“Several downtown buildings have already benefited from the facelift funding, including the Hope Heinrich building”

I would NEVER call painting intact brick walls black a “facelift”. To me that is a waste of money to do that to a perfectly good looking building when we have so many buildings that look like they are in such ppor shape that they need a facelift, not just fit into some corporate identity for a corporation that should have sufficient money without delving into the public’s money.

Could someone please let us know who sits on the panel of decision makers of who get money and who does not.

They painted over brick?????? Thank God that trend hasn’t caught on out here. I can just imagine the walls of the Rideau Canal painted blue, LOL.

“Facelift” . . . more like a “Face Palm”.

I’m a fan of traditional brick buildings and their design, but the Hope Heinrich building was ugly no matter how you look at it.

Integris did a wonderful job on the building, and it totally improved the look of not just the building, but the whole block. We should keep traditional looks when it has a historical or aesthetic value, but in this case it was good to move forward and modernize the look of the building.

Well, everyone to their own taste.

To me, if anything, it looks like a nightclub with a missing marquee….

I think that giving money to Integris to fix up Hope Heinrich’s building was a waste of money. This fund should be going to the old buildings along 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th Avenues between Victoria and George. That would make more difference to the downtown than the old Hope Heinrich building. It wasn’t really that bad.

Putting lipstick on the pig for the 2015 games

Really,,,,they are doing all this stuff downtown????? I have not been downtown for over 3 years….scary, scary place.

We give money to Integris–they give funding to community groups–everybody wins..

Depends on how one looks at it.

We don’t give money to Integris but instead give it to those who need it and Integris gives funding to community groups, everyone that really needs the money wins more than they do otherwise.

If that means Integris gives less to community groups because they do not get money to operate a business (improving a building is part of operating a business) that is fine. It becomes a matter of truth in advertising – who is actually giving what amount of money.

Why cant they come together and think of a ongoing theme for downtown, I love walking through jasper where the buildings tend to match up with eath other and i also love the wood they used.

Another waste of money , and further more I wouldn’t care if they spent millions I won’t go down there , a dump is a dump , call it what you want .

NDIT, just a bank supported by taxpayers money(BCR sale)bloated salaries and unfounded recognition. Some smelly deals in the last couple years as well that reported on this site.

I always thought it was the owners of a building that were responsible for its maintenance and upkeep. I guess that’s why we have social assistance to provide for our landlords
Cheers

you can pretty it up all you want but until people start shoveling the snow on the side walk in front of their businesses I will not go down there in the winter! I am blown away that they let stuff get so bad

You can only polish a turd so much until it starts rubbing off on your hands. I was operating on 3rd Avenue the last time they attempted a “facelift”. Behind every new façade are the same buildings they skidded in from South Fort to make the downtown 99 years ago. Go to 5th and George and read the inscription on the gear that was erected there by Mayor Elmer Mercier. Even the bums have moved their operations to Spruceland and Superstore because of the lack of opportunity downtown. On the upside enjoy the air for the duration of the games, I am sure it will be above reproach.

This site seems to be the meeting place, or let’s call it the virtual water cooler for every negative nelly in this town! Perhaps instead of all the negatives…we could provide our own ideas for positive change downtown, our own ideas on how to make it a more attractive place to visit! Just my opinion

Its going to be very hard to get this city
revived. It pretty much started years ago when they took valuable buildings and converted them to homless shelters. I agree with homless shelters, dont get me wrong, but our city council of the day didnt give a rats ass about the businesses close to these areas. They could have designated areas for these shelters. Also they have allowed businesses to move out of the core and convert houses for professional businesses.
Why we ask? Because of disrespect for downtown businesses and of course lack of
businesse expierience.