Gibson School Lofts | ?m | 4 fl | Proposed - Page 9

ChildishGavino · #**161** Posted **Mar 10, 2019, 6:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by drpgq

I heard Harry speaking about that at a Barton Village BIA meeting and that it was just too much square footage to give up to get rid of it.

Theres so much room in the old playground, not all of that has to be parking.

ScreamingViking · #**162** Posted **Mar 12, 2019, 3:32 AM**

The frontage on Barton (the gym, presumably without the fence in front) was originally supposed to be commercial space. Wonder if Stinson changed his mind about that too... more reason to be wild about Harry??

Quote:

Originally Posted by thomax

Website: gibsonlofts.com

Source

Source

Info:
- A Stinson Developments Inc. project
- Restoration of the century-old Gibson School (built in 1914)
- Addition of a fourth floor
- Conversion of the school to residential & commercial space

drpgq · #**163** Posted **Mar 12, 2019, 3:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

The frontage on Barton (the gym, presumably without the fence in front) was originally supposed to be commercial space. Wonder if Stinson changed his mind about that too... more reason to be wild about Harry??

If I see Harry at another BIA meeting I'll ask about that. I hope the commercial space is still happening.

TheRitsman · #**164** Posted **May 9, 2019, 5:27 PM**

Chronamut · #**165** Posted **May 9, 2019, 5:33 PM**

I was just in this building last week - that building is HUGE - they are progressing well on it - it's kinda freaky though - on the top floor there are certain areas where you can see through the floor to the floor below - it's literally just beams holding up the floors. Which means that unless they do some serious soundproofing you're gonna be able to hear EVERYTHING around you..

hamilton23 · #**166** Posted **May 9, 2019, 6:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Berklon

Rentals makes much more sense.

I just can't see many people spending that much money on a condo in that neighborhood.

Bingo. I drove by the site the other day and the surrounding areas aren't so appealing for someone to invest 200k+ on a Condo unit. They would've and probably were having a difficult road marketing this area to potential purchasers. Walkability is such a huge factor when purchasers buy in Downtown Hamilton. That area isn't great to walk in.

Chronamut · #**167** Posted **May 9, 2019, 6:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hamilton23

Bingo. I drove by the site the other day and the surrounding areas aren't so appealing for someone to invest 200k+ on a Condo unit. They would've and probably were having a difficult road marketing this area to potential purchasers. Walkability is such a huge factor when purchasers buy in Downtown Hamilton. That area isn't great to walk in.

When I talked to the guy inside he said that it was more for actual studio space - like people wanting to show off their art etc. Some of the studio rooms are really narrow that they are proposing. Some of them ARE full on studio lofts though with bathrooms and kitchens and everything - they had one completed one. A bit too open concept for me personally.

And yeah this is on Barton st - which is a huge deterrent in and of itself. Barton st may never shake the stigma it has gained over the years.

anactualalien · #**168** Posted **May 9, 2019, 7:40 PM**

Barton has the best street wall in the city in parts, I would hate for it to go unused much longer..

Chronamut · #**169** Posted **May 9, 2019, 7:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by anactualalien

Barton has the best street wall in the city in parts, I would hate for it to go unused much longer..

And a huge amt of those are either vacant or the storefronts have been converted into illegal residences.

hamilton23 · #**170** Posted **May 10, 2019, 12:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

Is that the official unit/rent list that was given by the developer?

That looks like it was quickly thrown together on MS Word... Jesus...

TheRitsman · #**171** Posted **May 10, 2019, 2:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hamilton23

Is that the official unit/rent list that was given by the developer?

That looks like it was quickly thrown together on MS Word... Jesus...

This was behind Harry at the school. This was the official thing. I don't trust Harry, just repeating what he told me.

hamilton23 · #**172** Posted **May 10, 2019, 2:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

This was behind Harry at the school. This was the official thing. I don't trust Harry, just repeating what he told me.

Yeah, this is one of the most unprofessional looking rental inventory lists I've ever seen given out by a developer. There's no letterhead, graphics, it's printed on normal paper... It's just really amateur looking.

DeeH · #**173** Posted **Jun 1, 2020, 4:55 PM**

Hi all,

I am really late joining the conversation but I wonder if there's anyone out there who originally bought into the sale of units in the Gibson School Loft project with Harry Stinson back around 2014.

Just wondering what happened with the project as it seems the restoration of this building has been completely abandoned and I want to know if original investors who bought into this project were ever able to get their money back from Harry Stinson.

