Skyscraper proposed to replace tower
Kodak Tower makes way for 59-storey hotel

By COREY LAROCQUE Review Staff Writer
Local News - Friday, May 13, 2005 @ 02:00



NIAGARA FALLS – Canadian Niagara Hotels wants to build a 59-storey hotel and observation tower on Falls Avenue and replace the existing Kodak Tower.

At 229 metres (751 feet) tall, the proposed hotel would become the tallest building in the city and rival some of the taller skyscrapers in Toronto. It would have 48 storeys of hotel and restaurant space, plus an observation tower on top of it.

“It is part of the revitalization of the casino site,” said Michael DiCienzo, whose family owns Canadian Niagara Hotels. “The big thing with the whole project is we’re going to be taking down a dilapidated, unused tower and replacing it with a modern tower with proper views and heights.”

The company owns several businesses in the Falls Avenue area, including the Sheraton-on-the-Falls and Brock Plaza hotels, the Casino Niagara building, Planet Hollywood and the Rainforest Cafe.

A report from the city’s planning department shows the proposed hotel would be erected in the space between the Brock Plaza hotel and Casino Niagara’s Falls Avenue entrance. It also involves taking up some of the atrium space near the casino’s Falls Avenue entrance.


“The project here is fairly complex,” DiCienzo said.

He said the 550-room hotel would be an investment of about $130 million.

DiCienzo would not discuss many details of the new application until it goes before a public planning meeting at city hall Monday.

His company also has a second proposal to build a waterpark on top of its existing parking garage.

The proposed hotel was designed by Michael Kirkland, a Toronto-based architect.

Kirkland is also the chairman of the architectural peer review panel that advises the city and Niagara Parks Commission on the quality of major hotel projects. Earlier this year, Kirkland advised council he had declared a conflict of interest and stepped aside from the panel when it reviewed Canadian Niagara’s application. Ald. Carolynn Ioannoni has questioned how Kirkland can work for Canadian Niagara Hotels and sit on the peer review panel, but most council members seem content with Kirkland’s explanation he had removed himself from the process for this application.

City council is set to examine the application Monday at a public planning meeting.

Mayor Ted Salci would not disclose his view on the project.

“I’m anxious to see the proposal,” Salci said.

“I understand what they want to do. I don’t want to prejudice that (by commenting before the meeting).”

In the past year, however, council has favoured buildings taller than 30 storeys.

That change in thinking was, at least partly, promoted by Kirkland, who told council it should worry about the appearance of the first four storeys of a building because that’s what people see at street level.

If Canadian Niagara’s application is approved, it would become the second property permitted to go well above the 30-storey level that was part of the city’s development guidelines.

Last year, council granted permission for an expansion of the Hilton Niagara on Fallsview Boulevard to 58-storeys, or a height of 172 metres.

A planning department report recommends Canadian Niagara Hotels make a $1.3-million payment to the city for community improvements. As more developers express interest in building skyscrapers, council is making use of Section 37 of the Planning Act, which allows developers with well-designed projects to exceed the 30-storey level if they contribute to projects that benefit the community.

Though that section didn’t apply when the Hilton project came up last year, the city negotiated with the Hilton for a $1-million payment due when the hotel is built.

The city’s planning department recommends council approve zoning bylaw and official plan amendments needed before the company can build the hotel.

Other city departments did not object to it, but the Niagara Parks Commission and Regional Niagara staff want to see a plan to alleviate the pedestrian and vehicular traffic congestion they anticipate.

Despite the official support, one resident has registered his opposition.

“The proposed structure would be more than twice the height of the Foxhead and horribly disproportioned to the surrounding area,” River Road resident Ken Murphy wrote in a letter to council. “The city council has a responsibility to the community at large to control overbuilding.”

:eek2: WOW!

I cant get a sense of height from metres, so 229m is like 750 ft right?? Yeah thats damn tall, especially for Niagara.

i say screw that stupid resident hehehehehe!!

this would be awsome! it would mean 4 towers in niagara falls over 150m and 3 skyscrapers!

I like the look of the proposed Days In expansion (166.6m) beautifull building

229m?!? Hot damn, that's taller than Petro Canada! (215m)

any renderings, perhaps???

ah, that's so cool

$130 Million? So cheap?

This will be great for the area though, no doubt. Hahaa.

