New Canadian tallest :: Stinson planning giant tower in Downtown Hamilton

[ErickMontreal]

Stinson planning giant tower as part of Connaught development

 

 

May 21, 2008

By WADE HEMSWORTH

The Hamilton Spectator

 

Harry Stinson is planning a soaring signature building that would become a symbol of Hamilton in the same way the Eiffel Tower is for Paris, or as the Empire State Building is for New York City.

 

“Every city needs an icon,” Stinson said.

 

The L-shaped Connaught Tower would rise to a sharp and dramatic point 1,000 feet over downtown Hamilton — making it about three times the height of the Niagara Escarpment, and dwarfing downtown’s current giant, the Century 21 tower virtually across the street.

 

Stinson unveiled his plans at a reception Wednesday.

 

But before he can build the tower at the southeast corner of the Connaught site — now a parking lot — he plans to refit the old hotel, turning it into a hybrid hotel operation and condominium residence, with amenities that include a lavish lobby bar, grand ballrooms, a 24-hour coffee shop and a 24-hour grocery store.

 

Construction of the entire complex would cost about $180 million, the developer said, and would have an ultimate retail value of about $350 million.

 

Stinson said he has bought the former Liaison College property on John Street South and plans to add it to the Connaught complex, which he has purchased for $9.5 million in a deal that closes at the end of June.

 

Before then, he is planning to open a sales office near the property downtown to begin selling about 300 condo units in the historic hotel building. Those units in the upper floors of the hotel would range from $199,000 to $299,000, and would come fully furnished, he said. Meanwhile, the lower floors would operate as a boutique hotel.

 

Completing the hotel building — which Stinson plans to do within he next two years — would pave the way to build the tower by generating income and proving there is a market for downtown Hamilton properties.

 

“The elephant in the room is will anybody buy these? I can’t say that for sure,” he said.

 

The tower project would reach a height equal to 100 storeys, with about 80 floors of usable space and the narrow top of the spike reserved for wind turbines and other mechanical elements.

 

“It’s inefficient, but it gives the whole thing its punch,” he said.

 

The top units of the building betwen the 70th and 80th floors would each be single units with stunning views of the city, said the developer -- and would sell for the equivalent of a nice house in Dundas, he said.

 

About five storeys of the new tower would be reserved for the hotel operation, he said.

 

The entire complex would feature underground parking space for 1,000 vehicles, divided between conventional spaces for short-term parking and mechanical parking slots for longer stays.

 

http://www.thespec.com/News/BreakingNews/article/372668

[MTLskyline]

So this would be a little over 300 meters??

 

Very, very nice for Hamilton!

 

Only wish it was here.

 

“Every city needs an icon,” Stinson said.

Tower please!

[LindbergMTL]

Ah, c'est drôle, je me demandais justement quand est-ce qu'on allait voir un super tall à Toronto, 5 , 10, 20 ans?

 

En passant, vous ne trouvez pas le coût de 180 $ millions vraiment bas pour un building de cette dimension? En tout cas, c'est un peu difficile à croire Hamilton?

[saturnus85]

It vaguely looks like that project they call "The Shard" in London.

[Habsfan]

It vaguely looks like that project they call "The Shard" in London.

 

 

Agreed. It also reminds me of the Transamerica Pyramid in S.F.

 

I like this project. Why doesn't anyone ever propose something like this in our town??

[JCC-Fromthere]

Hamilton? Now, that's a shame...

[Habsfan]

Lucky bastards!

[monctezuma]

Ah, c'est drôle, je me demandais justement quand est-ce qu'on allait voir un super tall à Toronto, 5 , 10, 20 ans?

 

En passant, vous ne trouvez pas le coût de 180 $ millions vraiment bas pour un building de cette dimension? En tout cas, c'est un peu difficile à croire Hamilton?

 

180 millions c'est pour la rénovation du complexe actuel, pas la tour

[monctezuma]

Content de voir que le Canada (EXCLUANT le Québec) est encore dans la course. Proudly Canadian ? J'aurais jamais cru écrire ça un jour...

[Gbx]

Je ne sais pas pour vous, mais je trouve ce projet complétement tordu. L'économie de l'ontario est en panne et voilà qu'on veut investir dans un énorme complexe commercial qui va surement plombé le marché local pendant des années. Même à calgary on ne voit pas ce genre de projet. Je ne crois pas une seconde à sa réalisation.