Raise the Hammer

Very interesting. I have seen several references to meeting people under the Birk's clock, including Joe-Anne Priel's piece in The Spec today. While I love this idea, in actuality that area is rather hemmed in by market stalls. I am interested to see that the rendering you posted indeed shows this be a proper meeting space. Wonder what happened?

Comment edited by BeulahAve on 2011-02-09 09:42:27

What do you mean? I thought this was a very clever photo/image.

the clock looks weird there. I'd rather have the birks building back please http://www.flickr.com/photos/dieselthequ...

Comment edited by seancb on 2011-02-09 09:58:48

It's best not to look at old pics of downtown Hamilton. If you do, make sure to keep sharp objects out of reach...it's depressing :(

Or what about all those other buildings near the piggott?

The clock looks so much bigger where it is now versus where it was at Jackson Square (or it's original location on the Birks building).

I am also really disappointed that it seems that the charging horses have already broken down. They weren't doing anything while I ate my lunch in the market yesterday. I hope they were just temporarily not working.

The lack of seating and space under the clock also sucks. I am betting it was all squished in as a last minute attempt to get more vendors in.

Comment edited by MattM on 2011-02-09 10:13:10

What? The horses are broken already?

If that is true then I will be mightily disappointed...

Can we get a refund from whoever refurbished it?

My wish came true – and I appreciate the extra work of assembling a composite.

This is like one of those spot the difference puzzlers. Let me see…

• Knights restored to Birks Clock
• Clock mounted on its corner rather than one of its faces
• Globe lighting doubled in number, clustered mid-market rather than dispersed
• Market stall wedged under stair landing
• Natural concrete rather than designer grey paint job except on stars and as in corrective application on the mid-point of that half-red pillar (not pictured)
• Elevator uses less glass, and opts for smoked glass
• White metal cafeteria-style seating rather than cafe seating and green/pink chairs (used in HPL in white version)
• Hot pink not a visible design component of HPL palette
• Introduction of Nessman workspace demarcation lines
• Lamentable lack of Mount Lefroy

That said, it's a rendering.

This website is filled with fussy, hyper-critical bloggers who complain about everything that is happening in this city even the tables at the market.

My observation wasn't intended as a complaint, more a "spot-the-difference" diversion. I guess I need to sprinkle more emoticons around. ;)

great photos Wayne. I saw this on your twitter account yesterday and loved it. I really like the new market, and while trying to describe the new seating area to a friend I was meeting for coffee the other day I ended up saying "under the big Birks clock". What I originally thought was a cliche statement being used by the designers of the new space is actually quite accurate. I love the open, airy feel of the space and new layout which is much more streamlined and allows for more vendors. And as someone who has enjoyed the new seating area twice now I can say that it is plenty big and doesn't feel cramped in the slightest. There is also a seating area over by the market office, and by the NW entrance to the market. Some stalls also have their own seating - Hero Cafe, Julia Serna coffee etc.... More seating is coming to the upper level as well. I'm amazed that an old parking garage feels like a welcoming, bright space now. Kudos to everyone involved.

It's not very often that a finished product even comes close to resembling a rendering. David Premi and his team did a great job. Cheers

(it was never a parking garage, nor was it designed as one. the market was in a parking garage before the new market was built which was located due east on york where the eaton centre is now located.)

Too bad about the layout of the booths. I went with my wife this weekend and we were surprised to find so few ready-to-eat food vendors around the food-court-y parts. I assume all that last minute jockeying for position led to some unfortunate compromises.

edit: anybody know where the somosas went?

Comment edited by Pxtl on 2011-02-09 11:16:38

Sensational Samosa will be in the glassed-in part along York Blvd. They are still setting up.

One of those cases where the finished space looks even better than the rendering - awesome work to the architect and the builders!

Growing up I was always proud that my father was the electrician who wired the Birks clock after it was put onto the building that replaced the Birks building. That was back in the 70's.

I thought it was moved to the cement column at Jackson Square when the Birks building was demolished?

We looked for the samosas as well, and were told glassed in area. The problem electricity to run equipment and plumbing for sink to appeasenthe health dept. Complete cluster f@#k. I wouldn't hold you breath.

actually, there were never supposed to be stands in that area, which is why there is not electrical service and plumbing for stands there. if you don't know the whole story, don't assume everyone is an idiot. you know what they say about assuming?

Related bit from the NYT last week:

“You can take the most random rendering and just stick in a few people — someone listening to an iPod, somebody reading a newspaper, maybe a couple holding hands, some guy playing an acoustic guitar. Suddenly it’s meant to make the entire building beyond critique; it’s already part of our city.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/06/magazine/06fob-consumed-t.html

MattM said: I thought it was moved to the cement column at Jackson Square when the Birks building was demolished?

http://www.hauntedhamilton.com/disappearinghistory/dh_7_birks.html

I remember reading somewhere it did have a home on the building built on the Birks site for a short while and then moved over to Jackson Square shortly thereafter...