Wow! Niagara Falls tourism is really booming! :eek: :D
All these tall hotel towers just because of all the tourists generated by the Falls itself. I think that if they build more casinos here, Niagara could end up being like Las Vegas.
I can't wait to see the rendering, and this would probably be seen from the CN Tower, I'm guessing?

All these tall hotel towers just because of all the tourists generated by the Falls itself. I think that if they build more casinos here, Niagara could end up being like Las Vegas.
I can't wait to see the rendering, and this would probably be seen from the CN Tower, I'm guessing?

Not quite right. When I toured NF about 8-9 years ago, the city looked like it had gone to shit. Since the Government of Ontario brought in the casinos NF has boomed. The casinos have made NF a year-round destination. Prior to the casinos, tourism was more seasonal.

wow!

Niagara Falls is turning into the next DUBAI!

:D

Great news. Someone should start up a new thead for Niagara Falls and all its developments.

Sweet this is really gonna stick out.

So let's see what Niagara Falls has now:

This hotel tower, 59s 229m 751 ft. Proposed
Hilton Niagara Falls Expansion, 58s 172 m 564 ft. Approved
Crowne Plaza Hotel, 30s 300 ft. Complete
Hyatt Regency Hotel, 32s Complete
Inn by The Falls, 30s Proposed
Hotel @ Jolley Cut, 27s Proposed
etc. http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/sk/li/?id=101474&bt=2&ht=2&sro=1

It'll be interesting to see what else Niagara has planned for the future. :D

229m ?!?! that is going to be one of Canada's tallest !

Yep 5th tallest in Canada, and tallest in Canada outside of Toronto...assuming nothing else gets built.

Buffalo will be very jealous!;)

Hot damn thats some good news, so I only have one question, will it fit in with this cluster and what is the tallest in this cluster for height comparison?
I guess thats two questions.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v203/CrazyCanuck07/2004_0720Image0007.jpg

So let's see what Niagara Falls has now:
This hotel tower, 59s 229m 751 ft. Proposed
Hilton Niagara Falls Expansion, 58s 172 m 564 ft. Approved
Crowne Plaza Hotel, 30s 300 ft. Complete
Hyatt Regency Hotel, 32s Complete
Inn by The Falls, 30s Proposed
Hotel @ Jolley Cut, 27s Proposed

Here's another one that I just found out about through this thread...although I don't know the legitimacy of it (166.6m beside the proposed hilton 172m) or this one for that matter...
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=37108

Hot damn thats some good news, so I only have one question, will it fit in with this cluster and what is the tallest in this cluster for height comparison? I guess thats two questions.

This will be a couple miles north of that cluster, close to the rainbow bridge and the old casino. It will be isolated and stick out like a sore thumb relative to it's surroundings - I believe the next closest building is 22 stories. In the existing cluster you've shown the tallest building there right now is 117m, the Skylon tower is 156m, and the 172m and 166m hotels are proposed to go there as well. We'll see how this all pans out though...I'll believe it when I see an excavator digging a hole.

New hotel to tower above city

By COREY LAROCQUE
Local News - Tuesday, May 17, 2005 @ 02:00



NIAGARA FALLS – The 59-storey Rainbow Tower Hotel proposed for Falls Avenue would have a view of both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario and be visible from Buffalo and Toronto, says architect Michael Kirkland.

“We glory in the size of it,” said Kirkland who designed the building for Canadian Niagara Hotels, saying it will take on “iconic” status.

“This is a building that will affect the skyline of Niagara Falls for a very long time,” Kirkland said during a planning meeting at city hall Monday night.

Council voted 5-1 in favour of the application from Canadian Niagara Hotels to build the $130-million hotel tower between the Sheraton-on-the-Falls and Brock Plaza hotels.

The proposed tower was designed as two buildings in one – a 48-storey, 550-room hotel attached to an observation tower that stands 751 feet tall, Kirkland said. It would have one storey more than the Hilton Niagara hotel expansion the city approved last year, but would be 57 metres taller than that hotel planned for Fallsview Boulevard.


It’s designed so the higher up it goes, its orientation rotates toward the Horseshoe Falls, said Kirkland.

“This building goes up and expresses the sheer gravitational pull of Niagara Falls,” he said.

Because of its design, it will also take different appearances – what Kirkland described as a lantern, torch or silhouette – depending on weather conditions, time of day and the light it reflects.

