Regency on Main | ?m | 26 & 12 fl | Completed 2017

[Dr Awesomesauce]

I've got no idea how it's going to turn out. Can't wait.

I wonder when we'll hear something about the adjacent property bounded by Main, Hess, George and Caroline. It seems like such a slam dunk at this point - hotel, condos, bars, restaurants and cafes...

[ScreamingViking]

Is that plot part of the Vranich Empire too?

There's also the one on the north-west corner of George and Caroline too.

The fact we've had such large parking lots for so long along our two busiest streets is embarrassing. Beyond those two, there is hope for the future phase of the Vranich development between George and King. But something needs to happen on the SW corner of King and Bay. Ditto the NW corner of Main and Bay. And the tumbleweeds between the Pigott and the Commerce Place towers have been blowing along for too long.

I could go on, as you all well know...

[Pearlstreet]

That's so true. I get distracted by all the up and commings that those future phases are not even on my radar. I love this city!

[KDP]

How close can you build beside a glass tower like Commerce Place though? Commerce and Pigott both have blank walls at there base that another building could butt-up against, but those are only 2 floors or so. The how appeal of glass towers is they give you 360 views. I'm guessing the owners of the buildings would kick up a fuss if another building was built a couple fwwt from its office windows. ( the spot is quite large I understand, but I just mean how tight can they realistically be?)

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by KDP

How close can you build beside a glass tower like Commerce Place though? Commerce and Pigott both have blank walls at there base that another building could butt-up against, but those are only 2 floors or so. The how appeal of glass towers is they give you 360 views. I'm guessing the owners of the buildings would kick up a fuss if another building was built a couple fwwt from its office windows. ( the spot is quite large I understand, but I just mean how tight can they realistically be?)

There used to be buildings in between Pigott and Commerce Place which is why there are blank spaces on their side facades. The old Royal Bank building was just north of Pigott and the old Robinson's was just south of Commerce Place. Here is an old picture of the two buildings posted in the "Old Pics of Hamilton" thread:



Commerce Place was built in the footprint starting where Renner's Drugs is in this photo.

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by KDP

How close can you build beside a glass tower like Commerce Place though? Commerce and Pigott both have blank walls at there base that another building could butt-up against, but those are only 2 floors or so. The how appeal of glass towers is they give you 360 views. I'm guessing the owners of the buildings would kick up a fuss if another building was built a couple fwwt from its office windows. ( the spot is quite large I understand, but I just mean how tight can they realistically be?)

I'd think there's more risk of residents in Pigott not appreciating a lost view. The shape of the Commerce Place towers would minimize the impact on their south faces.

Perhaps there are bylaws that dictate what is allowable, but the new Vranich condo buildings will only be metres apart and there are likely other examples downtown - the Connaught proposal, the proposed tower beside/behind the Lister, etc. and some offices in the Standard Life building face the Sheraton's west brick wall. So there is probably a lot of flexibility. And the effect would depend on the design... building a new skyscraper right to the property edge, vs. building a narrow one, or something offset on top of a 2-3 storey podium. A developer could also build something closer to what was lost when RBC and Robinson's were demolished.

Personally, in a downtown location I don't think the expectation of view preservation should be very important (though I get that it can be to those living or working in a building). Even a new tower across a street can block views/light. We're just so used to having so much space between our buildings that we forget how it must be in a dense downtown (look at Toronto of course, but Ottawa is a great example)

[KDP]

Originally Posted by markbarbera

There used to be buildings in between Pigott and Commerce Place which is why there are blank spaces on their side facades. The old Royal Bank building was just north of Pigott and the old Robinson's was just south of Commerce Place. Here is an old picture of the two buildings posted in the "Old Pics of Hamilton" thread:



Commerce Place was built in the footprint starting where Renner's Drugs is in this photo.

Just curious, but were the windows on Pigott from about floor 3 to 8 on that North side present at that time? Or were they installed after those buildings were removed?