Noticed: The clock seems to have had its "Birks" faces replaced during repairs. Maybe they were hoping to sell naming rights. ;)

Before: http://www.hamiltonhistory.ca/graphics/birks-clock.jpg

After:
http://www.dpai.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Birks-clock-installed.jpg

I was there today, impressed, and the horses were working :)

Glad to see they were working again :)

The market looks great, particularly the clock. In fact, it alone could draw countless more people downtown; I've never seen it look so fantastic.

Thanks for posting the pics!

My wife and I took our daughter to the market yesterday and she was mesmerized by the charging knights, just stood there watching them...wonder if we can get a smaller version for our house?! lol...

It is a gorgeous addition to the downtown landscape and should fare better not being exposed to the elements...

I remember seeing a rendering where the Birks Clock was actually encased. Thank goodness that never happened.
Despite the narrow aisles, the reno'd market is fantastic! And has created quite a buzz around this part of downtown. Wish I could say the same for Gore Park.

that's actually the reason the clock was moved from the location in the rendering to the new location is that it could be reached by people from the staircase.

Hopefully more young people and young families will continue to patronize the market. I've seen a marked increase in this demographic so far. Some of the old folks aren't returning because "they don't like it" or "it was better the old way". Some stalls are feeling the pinch already of losing their longtime customer base....one can't help but feel that we are slowly turning the corner in Hamilton to the point where the next generation will have more influence instead of people who actually enjoyed walking around in dark, dirty parking garages.

This continual ranting about other posters and what they should and should not be doing is becoming more than a bit tiresome.

The Internet Tough Guy speak, though, is just laughable. You're a tough guy, Internet Tough Guy.

What lefties should be doing is going to the Mayor's office and demanding that the the WH gets cleaned up and LRT gets built all across this city.

What lefties should not be doing is whining to each other about how unfair life is and then taking their frustration out by downvoting non-leftie view points.

I have recently cited the fact that NYC and Portland have far more net debt than Hamilton does and yet both of those cities seem to be thriving. Why not take that info and include pictures/videos of the lively Portland/NYC street life and get the mayor to back your vision.

If you can convince the Mayor and council that they shouldn't be afraid of the upfront costs of LRT, then why wouldn't they endorse it? They are politicians and they want to get votes.

Tell these politicians that during WWII Canada took on massive amounts of debt and yet during the next two decades the economy performed great. The debt didn't hurt the economy going forward, it helped it.

That's your goal, to convince the Mayor and council, that we need more debt, not less. If you need help in doing so, I am here for you with lots of stats.

I think the new market is better than the old locale, but it was actually better in the Jackson square locale with more diversity and wider isles. Not to mention seating. There is very limited seating. Bright, shiny and new yet it somehow feels a tad uninviting. Been to similar markets in Ottawa and Winnipeg and this is a pale comparison to them. Sorry, but that was my impression.

I wish the cafe had more of a selection of food. I enjoy going there at lunch to eat, but I often walk away very hungry still.

I guess it is just me beating the ole diversity drum. By isolating the market after it has been connected with the rest of the mall and city for two years is kind of a shame. Same with the new library. Both kind of act to make the rest of the mall and library look shit.

I know that isn't fair to some degree, but it just seems we waited such a long time for this and the initial opening needed to blow us away and I think everyone will agree it didn't.

Thats a real shame.

Again sorry for the dump on the city. Maybe I shouldn't look at old picture books of Hamilton and read urban renewal books before posting.

Comment edited by TnT on 2011-02-21 12:14:35

Collated comments, a quick dip into one vast sea of a particular POV:

"...one can't help but feel that we are slowly turning the corner in Hamilton to the point where the next generation will have more >influence instead of people who actually enjoyed walking around in dark, dirty parking garages."

"Anyone who says they won't come downtown because of a lack of parking is lying, and if they stay home that's just fine with me."

"Remember, people have money in their pockets. Vehicles don't."

There's almost too much to work with here.

Comment edited by mystoneycreek on 2011-02-21 15:24:16

Why is it called a 'Farmers Market'? From what I have seen there are no vendors who are actual farmers, growers or producers. they're just resellers. I would frequent the 'market' more often if it provided local meats and produce from farmers and provided something different than my local supermarket.

I think Hamilton missed an opportunity to re-brand the 'farmers market' as something new and different. it just received a facelift (although it does look prettier now).