At 229 metres tall, the Rainbow Tower Hotel will be the city’s tallest building. But because of its placement, it will only cast shadows on property owned by Canadian Niagara Hotels, Kirkland said.

In a recorded vote, aldermen Wayne Campbell, Jim Diodati, Joyce Morocco, Victor Pietrangelo and Selina Volpatti approved the project.

Ald. Carolynn Ioannoni was the sole vote against. She said she wanted to support it, but needed more details on a provision that would have the company contribute to city projects in exchange for exceeding the height limit.

“I think this application is premature. I wanted to support it. There are too many questions,” Ioannoni said.

Acting mayor Vince Kerrio and Ald. Janice Wing did not vote because they declared conflicts of interest.

Canadian Niagara Hotels will pay between $1.3 million and $1.5 million to the city under a provision of the Planning Act that permits developers to exceed the city’s 30-storey height limit in exchange for cash contributions. That payment will be used to pay for public projects to be determined later.

Council also approved a request from Canadian Niagara Hotels to build an estimated $70-million waterpark on its property.

Ald. Victor Pietrangelo said Canadian Niagara’s investment in the hotel, tower and waterpark should send a “strong message” to the provincial government about the long-term vaule of Casino Niagara as a catalyst for development.

“We’re sending a message that we want to retain Casino Niagara. The developer is stepping up to the plate, saying, ‘I am willing to invest in this area if the province is willing to invest in the area,’” Pietrangelo said.

Michael DiCienzo whose company owns Canadian Niagara Hotels said he wants to see Casino Niagara in the area, but both projects make sense for his company on their own merits.

“We are doing what we feel is necessary from a business standpoint to redevelop our site regardless of the casino,” said DiCienzo said.

I checked the Kirkland (http://www.tkp.ca) website, but there are no renderings. However, I found some preliminary plans for some public plaza called Portage Prospect that will overlook the falls. It doesn't say if this is an old idea or not, though. Here it is:

http://www.tkp.ca/IMAGES/UrbanDesign/Portage-1.jpg

Portage Prospect, Niagara Falls

Portage Prospect is a high-level public plaza and terrace, which overlooks Niagara Falls from singularly privileged position. The new plaza will join the great urban assets along Niagara Parkway paying homage to what is unquestionably one of the world's great natural sites.

This project provides an opportunity to physically coordinate the many current developments in the area, giving access and address to the Marriot site, the Days Inn Expansion, the Casino Site, the Rail Corridor reclamation and the rebuilding of the inclined rail. Forming gridlines of the composition are based on already established urban context and existing landscape, and are directed to the main natural attraction - the Horseshoe Falls.

Not to diminish this tower but there is another down the pipe somewhere at 61 Storeys. I have no details other than knowing it does indeed exist.

Heres another project for 2 hotel towers at the Skylon site that is approved but I don't know when or if it is going ahead...heres the rendering...one is 26 storeys the other 24.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/l.tan/images/SKYLON.jpg

I checked the Kirkland website, but there are no renderings. However, I found some preliminary plans for some public plaza called Portage Prospect that will overlook the falls. It doesn't say if this is an old idea or not, though. Here it is:

The new 229m hotel will be located near the old casino which is just off of the rainbow bridge. The site you're indicating is in the fallsview district, located above the falls, which is where the cluster of hotels is. It would be interesting to find out what is going on there.

Heres a map for reference.
http://www.niagarafallsview.com/minolta_tower/images/Minoltamap---final.gif

So let's see what Niagara Falls has now:

This hotel tower, 59s 229m 751 ft. Proposed
Hilton Niagara Falls Expansion, 58s 172 m 564 ft. Approved
Crowne Plaza Hotel, 30s 300 ft. Complete
Hyatt Regency Hotel, 32s Complete
Inn by The Falls, 30s Proposed
Hotel @ Jolley Cut, 27s Proposed
etc. http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/sk/li/?id=101474&bt=2&ht=2&sro=1

It'll be interesting to see what else Niagara has planned for the future. :D

you forgot one, the Days in expansion at over 166m

The new 229m hotel will be located near the old casino which is just off of the rainbow bridge. The site you're indicating is in the fallsview district, located above the falls, which is where the cluster of hotels is. It would be interesting to find out what is going on there.


