McMaster Innovation Park | ? | various | Construction

[SteelTown]

Research centre takes shape
First tenants set to move into McMaster Innovation Park in two weeks

March 27, 2008
Wade Hemsworth
The Hamilton Spectator

Before innovation, there is renovation.

The 1951 building that once served as office suites and appliance-manufacturing space for Camco is well into the $17.5-million overhaul that will turn it into the headquarters for McMaster Innovation Park in the southwest corner of lower Hamilton.

From Longwood Road or Highway 403 it might look like a mostly windowless hulk, but inside, the headquarters of the future research park is quickly taking shape, with the first tenants set to move in less than two weeks from now.

In the front of the building, workers are transforming four floors of old offices into modern spaces equipped with energy-efficient lighting, heating and cooling systems and new insulation, all in the hope of achieving environmental certification.

The first tenant of the new building will be the UN University's Institute for Water, Environment and Health, which will move from its cramped quarters at McMaster's downtown continuing-education campus to about 6,000 square feet on the second floor of what is alternately known as "the red brick building" and "MIP-1."

Innovation Park president Zach Douglas says there are tenants lined up to occupy 40,000 of the 130,000 square feet available in the building. He declines to disclose who the others are, but says they represent a mix of tenants in keeping with the park's mandate to foster commercial research between public, private and university partners.

"It's hard to get leases and occupancies until you have space to show people," he said. "Until recently we didn't have that, but now that we do, we're starting to see that momentum."

At the back of the building where the old windows of the manufacturing and assembly space have been removed, the sills are being lowered to accommodate larger windows to take in panoramic views of the Niagara Escarpment and Chedoke golf course.

A skylight will carry light through a new central atrium flanked by labs, offices, and conference and dining facilities. That part of the project is expected to be complete by year's end.

There are plans for a pedestrian bridge to extend from the first floor to a hotel that developer Oscar Kichi is planning north of the building, with construction possibly starting next spring.

Before that, construction is expected to begin around November on the park's first new building, the headquarters of the federal government's automotive materials laboratory, CANMET. Following that, plans call for an engineering technology centre and a bioscience centre.

The park is to have 1.7 million square feet of space for up to 3,000 employees.

[LikeHamilton]

A video of the project by the Spec.

http://www.thespec.com/videogallery/342630

[DC83]

UN think-tank moves to Mac research park

April 24, 2008
The Hamilton Spectator

McMaster University is the new home of a United Nations think-tank on water and health.

The International Network on Water, Environment and Health is one of 14 such institutions worldwide that are part of United Nations University.

A ceremony and UN flag raising yesterday marked the institution's arrival at its new home in McMaster's Innovation Park. Among those attending was Konrad Osterwalder, UN undersecretary general and rector of United Nations University.

"With our ongoing concerns about climate change and the importance of clean and available water, the work of the International Network is especially important," McMaster president Peter George said.

The International Network was created in 1996 to strengthen water management, particularly in developing countries.

http://thespec.com/News/Local/article/359139

[SteelTown]

Glass panels have gone up for the Camco building. It's a clear colour. It looks like the glass panels will be a bunch of different sizes as well. I got some pictures, I'll load them up once I'm at home.

[SteelTown]

Heres my crappy pictures of the new window panels for the Camco building......

[SteelTown]

[SteelTown]

I can see the skylights being installed at the roof of the Camco building. Things are quickly coming together.

[raisethehammer]

yup...the skylights are easily visible from King St.

[SteelTown]

^ This week they've begun to install the steel beams at the front roof section for the outdoor rooftop patio. It's shaping up quickly now with most windows installed.

[SteelTown]

City, developer clash over Longwood site

The future of West Hamilton Innovation District and of the controversial retail project planned for it is still wending its way toward an OMB pre-hearing Sept. 15.

Trinity Development Group bought about 35 acres in the district last November from two property owners: Hamilton Metal Trading Company and The Gore District Land Trust.

The two property owners had filed an appeal with the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) about new restrictions the city placed on development of the site earlier in the year.

What’s at stake is the fate of precious future employment lands with invaluable frontage on Highway 403.

McMaster University owns 35 acres of the 122-acre site where it plans to build an innovation park over the next 10 to 15 years, with a lab, conference space, offices and a hotel.

The park’s key tenant is to be the federal government’s materials laboratory, CANMET.

City planner Al Fletcher said the planning changes to the entire site aim to support the development of a prestige business park.

“No one wants to go to an OMB hearing but we have a certain set of principles,” he said.

Michael Foley, Trinity’s associate vice president of development, said the company “took carriage of the appeal” when the company was the successful bidder of the property.

Trinity plans to spend about $65 million to develop 22 acres, which includes 250,000 square feet of retail space, with two large retail buildings of about 60,000 square feet of space and 100,00 square feet of office space.

