http://www.thespec.com/news/business...n-for-downtown
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Work on a $100 million project[...] is expected to start as early as June.
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Translation: could also start as late as NEVER
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The project, conceived by developer Darko Vranich [...]
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AKA Hamilton's premier vacant building holder and parking lot developer
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“Darko is putting his money where his mouth is for this project,” said downtown councillor Jason Farr.[...]
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Translation: Darko put money in my mouth for my campaign. THANKS DARKO!
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[...] starting with a 134-room extended stay hotel [...] Start dates for the other towers, which could run as high as 20 storeys, haven’t been set yet.
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Translation: Development will start with a low rise, sprawl-style hotel surrounded by parking. Development will ONLY start if Darko is allowed to tear the federal building down. Oh and by the time phase one is done, there will be no money left for the towers. But the parking lots will stay.
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“Everyone is excited about this project,” Farr said. “It is massive good news for the downtown.”
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Translation: If I act excited and use exciting-sounding words, maybe a few people might get excited and fool some other people into being excited.
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Vranich has been talking about some kind of development for the area since 2004 when he bought the former federal building at Caroline and Main streets
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Talking and not doing...
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Now, a spokesman for his company said a new “development friendly” attitude at city hall has made it the right time to move ahead.
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Translation: a new "Darko Friendly" mayor and ward councillor have arrived at city hall
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The first building to be raised will house about 3,000 square feet of retail space designed to “compliment and enhance the feel of Hess Village,” McDiarmid said.
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3000 square feet? For a scale comparison, the average shoppers drug mart is 8600 sq ft - this is not going to change downtown.
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“The downtown core is the heart of the city. We feel there is no other location that would support a development of this size,” McDiarmid wrote. “In addition the city offers many incentives for downtown development that will help offset the $22 million cost of this hotel.”
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Translation: We got cheap land, and the taxpayers will help us build more parking than we could ever afford in any other part of the city.
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so far only “consultation” documents have been filed with the city.
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Translation: This is so far nothing more than a PR move.
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Financing for the project is also still to be worked out.
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This line speaks louder than any other in the entire article.
This guy and this plan are a joke. Let's just hope everyone doesn't get taken in.