I already know where it is :P

Not to diminish this tower but there is another down the pipe somewhere at 61 Storeys. I have no details other than knowing it does indeed exist.

pardon me for being crude, but all this NF development talk is giving me quite the chub. I'm going into skyscraper-nerd joy overload :clown:

This makes up for the terrible music hall of fame news. What an emotional rollercoaster life can be....

Here's another one that I just found out about through this thread...although I don't know the legitimacy of it (166.6m beside the proposed hilton 172m) or this one for that matter...
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=37108


Oh it's very real. I have the architect sealed plans right here.

Stanford Downey, the same people who brought you:

One York Quay (TO)
1KW (TO)
Hilton Niagara (NF)
The Oakes (NF)

Algonquin: don't blow your load. ;)

Oh it's very real. I have the architect sealed plans right here.

How about for the Hilton expansion? I'm guessing the Days Inn expansion is a DiCosimo thing too? Also, any idea when these projects are going to be tendered and construction started?

I'm sure everyone has done their homework and the need for all the development is justified, but it does seem like a pile for the city. The tourist population must be on the verge of exploding, unless the demand is already there for more rooms...any input?

Fantastic news for Niagara Falls.
I expect this to be built quickly. So the sad truth, while this is proposed, it will start construction even before one of Toronto's tall towers hit the shovel.
Atleast we have tall towers proposed I suppose!!!

Oh it's very real. I have the architect sealed plans right here.



Couldn't you carefully steam open the envelope and give us the details. We won't report you. ;)

Is this the site?

http://4travel.jp/img/os_hotel_img/appleworld/0300/03005719_1.jpg

"It’s designed so the higher up it goes, its orientation rotates toward the Horseshoe Falls, said Kirkland.

“This building goes up and expresses the sheer gravitational pull of Niagara Falls,” he said.

Because of its design, it will also take different appearances – what Kirkland described as a lantern, torch or silhouette – depending on weather conditions, time of day and the light it reflects."

Sounds interesting.

Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t Niagara Falls just place a height limit awhile ago? Weren’t they afraid of the mist problem created if more skyscrapers are placed near the fall?

^ Its all about the money and power, screw the mist.

Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t Niagara Falls just place a height limit awhile ago? Weren’t they afraid of the mist problem created if more skyscrapers are placed near the fall?

No, I believe they were talking about avoiding the "wall effect". They want the buildings to be tall but very narrow so the mist can go between them and dissipate.

^ Its all about the money and power, screw the mist.

LOL. No, you're thinking about Niagara Falls - USA. ;)

Firstly, the mist is caused by the towers obstructing prevailing winds which causes the air that gets through to sort of backflow dragging the mist with it. A study by an engineering firm says that if more towers were built, it would have little effect since it's already too late. However, if the towers were built farther back away from the falls, it may actually mitigate the problem that we see today.

This tower, as far as I know, is not in that cluster that is causing the misting problem so has no impact.

As for the Days Inn 166.6m expansion, what you see on SSP is what you're gonna get.

Some Renderings, taken from http://accessniagara.com/blog/.



http://www.accessniagara.com/blog/media/rendering1.jpg http://www.accessniagara.com/blog/media/rendering-behind.jpg http://www.accessniagara.com/blog/media/rendering-US.jpg

Appears to be a carbon copy of #80 Langham Place in Hong Kong (255m)
http://www.pbase.com/image/32135834.jpg
http://skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=127586&page=1&pp=20

I really like it.

"The amendment to allow the hotel tower passed with a 5-1 vote while the amendment to allow the water park passed in council unanimously."

i like the sounds of this!!

Wow, very weird design. I like it.

hmmm.. blurry screen captures...very mysterious... a very elusive creature. Is this 'hotel' real or a myth? :)

I don't know about this. Seems out of place on the skyline.

NORTH MINNEAPOLIS

^ huh?

:wtf: NORTH MINNEAPOLIS

http://www.city.niagarafalls.on.ca/economicoutreach/developments/images/rainbowtower-2.jpg http://www.city.niagarafalls.on.ca/economicoutreach/developments/images/rainbowtower-1.jpg

looks rather handsome.. I really like the north facade with the horizontal banding

Quite a landmark. Should look amazing when finished.

That would definatly be one of Canada's nicest buildings when completed...top 20 or 30 for sure.

I dont like how its different in the middle. Other then that it looks good and its in a great spot.

The middle section is probably where the kitchen and the dining area will be located.