Trinity wanted to begin site remediation next year, with construction to follow in 2010.

The retail complex goes far beyond anything the city had in mind when it re-classified the site.

Fletcher said retail is allowed on the site but only on the ground floor of new buildings, such as coffee shops, restaurants and print shops.

In January, the city asked the company to submit several studies such as traffic, engineering and market, to justify a change in the site’s zoning. The reports are expected just after Labour Day.

The company applied to have a delegation appear before the city’s planning and economic development committee Aug. 5, but it was denied.

Foley said Trinity wanted to meet with the city to give a status report on those studies as well as some “refinements” to the original proposal.

Terry Whitehead, Ward 8 councillor who chairs the committee, was absent for the decision.

He said he was told the refusal was made because the matter is before the OMB.

The city plans to extend Frid Street through to Longwood Road early in 2009 to allow for development of the park.

Neighbourhood developer Dennis Mathers has grave concerns about the Frid Street extension and is disappointed the business park may not reach its potential.

He said the Frid Street extension is “not logical,” expensive and will have a negative impact on traffic and growth on the area.

The co-partner of Sandona Corporate Village has spent the past two decades transforming Frid Street from a forgotten industrial back yard to a slick band of corporate offices, many focusing on research and development.

“We’ve been patient and we’ve been selective,” Mathers said of the street’s tenants.

He said was outbid by Trinity to buy the Longwood Road site.

“It’s too bad McMaster was not in a position to acquire that property and close the link to be able to make it a whole development,” he said.

Whitehead said Hamilton needs to consider building a land bank, a trend that is taking hold in many Canadian municipalities in order to avoid such conflicts.

He also regrets the lack of talks between council and Trinity.

“Now it’ll all be between (city) staff and lawyers and that’s unfortunate.”

[adam]

Why doesn't the city do a counter-proposal that agrees with the zoning of the area? Trinity is willing to pump life into Hamilton's economy - something we desperately need. I hope the city doesn't discourage them too much..

Is Sandona Corporate Village pulling the strings here? The article claims Sandona has spent 2 decades making Frid street into a "slick band of offices" .. Wow.. am I missing something here? There are a few decent buildings but nothing to get excited about. Trinity will bring a new economy to the area - maybe Sandona feels threatened? Competition benefits us all, especially when it comes to growth. Regardless, there is a great opportunity here and I hope the city doesn't blow it.

[the dude]

i'm a little confused about what 'opportunity' you're referring to. wal-mart represents a lot of things - opportunity is not one of them. those lands represent our best chance at luring good employers to town. real ones, not fictitious ones supposedly destined for further-flung parts of the city. canmet's coming, the un's there and with any luck dozens of other employers will follow. wal-mart or any other big box retailer shouldn't be allowed to eat-up this valuable land.

[flar]

Originally Posted by adam

Why doesn't the city do a counter-proposal that agrees with the zoning of the area? Trinity is willing to pump life into Hamilton's economy - something we desperately need. I hope the city doesn't discourage them too much..

Is Sandona Corporate Village pulling the strings here? The article claims Sandona has spent 2 decades making Frid street into a "slick band of offices" .. Wow.. am I missing something here? There are a few decent buildings but nothing to get excited about. Trinity will bring a new economy to the area - maybe Sandona feels threatened? Competition benefits us all, especially when it comes to growth. Regardless, there is a great opportunity here and I hope the city doesn't blow it.

These are supposed to be employment lands, and prestigious employment lands at that, with high paying high education jobs. Trinity is proposing big box retail for the site. That is not helping Hamilton's economic situation--it's more of the same, namely more low paying retail jobs. The city is correct to try to stop them. This was not the intended use of this land.

[adam]

Ok that makes sense. The article says prestige business park - wasn't sure what that was... I guess it translates to big box stores?

[SteelTown]

I personally love this retail development, way better improvement than SmartCentres, but I agree it's in the wrong area.

I would like to see this retail development go to Ferguson and Barton instead but that won't happen.

[adam]

So the proposal involves a Walmart? Does anyone have more details on this?

[SteelTown]

No Wal-Mart. Think a Canadian Tire or Part Source and a grocery store, rumour Fortinos wants to relocate from Dundurn.


Proposed Trinity Development

Here's the proposal from Trinity
http://www.brianmchattie.ca/download.php?id=28

[Millstone]

Originally Posted by SteelTown

No Wal-Mart. Think a Canadian Tire or Part Source and a grocery store, rumour Fortinos wants to relocate from Dundurn.

i refuse to let them

[adam]

The document above has an interesting slide that states
"Diminished benefit to the community if it is a ghost town after 5pm."

Any comments on this point? Would you rather the area lie dormant for the next 10 years?

[the dude]

what about that site west of longwood? i thought there were plans for wal-mart to move in.