Hamilton Farmers' Market & Central Library | ? | 6 fl | Complete

[SteelTown]

To market with a makeover
Big plans for making site more palatable

Plans to revamp the Hamilton Farmers’ Market — Canada’s oldest indoor market — include restoring the 1929 Birk’s clock, now outside Jackson Square, to make it a centre piece for a new gathering and activity area.

The plans for reconstruction by early 2009 are in two reports going to city council’s emergency and community services committee Tuesday. The downtown market project includes electrical, plumbing, window and structural upgrades as well as expanded special events areas for more cooking, nutrition and health classes and demonstrations, as well as live entertainment.

The city, which owns and operates the market, is hiring a project manager, who will then hire an architect for the job, says Anna Bradford, the city’s manager of culture. The remake is another stimulus for attracting more people downtown.

“It’s a great opportunity for downtown revitalization,” says Bradford, who is particularly pleased the plans call for it to be more of a gathering place.

This week’s opening of a new monthly outdoor market of artisans, artists, musicians and organic farmers on James Street North complements the Farmers’ Market nicely, she says.

“That whole James Street North area is fabulous … the more you make it (the area) a people place, the better it is.”

Bradford said the city is considering creating a space for weekend stalls for farmers who don’t have time to be at the market four days a week. There has been some criticism that the market vendors are no longer farmers.

Key design features include removing the ramps, redesigning the main entrance to give shoppers easier access to all levels, opening the market directly onto York Boulevard with public gathering places fronting the street, adding retail space on a new mezzanine and new elevators.

[SteelTown]

Sketches for the Hamilton's Farmers' Market

[LikeHamilton]

dp.Ai Wins Commission for Hamilton Farmers Market and Central Library Renovation
January-28-2008

The City of Hamilton has formally announced that dp.Ai has been chosen to lead the Design Team to renovate the Farmers Market and Central Library Building on York Boulevard. The project will unfold concurrently with planned York Boulevard streetscape improvements and provides an opportunity to revitalize the area an important civic destination in Hamilton’s Downtown Core, This is an important renewal project for the City. Visit this website for updates on progress. The project will be delivered in association with rdh Architects from Toronto. Construction is planned to commence in 2009.

http://www.dpai.ca

David Premi
B.Arch, B.Tech, OAA, MRAIC, LEED AP
In the two decades following his education at Ryerson (1983) and Dalhousie (1985) Universities, David Premi was the project architect for many public buildings while employed by some of Toronto’s leading architectural firms. Most recently, these include the LEED Silver Plaza Building (2007) at Brock University with RDH and MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects, and Ryerson University’s Raymond Chang Centre for Continuing Education (2006) with RDH and Lett Architects. The latter won a 2007 OAA Award of Excellence.

David is a LEED Accredited Professional and an industry leader in sustainable design practices. He lectures at both Mohawk College and McMaster University in Sustainable Design and Construction Practices. In October 2007, David Premi was named as one of the “Faces of Change” of Hamilton.

David returned to his native Hamilton in 2005 to establish david premi Architect inc.

david premi Architect inc
101-75 Hunter Street
Hamilton, ON

Total Contract Price $ 660,000.00

[oldcoote]

would love to see a lot of glass incorporated. that concrete is too heavy.

[SteelTown]

Go to their website and check the proposal for Hamilton Artists Inc.

[the dude]

^hard to tell what's going on there. the website's kinda unfriendly, too.

[raisethehammer]

I've heard that the centre of the old Jerry's building needs to come down due to it being unsafe, so they are going to replace it with a large glass building (I assume that's the one being shown on that website) and a courtyard patio area for a restaurant to be located at the ground floor.
I hope they can pull it off. Would be an awesome addition to James North.

[DC83]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Go to their website and check the proposal for Hamilton Artists Inc.

http://www.hamiltonartistsinc.on.ca/intro.shtml ?? <--- this one?

[SteelTown]

^ No.....here I took a copy of the rendering from the website



I'd love to see something like that happen. It would totally brighten the area up with a video or screen like that on the glass walls.

[raisethehammer]

just found out that that architect firm didn't win the proposal for the Inc. I'm not sure if someone else won with a glass box idea or not...will try to find out.

[DC83]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

^ No.....here I took a copy of the rendering from the website



I'd love to see something like that happen. It would totally brighten the area up with a video or screen like that on the glass walls.