I used to work at the Sheraton which you can see in the rendering and it's the same there, middle section is the dining area, which gives you a nice view of Niagara Falls well you eat.

check out the complete list of proposed hotels on the NF city website.... theres a whole wack of 20-30 storey buildings that I didn't know about, plus the big ones.

http://www.niagarafalls.ca/economicoutreach/qnewdev.html

is there any development besides hotels proposed for niagara falls? some condos overlooking the falls would be a good asset in the future as the population rises.

the city should at least reserve a bit of land for future residential development near the falls

is there any development besides hotels proposed for niagara falls? some condos overlooking the falls would be a good asset in the future as the population rises.

the city should at least reserve a bit of land for future residential development near the falls

interesting idea.... a view of the falls would be worth alot, but I doubt anyone would want to live near them. The urban context around the falls and the rainbow bridge area is completely geared to tourists. You wouldn't live near Clifton Hill, for example.

What would be nice is if the city would work on it's downtown area as well. This could serve it's residents by adding more density, more residential units for the NF workforce, and maybe some spinoff industries from the tourism, like hospitality and casino training.


just as a backgrounder.. I know alot of people have a misconception about the layout of the city. Where all the hotels are is not the downtown area. Looking at the map below: the touristy areas run near the falls, from where it says 'Fallsview' (where most of the new highrises are) to the Rainbow Bridge, where Clifton Hill is (which is where the building in this thread is proposed). The actual downtown is up where it says Queen and Park street at the top... this is where the VIA station is. From what I've seen in pictures, it's nothing special.

http://www.canadianniagarahotels.com/niagara-falls-map.gif

wow. really nice.

FUGLY. No architectural merit whatsoever.

Nice tower, I love that place and Canada, to me the Best Country

..........Geez....How much more jealous can we make the American side feel?.....hmm.

That'll likely be the fourth or fifth tallest tower in Canada. Only Toronto will have a taller skyscraper if i'm not mistaken. Good for Niagara falls. For a small city of 80,000 it has perhaps one of the best skylines in the world for a city its size.

US side must have a great view of the skyline though. Kind of like Windsor being the best view of the Detriot skyline

That would definatly be one of Canada's nicest buildings when completed...top 20 or 30 for sure.

well considering if trump and sapphire are built it will be canada's 6th tallest skyscraper (the other 5 all being in toronto

is there any development besides hotels proposed for niagara falls? some condos overlooking the falls would be a good asset in the future as the population rises.

the city should at least reserve a bit of land for future residential development near the falls

i agree..although im not sure i would like the condo's being right up overlooking the falls...close enough for a good view but not as close as the hotels.

..........Geez....How much more jealous can we make the American side feel?.....hmm.

That'll likely be the fourth or fifth tallest tower in Canada. Only Toronto will have a taller skyscraper if i'm not mistaken. Good for Niagara falls. For a small city of 80,000 it has perhaps one of the best skylines in the world for a city its size.

it will be the fourth tallest (5th if you include the CN Tower) and sixth if trump and sapphire are built (7th including the CN Tower)!!

Originally Posted by in'sauga
..........Geez....How much more jealous can we make the American side feel?.....hmm.

I think you're under the impression that Americans give a sh#t about Niagara Falls. I think it's demonstrated in the way the city has been left to decline that no one really thinks about it at all--not even New York State government. The local popualtion, myself included (living only about a half-hour away), have an interest in maintaining the city--but I don't think anyone is "jealous." To the contrary, it's nice to see Las-Vegas style development across the border. We Americans already have one Las Vegas, no need for another. And I think it has been long since accepted by Americans that Niagara Falls was once fashionable, like around the 1950s when Joan Crawford had a home there, but now it's kind of tacky and outdated. I don't see anything wrong with scaling back the Falls development on the American side, in favor of parks and hiking trails. If people from New York need to feel proud of their architectural achievements, I guess they'll just have to remember they've still got NYC. (and Buffalo ain't bad for looking at some impressive architecture, btw) That is, if you like Louis Sullivan (the "Father of the Skyscraper") Frank Lloyd Wright, E.B. Green, Olmstead, etc--they're all represented 20 miles down the NYS Thruway from Niagara Falls, NY. I doubt if many people travel to Mississauga, Ontario to look at amazing architecture. Who's jealous now?

