Hamilton City Centre | ? | 3x30 & 24 fl | Proposal - Page 2

thistleclub · #21 Posted **Aug 10, 2012, 8:19 PM**

Back in the day...

Downtown Mall Could Rise as Internet Communication Hub

A couple of local entrepreneurs want to transform a major part of Hamilton’s City Centre into a $25 million to $30 million telecommunication facility.

Dr Awesomesauce · #22 Posted **Aug 11, 2012, 1:29 AM**

Is this just an update on how nothing's happening?

The link doesn't work for me.

It's such a monstrosity that the only thing I can envision is some kind of convention facility.

CaptainKirk · #23 Posted **Aug 11, 2012, 5:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce

Is this just an update on how nothing's happening?

The link doesn't work for me.

It's such a monstrosity that the only thing I can envision is some kind of convention facility.

It`s from 2003.

thomax · #24 Posted **Jan 27, 2013, 4:05 AM**

CBC Hamilton - VIDEO: Water main break soaks Hamilton City Centre

SteelTown · #25 Posted **Mar 6, 2013, 11:01 PM**

Hamilton City Centre now has a website

http://hamiltoncitycentremall.com/

coalminecanary · #26 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 1:57 PM**

That place is such an embarrassment. Would it be that hard to remove the rusty disneyworld "flags" and maybe clean up the facade a bit?

Dr Awesomesauce · #27 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 2:06 PM**

I'm not sure how the City Centre could ever be profitable or viable ever again. I'd be interested in hearing peoples' ideas. I think it's safe to say it'll never work as a shopping centre...

CaptainKirk · #28 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 2:22 PM**

IIRC, a year or two ago there was mention of a new owner who planned to retrofit the James street side to have shops with entrances on James, just as was done with Toronto's Eaton Centre years ago, to make it much more street friendly.

***edit*** See Steeltown's post on page 1 of this thread dated July 6, 2011 at 9:42 pm.

Dr Awesomesauce · #29 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 2:33 PM**

^Yeah, I know but I'm not sure it'll ever happen much like previous proposals. And even if they do go ahead with those changes, can they actually make any money? Can they attract tenants that'll pay top dollar or close to it? I wonder if it's ever made money. Even when it opened, I'm pretty sure not all the spaces were rented.

CaptainKirk · #30 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 2:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce

^Yeah, I know but I'm not sure it'll ever happen much like previous proposals. And even if they do go ahead with those changes, can they actually make any money? Can they attract tenants that'll pay top dollar or close to it? I wonder if it's ever made money. Even when it opened, I'm pretty sure not all the spaces were rented.

Guess that'll depend on how far and how fast the downtown revitalization goes. if all the planned and discussed condos get occupied, then I see no reason why not.

Witton Lofts
Acclamation
Tivoli
Lister Block
Connaught
Blanchard Gore Park proposal
Vrancor's Bella Towers

Will this condo trend accelerate? We'll see.

(As an aside, met a newly hired co worker who grew up and still lives in Markham who is eager to buy a Connaught condo.)

Dr Awesomesauce · #31 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 2:54 PM**

The revitalisation of downtown will help the City Centre in some way, sure. But in order to be successful, doesn't it have to compete with other malls like Limeridge, for example? If they can't attract retailers of the same ilk then nobody will bother going. Even when they had the Gap, Eddie Bauer, etc., business was pretty poor. I don't know...I really don't.

Could it be successful in some other form, perhaps something that doesn't require a profit? Educational/ institutional...

CaptainKirk · #32 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 3:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce

The revitalisation of downtown will help the City Centre in some way, sure. But in order to be successful, doesn't it have to compete with other malls like Limeridge, for example? If they can't attract retailers of the same ilk then nobody will bother going. Even when they had the Gap, Eddie Bauer, etc., business was pretty poor. I don't know...I really don't.

Could it be successful in some other form, perhaps something that doesn't require a profit? Educational/ institutional...

I'm just going by the assumption that the number one missing ingredient in the downtown core is a residential demographic with significant disposable income. Get enough young urban professionals, retired empty nesters who have money to spend, and the market should take care of itself.

Would that be enough to fill the City Centre? I don't know, but it's gotta help.

coalminecanary · #33 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 3:03 PM**

The city should have rebuilt city centre as a new city hall with a facade homage to the old city hall at king william - with interior offices with windows to an atrium (instead of the current mall balcony/escalator model). Part of the project could have been street facing retail. They should have sold current city hall to mcmaster for a dollar with the agreement that they do the architectural restoration and have free reign to build facilities behind it (leaving the forecourt as public space).

Dr Awesomesauce · #34 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 3:13 PM**

^That's what BoBra wanted. I get it but I'm not sure how having a 'City Mall' would have gone over.

CaptainKirk · #35 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 3:20 PM**

^^ I like that idea!

coalminecanary · #36 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 3:55 PM**

You gotta see the vision. You eliminate all mall-ishness inside. You build glass walls to the balconies inside, so you have window offices facing a central atrium with plantings below - a garden area for employees.

On the outside, you build a nice facade at king william that's only maybe 100 feet wide. So it looks like city hall is narrow but once you get inside it's modern and huge. The rest of the James facade becomes retail below with window offices above. It would have been a fantastic space.

If done right, the sheer beauty of what could be done there will quickly shut the city mall jokers' mouths.

It would also force staff and council to interact with downtown Hamilton daily, rather than driving in on a highway to a dedicated parking lot. It's too easy for them to ignore downtown from that location.

Anyway, this is all gone now. We spent the money at Main Street, and city centre rots.

Jon Dalton · #37 Posted **Mar 7, 2013, 8:35 PM**

City Centre might change when the rents on the street are high enough to justify new construction. The City can offer subsidized rents in the Lister Block, but the owners of City Centre can't likely afford renovations until they can make their money back through rent.

thistleclub · #38 Posted **Jul 14, 2013, 5:35 AM**

A 22-lane bowling alley/arcade/roadhouse is coming to the lower level of the City Centre.

Katrillion · #39 Posted **Jul 14, 2013, 6:29 AM**

Every night I pray to god that they will decide to demolish the City Centre and replace it with street level store fronts like on the shopping streets of major cities.

CaptainKirk · #40 Posted **Jul 14, 2013, 5:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katrillion

Every night I pray to god that they will decide to demolish the City Centre and replace it with street level store fronts like on the shopping streets of major cities.

Originally it was the Eaton Centre . Toronto's Eaton Centre was the same way when it was built, and has since been renovated to have store fronts facing Yonge St.

A while ago, an article mentioned a new buyer for Hamilton's City Centre and there was mention of doing the same thing here.

See post #8 of this thread that says,

Quote:

there were discussions, although no commitments, to look at breaking open the solid expanses of street-level concrete facing James and York and adding windows and doors.