Hess Village

[the dude]

^rompin' ronny hawkins...need i say more?

[SteelTown]

So I tried to get some info on Gown and Gavel but she doesn't work there anymore as she's pregnant.

I swear within the year I must have had at least 5 friends, co-worker, etc get pregnant. Must be the age that I am or could the birth rate is increasing. I've been to three baby showers within a year, it's insane.

[LikeHamilton]

Originally Posted by markbarbera

Interesting to note that Hess Village, the only pedestrian zone in the city, is perhaps the most successful commercial area in the core. A fine example of how pedestrian zones can (and do) work well, even in heavily car-dependant cities like Hamilton.

Hess Village is a good example but it has been there for over 35 years and has gone through some rough times. It has only come into it's own in the last 10 or so years and the last 5 or 6 years has been a target of people with money, vision and the will to make it happen the right way. A lot of people still drive there. Just check out the parking lots around there at night.

[JT Jacobs]

Originally Posted by markbarbera

Interesting to note that Hess Village, the only pedestrian zone in the city, is perhaps the most successful commercial area in the core. A fine example of how pedestrian zones can (and do) work well, even in heavily car-dependant cities like Hamilton.

Right, it is a fairly successful pedestrian zone, but it would languish if traffic was completely cut off. And the other poster is bang on: check out the parking lots around Hess--they're always packed. It's going to take quite some time to acculturate Hamiltonians to leaving their cars at home (particularly when carousing). However, a spiffy light rail system will no doubt substantially help.

[raisethehammer]

check out the parking rates at those surrounding lots at night too.
more money than the $2.00 parking in the eastern area of downtown around king william.
nobody is saying that people won't drive to a pedestrianized Gore...some will.
and they'll put more money in the city's coffers by paying a more reasonable rate since they're coming to a highly-sought after district for the night and not a downtown with way more parking than it needs.

[the dude]

i can't imagine a scenario where hess would suffer if it were completely pedestrianized. there's no parking on hess st anyway. i say close it and allow people to move about the area without concern for traffic. as already pointed out, there's plenty of parking around the periphery.

[raisethehammer]

new website for G&G. nothing there yet.

www.gownandgavel.ca

[DC83]

^^ Wow. I had no idea that it was like a complete over-haul? Maybe the last owner wanted out of the business after what happened with his one business partner (Vranich Jr).

They had better open up soon before they risk missing too much of patio season!

I pray it's still as good as it was (hopefully cheaper?). G&G was/is my fave Hess spot!

[raisethehammer]

it won't be cheaper...I can't see prices dropping after this reno.
but yes, they'd better get it open soon. the long range forecast looks awesome!

[FairHamilton]

I haven't yet had the opportunity to spend any time in Hess Village, but I found this letter to the editor in today's Spectator to be interesting. There was a time when designated drivers would get free non-alcoholic drinks like pop, juice, etc.

Colin and Carol Bain
The Hamilton Spectator
Caledonia
(May 20, 2008)
My son went to a bar in Hamilton on a Friday night this month.

He was the "designated driver" for the evening and was out with his girlfriend and about 12 of their friends. They went to a bar in Hess Village.

My son was asked to leave the bar because he was not drinking any alcoholic beverages. The owner put his hand on my son's shoulder and told him he had to leave.

When my son explained that he was the designated driver and could not have any alcoholic beverages, the owner told him that they were at capacity and unless he was going to buy alcohol, he would have to leave the premises.

My son left and so did all of his friends.

In this day and age, I find this totally unbelievable as well as totally irresponsible on the part of this bar.

We raise our children to know that drinking and driving is absolutely unacceptable and we expect them to abide by this law.

In hindsight, perhaps he could have purchased a drink and given it to one of his friends who was not driving but there is something so wrong with this situation.

I know that bars are in the business of making a profit off of the drinks they serve, but to blatantly and forcefully tell someone that they have to leave because they are not drinking (because they are driving) is so wrong that it makes me furious.

I would love to know if other parents have heard their adult children talk of experiences like this.

I would also like to know what, if anything, can be done about it.

[HAMRetrofit]

Could he not have purchased a non alcoholic drink or water on his own? THis situation seems grossly unlikely.

[Millstone]

I know that bars are in the business of making a profit off of the drinks they serve,

Apparently not. Why the hell didn't the kid just get a Pepsi?

[matt602]

I would have left at that point just out of spite. They can shove the pepsi up their ass.

[SteelTown]

I'm usually the designated driver and so I typically get 7 Up or Spirit, as it looks like an alcoholic beverage and therefore they don't bother me lol.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by JT Jacobs

Right, it is a fairly successful pedestrian zone, but it would languish if traffic was completely cut off.

What conceivable reason is there for allowing vehicular traffic on Hess between King and Main save for allowing for the pageantry of flash cars and Harley Davidsons as they do their pretentious parade at 5 km/h?

That this stretch of Hess hasn't long been pedestrian only is somewhat ridiculous. And here's a brainwave for people who claim that it's a vital part of the pipeline for people coming from the mountain who want to get to King or York: make Queen two-way again.

[SteelTown]

Found out that the Gown and Gavel renovation is worth $500,000.00.

[DC83]

^^ Wowsers! That's a big reno! Hopefully the bulk went to the inside! It was so dark and crowded in there!

[raisethehammer]

the patio is brand new. All concrete now and raised up like many others in Hess.

Has anyone been to Sizzle Steakhouse? The menu looks great. I'm going to check it out.
www.sizzlenights.ca

[thistleclub]

Originally Posted by DC83

^^ Wowsers! That's a big reno! Hopefully the bulk went to the inside! It was so dark and crowded in there!

Agreed on the look of 24 Hess ("pub-like" as a put-down). Modernizing the space was probably a big part of it. But I think that neighbouring 30 Hess, which was never really used aside from staff/admin and which seems to have been completely gutted, will have eaten up a healthy share of the budget. It looks like they (sensibly) want to make that into a secondary bar area, which could (guestimating here) bring their capacity up by a couple hundred.

The raised patio phenom is partly the byproduct of the high-capacity reality of Hess... it's hard to people-watch if you're shoulder-to-shoulder at eye level. Once one place does it, it has a keeping-up-with-the-Joneses domino effect. The psychological dynamic is also a draw (pop analysis to follow): the elevation creates a symbolic incentive to climb, pay the cover, whatever... the street is for peons.

Sizzle's probably the most ambitious reno to date in Hess, probably three times what the Gown's budget was. They raised the roof (literally), changed pretty much everything onsite except the front facade. The upstairs club gets going around 10pm on weekends, and the dinner crowd seems to roll in between 7 and 9. The menu is indeed tasty (same chef as Koi), though they seem to want to fancy a steak up more than is necessary with reductions, sauces and crusts.

[oldcoote]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

So I tried to get some info on Gown and Gavel but she doesn't work there anymore as she's pregnant.

I swear within the year I must have had at least 5 friends, co-worker, etc get pregnant. Must be the age that I am or could the birth rate is increasing. I've been to three baby showers within a year, it's insane.

Welcome to the Carlsberg years.

It's best to just accept it quietly.