First of all he was joking about the jealousy bit, and by the tone of your response it sounds like we hit a jealousy nerve...Anyway, get over it, and we are not jealous NOW either.

Originally Posted by in'sauga
..........Geez....How much more jealous can we make the American side feel?.....hmm.

I think you're under the impression that Americans give a sh#t about Niagara Falls. I think it's demonstrated in the way the city has been left to decline that no one really thinks about it at all--not even New York State government. The local popualtion, myself included (living only about a half-hour away), have an interest in maintaining the city--but I don't think anyone is "jealous." To the contrary, it's nice to see Las-Vegas style development across the border. We Americans already have one Las Vegas, no need for another. And I think it has been long since accepted by Americans that Niagara Falls was once fashionable, like around the 1950s when Joan Crawford had a home there, but now it's kind of tacky and outdated. I don't see anything wrong with scaling back the Falls development on the American side, in favor of parks and hiking trails. If people from New York need to feel proud of their architectural achievements, I guess they'll just have to remember they've still got NYC. (and Buffalo ain't bad for looking at some impressive architecture, btw) That is, if you like Louis Sullivan (the "Father of the Skyscraper") Frank Lloyd Wright, E.B. Green, Olmstead, etc--they're all represented 20 miles down the NYS Thruway from Niagara Falls, NY. I doubt if many people travel to Mississauga, Ontario to look at amazing architecture. Who's jealous now?


LIGHTEN UP!!!!

HOLY SHIT!!!.....I struck a nerve with this dude indeed Manitoba! Being this defensive suggests I can't be all that wrong afterall. Buffalo may have some impressive architecture I wont waste my breath arguing with you as you're already wasting enough of my time. The city itself is rather "dumpy" though, very drab. I can assure you, there is no jealousy here. Mississauga may lack architecture of historical significance as it is a young city, but it is far more liveable than unfashionable Buffalo.

Anyhoo.....its no excuse on Niagara Falls, US to let there city fall into such decay. The Niagara region is a natural marval but one glance at the American side and one step into the American side makes one wonder why they aren't doing more. I"m not suggesting turning it into a NY Las Vegas but at least make an effort to keep up with your neighbours.

And for the record.....I've never been jealous of anything American in my entire lifetime. (no offence) I'm not the jealous type.

Oh, sorry for not picking up on what must be Canadian humour. But I think you're remiss in picking up on the spirit of what I was trying to say. I am actually, truly happy to see development across the Peace Bridge and Rainbow Bridge. If you'd ever leave the Candian-centric and UK-centric threads, perhaps you'd notice some of my other posts, in which I actually defend Canada to many Americans. (Though it may be silly of me to suggest that you actually visit a thread revolving around American topics.) What I am always saying is that while much of the US population is shifting for sunnier skies and warmer weather in the Southern and Western parts of our country, it is good to see that the population in our part of the US will never meet its complete demise, thanks in part to being on the Canadian border. I love shopping in Ontario, and I am pleased to see more options so close to home. So, I apologize if I offended you, but perhaps you're the one with a chip on the shoulder. I think there needs to be less animosity between Canadians and Americans; we are, after all, neighbours. So, once again, I'm sorry (Je m'excuse).

I think NYC007 does have a point. Remember Niagara Falls success is based solely on the casino business. So this has got very little to do with the falls itself but more the commercialization of it. While the US side is bland, they at least did allow you to enjoy the full beauty of the falls itself.
Personally, I'm not going to takes sides. Both sides have their advantages. One being an entertainment mecca & the other being a natural environment.

However, I do think the US should try to clean the city up just a tad, I mean this is one of the natural wonders of the world here and it deserves its respect.

So in conclusion....ummm...I don't know where I'm going with this.

Oh, sorry for not picking up on what must be Canadian humour. But I think you're remiss in picking up on the spirit of what I was trying to say. I am actually, truly happy to see development across the Peace Bridge and Rainbow Bridge. If you'd ever leave the Candian-centric and UK-centric threads, perhaps you'd notice some of my other posts, in which I actually defend Canada to many Americans. (Though it may be silly of me to suggest that you actually visit a thread revolving around American topics.) What I am always saying is that while much of the US population is shifting for sunnier skies and warmer weather in the Southern and Western parts of our country, it is good to see that the population in our part of the US will never meet its complete demise, thanks in part to being on the Canadian border. I love shopping in Ontario, and I am pleased to see more options so close to home. So, I apologize if I offended you, but perhaps you're the one with a chip on the shoulder. I think there needs to be less animosity between Canadians and Americans; we are, after all, neighbours. So, once again, I'm sorry (Je m'excuse).