Wow, that would be awesome! That corner definately needs something to brighten it up especially with colour! Let's hope it turns into that!

[raisethehammer]

found out that this architect firm is moving to Gore Park... 2nd floor above South Side menswear.

[LikeHamilton]

Farmers' market, library makeover slated for ’09

TheSpec.com -BY ERIC McGUINNESS

HAMILTON — The long-awaited facelift of the Hamilton Farmers’ Market — and the first two floors of Central Library above it — is to start early next year.

The man in charge says he wants to make both more visible and inviting, but is just starting to figure out how. Architect David Premi, who moved his practice from Toronto to Hamilton hoping to play a role in downtown renewal, has been named lead consultant for the $7-million library-market job.

“It’s exactly the kind of project I was hoping to get involved in,” Premi said after the city announced his selection yesterday.

“I’m very interested in the future of Hamilton and the core in particular. I can’t think of a more exciting opportunity.

“One of the biggest issues we have in the market and library, moreso the market, is that they are removed from the street because of the change in elevation, like the art gallery used to be.

We want to re-establish a connection with pedestrians and the street. That’s a primary objective here.”

The city expects to call for tenders late this year, start construction early next year and complete the work by summer 2010.

Central Library will remain open, but officials are looking for a place to relocate the market.

Staff say Central Library, which opened in 1980, needs updates to better serve more than one million people a year.

Ideas include putting a quick-pick collection on the ground floor, creating more social space, enlarging the children’s department and making visitors more aware of what’s upstairs.

Market shortcomings include lack of sufficient electrical and water service and an awkward two-level layout with ramps and escalators

[JT Jacobs]

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

found out that this architect firm is moving to Gore Park... 2nd floor above South Side menswear.

It's always great news to hear that professionals are occupying office space around the Gore. A very good sign, to be sure. The artists are always the pioneers in any urban renewal project; getting the professional classes to follow is the next step.

[JT Jacobs]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

Sketches for the Hamilton's Farmers' Market

Steeltown: where did you find these fine sketches? The project looks cool.

I'm so glad to hear of this project. I have fond memories of growing up in the Hammer and using this Library and then touring the market on Saturday mornings.

Done right, this area of downtown could become exceedingly vibrant. The traffic on York BLVD has to be calmed before this becomes a vibrant pedestrian zone, though.

[DC83]

Originally Posted by JT Jacobs

Done right, this area of downtown could become exceedingly vibrant. The traffic on York BLVD has to be calmed before this becomes a vibrant pedestrian zone, though.

I believe part of the plans are to expand outside by incorporating removable glass panel windows, as well as adding stalls along York.
Once moved outside, traffic-calming measured would be implemented. However, nothing would slow traffic down like two-way conversion... which (sadly) is still years off.

Once two-way conversion happens along York & Cannon alike, this whole area will be a great outdoor/indy market area especially with the growing interest of an 'Asian-Town' along Cannon Street just north of the Farmer's Market.

When two-way conversion hits, this area will be the hottest Market in the country!

[JT Jacobs]

Originally Posted by DC83

I believe part of the plans are to expand outside by incorporating removable glass panel windows, as well as adding stalls along York.
Once moved outside, traffic-calming measured would be implemented. However, nothing would slow traffic down like two-way conversion... which (sadly) is still years off.

Once two-way conversion happens along York & Cannon alike, this whole area will be a great outdoor/indy market area especially with the growing interest of an 'Asian-Town' along Cannon Street just north of the Farmer's Market.

When two-way conversion hits, this area will be the hottest Market in the country!

You're absolutely right. The market's proximity to James ST North, the waterfront, and a burgeoning China Town all present the right ingredients for a very cool urban market experience that I'm sure would thrive.

Sadly, as you note, the real spoiler of this show is the one-way expressways. What kills me about Hamilton is the Council's refusal to acknowledge an easy remedy to what primarily ails them: one-way streets.

I love the idea of the market spilling into the streetscape--just brilliant!

[HAMRetrofit]

On Sundays York St. should be closed to allow the market to spill out onto the street. Outdoor market vendors should have a permanent presence on the north side of York street.

[the dude]

^too bad the market's never open on sundays. one of my beefs with the market is its schedule. hopefully it'll be open more often when it re-opens.

[HAMRetrofit]

It knew it wasn't open Sunday. Neither is St. Lawrence. I wish both markets were open on Sunday...at least for the morning.