Residence Inn by Marriott | ? | 15 fl | Approved

LikeHamilton · #1 Posted **Feb 8, 2009, 2:36 AM**

I am back and I found this today.

Took these pictures today at Main and Walnut at the former Modern India Buffet building. This is a sign that is on the newly vacant building. I cannot find anything on the cities web site.

SteelTown · #2 Posted **Feb 8, 2009, 3:24 PM**

Very nice! I hope this gets built. I'm assuming it'll require approval from City Hall first?

Blurr · #3 Posted **Feb 8, 2009, 5:08 PM**

I agree, good looking building.

SteelTown · #4 Posted **Feb 8, 2009, 6:31 PM**

The rendering kinda reminds me of what's being built in Montreal.

crhayes · #5 Posted **Feb 8, 2009, 9:10 PM**

Really nice design... like everyone else is saying "I hope this actually gets built". It will definitely give downtown a boost!

emge · #6 Posted **Feb 8, 2009, 9:47 PM**

It'll be an improvement, that's for sure. I especially like all the glass in the rendering and that there will be something with height in place of a one-story building.

However.... I'd sure like to know some names beyond "Mark" of who's behind this and who the architects and builders are for the project

the # goes back to Gormley (Stouffville area) but no name on it.

highwater · #7 Posted **Feb 8, 2009, 10:13 PM**

Went by today. The lack of branding and names of the parties involved is a red flag as far as I'm concerned. I'm filing this one under "I'll believe it when I see it."

paleale2 · #8 Posted **Feb 8, 2009, 10:38 PM**

I believe it will be an "Element" hotel, under the Starwood brand.

matt602 · #9 Posted **Feb 8, 2009, 11:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by highwater

Went by today. The lack of branding and names of the parties involved is a red flag as far as I'm concerned. I'm filing this one under "I'll believe it when I see it."

Second

markbarbera · #10 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 2:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by emge

the # goes back to Gormley (Stouffville area) but no name on it.

You referring to the phone number? The Jackson exchange (52) for the 905 area code is a central Hamilton exchange.

LikeHamilton · #11 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 4:16 AM**

I did a search for the listed phone number and came back with

Quote:

Modern India Buffet Restaurant 163 Main St W, Hamilton, ON, L8P1J1 Phone: (905) 524-2815

emge · #12 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 4:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by highwater

Went by today. The lack of branding and names of the parties involved is a red flag as far as I'm concerned. I'm filing this one under "I'll believe it when I see it."

Likewise

Quote:

Originally Posted by markbarbera

You referring to the phone number? The Jackson exchange (52) for the 905 area code is a central Hamilton exchange.

I must have mistyped the number while looking it up - my error there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by paleale2

I believe it will be an "Element" hotel, under the Starwood brand.

Classy, if its true, but that seems doubtful to me, given that their only Ontario planned opening listed is Toronto/2010, their locations look entirely different from the proposed rendering, and that would seem to be a gamble for that chain/location.

If you're being serious, what's the source of that information?

matt602 · #13 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 10:50 PM**

The designs seem really awkward for the urban locations that they choose. The Times Square West one has a picture of a weird, 4 story suburban box format.

emge · #14 Posted **Feb 9, 2009, 11:33 PM**

I can't imagine that's the actual rendering for the New York site and not a copy-and-paste job.

coalminecanary · #15 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 2:41 PM**

They all appear to have the same rendering...

urban_planner · #16 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 5:25 PM**

Does anyone have an example of these renderings?

emge · #17 Posted **Feb 10, 2009, 6:17 PM**

Try the link in my post above for the "only ontario planned opening" - that will take you to the page of planned hotel openings.

markbarbera · #18 Posted **Feb 11, 2009, 1:41 AM**

I was under the impression that this hotel will be an IHG banner, either Intercontinental or Indigo.

I wouldn't read too much into the fact that the branding is not revealed on the signage. The property owner may be drumming up investment partners for the hotel because he doesn't quite meet the investment requirements to secure the franchise, and perhaps he doesn't want to show his hand to rival hoteliers in the city before the franchise deal has closed.

SteelTown · #19 Posted **Feb 27, 2009, 3:30 PM**

Another new hotel is proposed in Downtown at the northeast corner of Main and Walnut streets. A preliminary site plan was submitted to the City in 2008 for 133 suites under the Element by Westin banner.

urban_planner · #20 Posted **Mar 4, 2009, 5:36 PM**

Restaurateur serving up $30m downtown hotel

March 04, 2009
Eric McGuinness
Despite the current economic gloom, the owner of Hamilton’s Modern India Buffet is planning a $30-million, 160-room high-rise hotel with underground parking at the restaurant’s former location on Main Street East at Walnut Street.

Owner-manager Mark Johal, who recently moved the restaurant to Main and Caroline streets, says he and partners own a Hampton Inn in Kitchener and a new Four Points by Sheraton in Cambridge and will soon start construction on an Element by Westin hotel in Cambridge.

He says he will meet city officials next week to review a site plan for the downtown Hamilton property. Plans aren’t final, but currently show a 14-to-16-storey structure with 165 parking spaces on one level underground and two above.

Meanwhile, Ron Marini, director of downtown and community renewal, says city staff met yesterday to review the site plan for a Hilton Homewood Suites at Main and Bay streets planned by hotelier Darko Vranich, who bought the Sheraton Hamilton last year. The city has also approved a loan for a new hotel on Main between Caroline and Bay to replace the Staybridge Suites on Market Street, which is to become a retirement home.

Asked if he expected to go ahead despite the recession hitting Hamilton hard, Johal said, “So far it’s a go.”

He’s aiming to start construction this summer. He said he had hoped to move more quickly, but has to get the Element project under way first.

Johal, with 28 years experience in the hospitality industry in England and Canada, opened Modern India Buffet three years ago after buying and renovating the building that formerly housed a series of watering holes, including L.A. Batts and Don Cherry’s Grapevine.

He then bought and renovated the current site, the one-time El-Mar hotel occupied more recently by a string of nightclubs before being left vacant for several years.

Johal described the proposed hotel as a long-stay facility with kitchenettes, which would qualify for the city’s residential loan program.

Unfazed by the prospect of competing with other existing and planned downtown hotels, Johal said, “You have to create business — or steal business.”

emcguinness@thespec.com
905-526-4650