I would really appreciate if anyone would let me know or if there is a different group I should be directing this question to.

Just really desperate for some answers now and would really appreciate hearing from anyone that has any information whatsoever.

Thank you so much.

BaconPoutine · #**174** Posted **Jun 1, 2020, 9:26 PM**

All I know is that the plan of converting the building to condos is dead. The new plan is for the building to be 100% rentals.

I didn't buy into the original project and I can't say that I know anyone who did. But for whatever it's worth I do know that when buying condos pre-construction the deposits are held in a trust account with a lawyer, so it's not like Harry could just abscond with all the deposit money.

fizzle · #**175** Posted **Jul 3, 2020, 11:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeeH

Hi all,

I am really late joining the conversation but I wonder if there's anyone out there who originally bought into the sale of units in the Gibson School Loft project with Harry Stinson back around 2014.

Just wondering what happened with the project as it seems the restoration of this building has been completely abandoned and I want to know if original investors who bought into this project were ever able to get their money back from Harry Stinson.

I would really appreciate if anyone would let me know or if there is a different group I should be directing this question to.

Just really desperate for some answers now and would really appreciate hearing from anyone that has any information whatsoever.

Thank you so much.

Oh man, I'd love to know if anyone bought in too, particularly into that idiotic RRSP proposal. This project is the gift that keeps on giving...I don't understand how this guy continues to get multiple chances at this type of thing.

matt602 · #**176** Posted **Jul 4, 2020, 1:41 AM**

I honestly can't believe he even owns any properties in this city at this point. I mean in the over 10 years he's been in town, hes completed literally one mid sized project which ended up being quite a bit of a shit show after it was finally completed.

TheRitsman · #**177** Posted **Jul 4, 2020, 5:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt602

I honestly can't believe he even owns any properties in this city at this point. I mean in the over 10 years he's been in town, hes completed literally one mid sized project which ended up being quite a bit of a shit show after it was finally completed.

I don't really get it. The guy clearly has money. He owns these properties. Just find someone willing to run the project and a real estate agent to sell the units.

ScreamingViking · #**178** Posted **Jul 4, 2020, 7:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheRitsman

I don't really get it. The guy clearly has money. He owns these properties. Just find someone willing to run the project and a real estate agent to sell the units.

I've never been convinced he has enough financial wherewithal to do these projects on his own. He always seems to propose big and deliver small (never mind slow). Seems to me he prefers to do it all, and his way, too.

Still, hopefully Gibson school gets done. Barton has so much potential to be a very different street between James and Ottawa, though it may take a decade or two for that to be realized... perhaps longer, given that that's more than 4 km in length. We're seeing some things begin to happen though.

Chronamut · #**179** Posted **Jul 4, 2020, 7:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ScreamingViking

I've never been convinced he has enough financial wherewithal to do these projects on his own. He always seems to propose big and deliver small (never mind slow). Seems to me he prefers to do it all, and his way, too.

Still, hopefully Gibson school gets done. Barton has so much potential to be a very different street between James and Ottawa, though it may take a decade or two for that to be realized... perhaps longer, given that that's more than 4 km in length. We're seeing some things begin to happen though.

The issue with this is displacement - every city has its slum - barton and cannon street are hamiltons slum - when you gentrify those areas where do these people go? It's one reason you were seeing waves of anti-gentrification sentiment - and at the cost they are going for these days who can blame them?

On the other hand all these areas used to be bustling - barton used to be its own town - the town of Barton - it's just sad to see what it has degenerated into.

Now we have a buncha businesses that WERE thriving on king st all boarded up now due to a shuttered LRT project.

ScreamingViking · #**180** Posted **Jul 4, 2020, 8:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chronamut

The issue with this is displacement - every city has its slum - barton and cannon street are hamiltons slum - when you gentrify those areas where do these people go? It's one reason you were seeing waves of anti-gentrification sentiment - and at the cost they are going for these days who can blame them?

Municipal policy around mixed-use and mixed-income would be helpful to manage that. I'm not counting on it to happen though. I'm not even expecting it to be done well for the City Housing redevelopments where there is more municipal control (like the one in Jamesville, and in the east end along Reid)

Seems, anecdotally at least, that people who get priced out end up moving to places like Brantford, or St. Catharines and Niagara Falls. Or staying local, there are neighbourhoods on the mountain that seem to be relatively more affordable.