Comment 84501

By RenaissanceWatcher (registered) | Posted December 28, 2012 at 10:07:13

Recent news reports suggest that Wilson Blanchard will probably include a supermarket in its development plan and has received interest from some national supermarket chains. It is hoped that they can collaborate in such a way as to preserve the 19th century buildings on King Street East.

For example, most of the large, modern supermarkets now contain an in-store bakery, a cheese counter, a deli/coffee shop, a flower shop, and a pharmacy. One might consider the possibility of renovating and repurposing the first floor of each of the five existing buildings at 18-28 King Street East to become “specialty shops” with Victorian-style street signage as part of the new supermarket. Outdoor patio seating could be provided outside the deli/coffee shop and the bakery. Sliding glass doors could be installed at the back of each building leading into the main supermarket.

The open space where 30 King Street East used to exist could be fashioned into a modern or faux vintage lobby providing direct access and egress to and from the new Blanchard complex. An elevator and hallway system could be built to service the back end of the renovated upper floors of 18 to 28 King Street East for use as offices for the supermarket or other businesses.

Of course, the end result will be up to Wilson Blanchard, its financiers and the supermarket chain which eventually becomes involved in the project. One hopes that Fortinos, which has been in the grocery business in Hamilton for over fifty years and recently re-established its corporate headquarters in this city, expresses an interest in collaborating with Wilson Blanchard on this type of project.

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