the Valley Town. I think Flar is the only one on here from Dundas and is consistently the best poster on the board.
Cheers.

[block43]

Welcome to the board :)

We love Dundas and all of Hamilton (incl its suburbs) and it's developments. Unfortunately this City is always about moving one step foward, 2 steps back (I think it's our motto in Hamilton?), so some forumers get frustrated. Obviously.

So don't be afraid to share your opinion(s)! And don't be afraid to lay on a downtown bench somewhere... just check the seat b4 u do :s

And don't lay down on the Downtown King Street East Bus stop bench in front of subway - it is sometimes mistaken for a toilet. :yuck:

[raisethehammer]

And don't lay down on the Downtown King Street East Bus stop bench in front of subway - it is sometimes mistaken for a toilet. :yuck:

LOL

[Millstone]

why do you have so much hate for people who have different lifestyles than you? Not everyone on the mountain is ignorant and not everyone in the downtown is like you.

Amen to that!

[raisethehammer]

I'm not entirely sure if you guys are wisecracking or serious, but have no fear...I have no 'hate' for anyone. Lol.

[realcity]

welcome to the board Dundasguy.... all opinions here are (usually) respected. It's a very good forum for debates and varieties of opinions.

[flar]

Welcome to the board!
This is an internet message board so sometimes people get carried away with the hyperbole, but all opinions are welcomed, you just have to jump in.

Btw, there is another forumer from Dundas (I don't know him personally) who's been on here since 2002, but he doesn't post that much.

[raisethehammer]

we really need to do a forum meet sometime.
It's so tough to read personalities/humour etc.... on an internet board.
I bet we'd all have a hoot together.

[BCTed]

I have noticed this as well. In my short time on this board, I suspect that opinions of suburban dwellers' like me (Dundas) are not very welcome on this forum and are dismissed as small thinking.


You are more than welcome in my books. There is constant and senseless ranting about suburbs and suburbanites from some corners on here (and there are many other equally silly "us versus them" style polarizations), but not everyone is of that mindset.

[FairHamilton]

we really need to do a forum meet sometime.
It's so tough to read personalities/humour etc.... on an internet board.
I bet we'd all have a hoot together.

Either a hoot, or a brawl....... :cool:

[DC83]

You are more than welcome in my books. There is constant and senseless ranting about suburbs and suburbanites from some corners on here (and there are many other equally silly "us versus them" style polarizations), but not everyone is of that mindset.

There are also certain forumers (pretty much the one I'm quoting) who will try their hardest to derail Threads and give input only when they know it'll cause drama on the boards. His name is BCTed and you'll pretty much want to ignore his posts as they're usually (97%) irrelevant.

Now back to the project!

I noticed the sign for the firm was up. Anyone know of a move-in date? I noticed the little resto inside TH&B has added a patio as well. I guess they're REALLY looking forward to these new customers :) What a win-win!

[raisethehammer]

You are more than welcome in my books. There is constant and senseless ranting about suburbs and suburbanites from some corners on here (and there are many other equally silly "us versus them" style polarizations), but not everyone is of that mindset.


you're describing yourself better than anyone.
Also, let's not forget which website we are all on here - SKYSCRAPERPAGE.
Not Bigboxpage or sprawlpage.

If you want to find a group of people who will gleefully join with you in singing a suburban kumbaya, I'm sure the website exists.
As for this site, the very name of the website makes it clear that you're joining in with urban-minded folks. I know it's shocking, but not everyone has warm, fuzzy feelings about the most expensive social program in the history of Western civilization.

so, of course anyone from any background is welcome, but stop trying to make it sound like those who prefer urbanism are such horrible people. You're on the wrong website for that.
There has to be a website around somewhere sponsored by the US government, oil industry and Fox news that sings never ending praises for sprawl.

[Jon Dalton]

If you want to find a group of people who will gleefully join with you in singing a suburban kumbaya, I'm sure the website exists.

Most likely not. The main purpose of this board is to discuss buildings and construction; it just so happnes that those who take a personal interest in such things generally favour urbanist / new urbanist design principles. Coincidence?

Like most people here I hate suburbia with a passion. That's okay, because I don't have to live there, and I won't ever shit on anyone else who likes it. If everyone preferred downtown living, none of us would likely be able to afford our current homes. But where I will strongly object is where suburban values are imposed on the downtown.

[adam]

I'll extend that and say suburban values are bad for everyone except for people at the top of large companies. ANY new developments, regardless of where they are have to stop following sprawl if they want to survive the next 10 years.

[LikeHamilton]

I had to add some more pictures. They put signs on the building.

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9680/img5125jl9.jpg

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/8929/img5126dw9.jpg

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/906/img5128pz1.jpg

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9440/img5127hn6.jpg

[raisethehammer]

nice signs.

Again, I've gotta say I like this building. I just wish it was built on an empty lot instead of the beauty that used to be there.
Regardless, these are good jobs and another fresh investment in downtown Hamilton (BC Ted - you paying attention??).

[Berklon]

Now that's how you do signs.

Clean and simple with a nice splash of colour and the perfect size. They're easy to read and are noticeable without them being obtrusive and overbearing.

I really like how this building turned out.

[BCTed]

so, of course anyone from any background is welcome, but stop trying to make it sound like those who prefer urbanism are such horrible people. You're on the wrong website for that.
There has to be a website around somewhere sponsored by the US government, oil industry and Fox news that sings never ending praises for sprawl.

I am not trying to make urbanists sound like horrible people... I only have a vague idea of what even constitutes an urbanist. All people are fine by me in general.

I like skyscrapers. I like the 1 Hunter St. E. renovation. I also like Wal-Mart.

What I do not like is the fact that you repeatedly take jabs at Group X or Group Y out of the blue and then try to pass it off as humour when others object. What I also do not like is the harsh manner in which you express all of your contempt for Group X or Group Y.

I would have been perfectly happy to do nothing more than read this thread and look at the pictures had you not unnecessarily railed against one of those groups.

It seems to me that the moderators turn a blind eye toward your less than civil means of expression because you are either chummy with them or because they somehow see you as a source of information. I think it stinks.

[BCTed]

x

[raisethehammer]

ya ya...we got it the first time.

[FRM]

Some of this childishness has to stop, most of these four pages are less about 1 hunter and more about some off topic rant someone starts and bickering. I don't know how old some of you in here are but reading your posts about some of the things from the past makes me think you are much older than I am or at least old enough not to start this stupid "beef"

[SteelTown]

Love the signs, very cool. Though Simpson Wigle's logo looks almost like Lakeport's logo.

[adam]

I love Lakeport!! :cheers: