Raise the Hammer
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Mahesh P. Butani is a non-architect, and a developer by default. He is involved in re-developing properties in downtown Hamilton; and has an MA in Arts Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, NYC (1986), and bachelors in Architecture from Bombay, India (1982). Currently he is not an architect in Ontario on account of not having enough Canadian Experience; and does not qualify to teach as he carries too much baggage to fit into the Canadian education system. He refuses to be re-trained to fit in, on a matter of principle, and is a passionate disbeliever of icons and self-regulation of professions in Canada - but still maintains his belief in collective self-organizing behavior; and feels that the large swath of intellectual brownfields across Ontario are far more harmful to the economy than the brownfields left over from deindustrialization - and in response has set up a social network called Metropolitan Hamilton. http://metrohamilton.ning.com/
From Reading Cities to Doing Cities - Our geography gives us an opportunity to reinvent Hamilton in ways that no other city in North America has ever had an opportunity to envision. We need to develop capacity not to catch the next wave, but to become the next wave. Published August 16, 2011 in Opinion
Deep-Reading the Urban Form - Engaging with the various layers of historic, political and geographic sub-structures upon which a city stands allows for richer insights into how cities evolve, and how different cities evolve differently. Published August 09, 2011 in Opinion
Hamilton as Educational Startup Centre - If Hamilton waits for McMaster to embrace downtown Hamilton, we might be waiting for a long time. Better to create our own institutions from the ground up. Published July 18, 2011 in Opinion
Bloggers and the Boutique Generation - Mayoral candidate Mahesh Butani expands on last week's open letter to Spectator columnist Andrew Dreschel. Published May 17, 2010 in Opinion
Thank You, Andrew - Mayoralty candidate Mahesh Butani takes Spectator columnist Andrew Dreschel to task for dismissing his candidacy in a single sentence in today's column. Published May 14, 2010 in Opinion
Open Letter to Terry Cooke: Please Intervene to Save Brantford Heritage - As a member of the YMCA Brantford Governing Council and the Chair of the Canadian Urban Institute, Terry Cooke is well-positioned to put a stop to the destruction of 41 Victorian buildings on Colborne Street in Brantford. Published March 09, 2010 in Opinion
Laurier Brantford: You've Come A Long Way, Baby! - Humour staves off depression, and maybe satire can ward against intellectual bankruptcy in the Crisis on Colborne. Published March 01, 2010 in Commentary
Memo to Brantford: Hamilton Heritage Demolition 101 - The process of decimating heritage, though it appears to be swift and easy, is a long-drawn and rigorous affair. We should know; after all, we wrote the manual on this. Published February 22, 2010 in Commentary
Regional Hopes - A Family Day Special: Let's take this opportunity to think about how we can expand our circle of family to think of Hamilton as a region, not a collection of separate, squabbling units. Published February 15, 2010 in Commentary
The Bi-Polarity of the Core - We will never truly revitalize the downtown core until we can overcome our parochialism and cast away our lingering suburban mindset. Published January 25, 2010 in Opinion
Sushi to Go, Please - If we observe more and shout less - we can see the first blush of spring in many dark corners of our urban empire. Published October 06, 2009 in Opinion
McMaster Could Be a Real City University, Published July 14, 2011 in Policy
The Gyges Ring and the Local Media, Published February 14, 2011 in Media
Editorial Should Resolve, Not Polarize, Published July 23, 2010 in Media
Run, Larry, Run!, Published June 14, 2010 in Media
Will the Real Larry Please Stand Up?, Published May 31, 2010 in Media
History Only Repeats When it is Allowed, Published February 26, 2010 in Revitalization
Urban Hopes, Published February 04, 2010 in Economy
Becoming a Learning City, Published January 28, 2010 in Revitalization
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