The hotel's owners are seeking more than $18 million in government assistance for a $27-million mixed-use project that would feature 100 units with rents 20 per cent below market value, another 106 market-rate units and 20,000 square feet of commercial space.The units would be geared toward seniors and persons living with a disability.
The plan is being received with mixed feedback. Harry Stinson, for example, referred to it as a “sad evolution” while, at the same time, recognizing the value of having the building occupied.
See Spec story
Does this plan fit with what your vision for downtown Hamilton is? Do you support this direction?
At first reaction, I must concur with Councillor Bratina. In my view, it would be ideal for the Connaught to once again be a first class hotel. Sadly, that use for the building is probably not feasible anymore without megadollars of investment. The bedrooms themselves are very small, there is not sufficient parking for guests without the installation of a parking garage or underground parking, the amenities of the building as a location for business meetings and the like are vastly behind the quality travellers, convention attendees etc. expect today, and can het at other locations in the city. But the building can't sit vacant forever either.
ReplyDeleteJust as the ward councillor is, I too am conflicted.
Affordable housing is an option and I have no objection to afforable housing being located in the downtown core, or any other part of the city for that matter.
But surely, "the Grand Old Lady" deserves a more sympathetic fate ... soething like what happened with the Pigott Building perhaps.
How much money do they want from local tax-payers?
ReplyDeleteI can't say I have mixed feelings about this issue.
ReplyDeleteDespite the fact that I recognize the importance and noble intent of offering as much affordable housing as possible to those in need, The Royal Connaught Hotel is one of those buildings that begs for uses beyond the norm.
It is one of those buildings that can serve to help restore Hamilton's core or, conversely, further constrain it. I agree with Brian's sentiments in that regard.
In principle, I am also troubled when a private investment is at the public trough. Investing is a risk and many get buried in absence of any government assistance.
I would much rather see creative partnering take place that would do justice to the presence the Royal Connaught Hotel can bring to our downtown.
caldifalco@cogeco.ca
Give it up. Never gonna happen. The whole building will whither away.
ReplyDeleteElvis P
The City's definition of "affordable housing" through this particular funding envelope and what many residents struggling on low and limited incomes would consider 'affordable' are two different things. These units would likely rent for 80% of the market rate or around $550/month for a one bedroom apartment. Somebody on social assistance would need about $200 more a month to afford to live there.
ReplyDeleteCurrently Hamilton has a pretty healthy vacancy rate: around 3% and yet we are seeing huge spikes in visits to food banks and large numbers of evictions.
The answer doesn't necessarily lay in creating new units, but rather in making existing units affordable, livable and safe. That means expanding rental allowances, ensuring landlords are licensed and enforcing maintenance standards.
I agree with Brian and Cal, the Connaught is a Hamilton landmark and with appropriate re-development could generate significant new municipal revenues through property taxes and economic spin-offs as a condominium development or a boutique hotel.
Having said all that though, what our City desperately needs are rental units that provide universal accessibility for persons with disabilities or mobility challenges. For those units, my understanding is that it is much more cost effective to build from scratch than to renovate older buildings to meet those needs.
p.s. congrats on the blog Cal - I've really enjoyed following the issues you've highlighted and the community engagement that has been generated!
How do people feel about Harry Stinson here in Hamilton anyway? I don't think he's as bad as many think, but I'm unsure.
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of going off topic a bit, I think Harry Stinson is an interesting addition to Hamilton.I think it is useful to have someone around who has new ideas and thinks outside the box.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, I wasn't supportive of the pyramid-like structure he was contemplating for the downtown. I thought it was out of scale and a poor fit for the core.
However, he seems to be on to something with Stinson school and that seems to hold more promise and seems to be a good idea.
I welcome Harry here and would like to have him as a guest on 10 Tough Questions. I am in the process of trying to reach him. If anyone has his email address, please send it in private to me at caldifalco@cogeco.ca
Thanks
Cal
The developers want almost $6 million from the local taxpayer for only 100 units at 20% off retail.
ReplyDeleteOuch.
We are losing convention business due to a lack of Hotel rooms in the core, and the businesses that cater to them are hurting large, some may go out of business as a result.
Better to use the %6 million to provide micro-loans to low income families so that they can have an investment in their own right and a roof over their heads.
With modern building techniques and pre-fabrication perhaps these 100 housing units could be built on remediated brownfield areas to lower the cost even more.
And since the Connaught is not a heritage building, why hasn't it been demolished and a brand new hotel tower built on the site to meet the needs of the local economy?
Wow me that!
Why on earth does Hamilton have to keep living in the past, instead of building for the future?
I wonder how much this consortium already owes in property taxes for this location, and who is going to write that huge sum off?
MAW: That is a good idea about the micro-loans. That would help many as they cannot get access to other loans from banks etc. to start a business.
ReplyDeleteI see Cal's blog running neck and neck with theSpec.
ReplyDeleteThe Speaker's Corner has 14 comments on this thread
while the Hamiltonian has 9 even though Cal had the
topic up a day earlier.
I see no point in repeating myself here.
http://thespec.typepad.com/specthread/2009/09/the-connaught-conundrum.html#comment-6a00d8341c28e853ef0120a56988fa970b
Cal, I find your topics, interviews and posts very informative and interesting. I agree with the majority in that Hamilton would be making a huge mistake converting the Connaught into low-income housing. We need to revitalize the core while at the same time perserve our heritage. The Connaught is one of the few buildings downtown that have true potential to be something great again. Converting it into low income housing is such a huge disconnect from what Hamilton's core can aspire to be -again. Doesn't anyone on council have any vision?
ReplyDelete