Viking, a lot of those buildings that you mentioned (ie Lister) have blank CMU walls that new buildings can build against, Commerce Place doesn't have that. Also, the distance between Sheraton and Standard Life is basically half of the current empty lot. I just don't want a building delayed because Place is kicking up a fuss because a CIBC exec is now 3 meters from someone else office, I want the space filled properly.

[SteelTown]

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

Is that plot part of the Vranich Empire too?

There's also the one on the north-west corner of George and Caroline too.:

The Hess, Caroline, Main and George is owned by a Toronto company. About a decade ago they proposed retail and two condo towers, obviously never happened. Maybe this will light the fire on their ass.

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by KDP

Just curious, but were the windows on Pigott from about floor 3 to 8 on that North side present at that time? Or were they installed after those buildings were removed?

Viking, a lot of those buildings that you mentioned (ie Lister) have blank CMU walls that new buildings can build against, Commerce Place doesn't have that. Also, the distance between Sheraton and Standard Life is basically half of the current empty lot. I just don't want a building delayed because Place is kicking up a fuss because a CIBC exec is now 3 meters from someone else office, I want the space filled properly.

Well I wasn't there when Piggott was built but I imagine the original building north of Piggott was only 3 storeys when Piggott was built. If I can find a photo of what was there when Piggott was built i'll post a link here. The old Royal Bank building went up in the 50's (judging by its architecture) so it was built in front of Pigott's north windows from 3-8.

This is not a new phenomenon for urban infill. If your window is not looking over a street corner, expect your view to be blocked by a future building. As far as annoying CIBC execs, I don't think there is any worry about that as there aren't any CIBC execs housed in Hamilton.

[durandy]

the commerce place walls scale up to 2 stories where the flat part is. I think staff would probably require a podium of two-4 stories then a set back tower. They use sun and shade studies within site plan conditions to do the job of protecting views these days, so I don't think you'd see a tower built right up to the Pigott nowadays.

[ScreamingViking]

Getting way off topic now, but I think that space between James and MacNab would present a great expansion opportunity for the convention centre (which is pretty small by current standards).

Build a three-storey addition on that lot, with the top floor extending above MacNab and the transit terminal to connect with the existing building. The upper level could be one giant exhibit space, maybe with an arched roof with lots of glass and natural light. The first and second levels would have more halls or meeting space (or office space) with a grand entrance facing James St.

Better use of an asphalt gap, with minimal impact on surrounding towers.

Dare to dream.

[ihateittoo]

Here are some new renderings that have not been posted.

http://www.lintack.com/Projects/Resi...g-Condominiums Architects Website.

I realize now from this first rendering that this will probably end up looking just like a taller Witton Lofts or at least that's the plan.

[lucasmascotto]

[davidcappi]

These are going to be really nice when they're finished. Can't wait.

[ScreamingViking]

I really like the way these towers look. It's a classy design, and while there is lots of glass it is nicely separated both vertically and horizontally.

The renders of the proposed Connaught towers were quite nice too - I'm glad these developers are not just planning big blue or turquoise glass boxes. If all goes well they'll make nice bookends for downtown.

Originally Posted by ihateittoo

I realize now from this first rendering that this will probably end up looking just like a taller Witton Lofts or at least that's the plan.

There are similarities. Aside from scale, the vertical concrete or masonry elements in 150 Main West are one difference, and they haven't brought new glass sections down onto the Federal Building base as was done on Witton.

For comparison here's a nice photo that Dwils01 took and posted in this thread.

[Beedok]

Of course the Hotel Portion looks nothing like the renders had said...

[Dr Awesomesauce]

If this doesn't spur activity on the adjacent properties then I'm not sure what will.

Great looking renders. Let's hope it ends up being close to the mark.

[davidcappi]

The hotel looks different, but it didn't turn out terribly. It looks great at night.

[Beedok]

I didn't say it was bad, just very different from the render.

[oldcoote]

That 1st rendering is gorgeous.