Apology accepted neighbour....that was very kind of you, especially since it wasn't my intention to offend anyone with my "jealous" comment. I'll try to be more sensetive next time I try to get my point across. Sorry if I've offended you back. I suppose there are more diplomatic ways of putting things.
I do visit all other threads just out of general interest, not just Canadian ones. However, I will still defend Mississauga but as a city it is an aquired taste. Clean and exceptionally safe, rapidly growing and promising skyline emerging, it's definitely changing.

I don't know about this. Seems out of place on the skyline.

yes it seems out of place now, but wait untill the hilton expansion and "that other one" (cant remember the name) at 166m are built, it will fit in nicely then with 2 other tall buildings...3 if you include the skylon tower!

Sorry to get kind of off the topic at hand, and not to put too fine a point on it, but in response to in'suaga's remark about Buffalo, "The city itself is rather 'dumpy' though, very drab," I feel compelled to add this final post about Buffalo. And, actually, it's not way off and completely unrelated, as the successes and failures of both Buffalo and Niagara Falls, both sides of the international border can affect one another.

But in defense of my home city, here goes:

What They're Saying About Buffalo (and many of these are Canadian references) :

"One late night visit to Chippewa Street will erase any fading dowager image from your mind forever. Young college students fill the city with energy and fun giving it a SoHo resonance."

- Currents (Cleveland, Ohio)

"Buffalo stands apart, less homogenized than many American cities. It eats hamburgers with the rest of us, but also Ted's charcoal-grilled hot dogs and Wardynski's kielbasa, Perry's ice cream and of course Buffalo chicken wings."

- R.W. Apple, "Apple's America: The Discriminating Traveler's Guide to 40
Great Cities in the United States and Canada"

"I love Buffalo. The people here are wonderful, genuine; they look you straight in the eye. It's a wonderful community you've got here, a real artistic sensibility. And wonderful musicians, as well."

- Ian Gillan, vocalist, Deep Purple

“The combination of intimate scale and grand painting and sculpture makesfor sophisticated ambience at the Albright-Knox.”

– Toronto Life


"Elmwood Village is famous for Queen Anne and Victorian Gothic homes, and its Elmwood Avenue bustles with night spots, cafes and shops. Browsers can find everything from vintage clothing at Don Apparel to an extensive fiction selection at Talking Leaves, an independent bookstore with attitude. The cozy neighborhood features international cuisine choices of Indian, Vietnamese, Japanese, Caribbean and Spanish food."

- Chicago Sun-Times

"Our eyes were opened to a different Buffalo, a city that has at once become vibrant and relevant, while remaining true to its historic roots by preserving its outstanding buildings."

-Welland Tribune

"Shea's was front and center for the 23rd annual Curtain Up!, the official start of the Buffalo theater season. Opening night crowds from 13 other theaters descended on the street outside Shea's for a party that blendedMardi Gras with Oscar night, where gentlemen in top hats and ladies with decolletage mingled with fire-eaters on stilts and the merely curious in blue jeans."

- The Hamilton Spectator

"What do the Chautauqua Institution, Elbert Hubbard's Roycroft and Frank Lloyd Wright have in common? At least two things: they flourished almost side by side near Buffalo, New York, and you can visit all three today."

- Style 1900

"The time to visit is summer, when Buffalo gets a glorious payback for its snowy winters with some of the best weather in the nation – three months of mostly sunny, dry days with temperatures in the high 70's and low 80's."

- The New York Times

"For the third time in two years, I was back in Buffalo...We've developed quite a comfortable routine: Book into the reasonably-priced Hampton Inn and Suites on Delaware Avenue, which always sets out an afternoon tray of tasty cookies for its customers; have at least one good meal along bar and restaurant-lined Elmwood Avenue; and drop by the world-class Albright-Knox Art Gallery."

- The Ottawa Sun

"People go to Buffalo for the high culture of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery or the low culture of NFL football. I go for all the stuff in between."

- NOW, Toronto

"In Buffalo, we got more than our (money's) worth. In fact, part of the joy of the visit was discovering world-class attractions in a city not known as an international tourist mecca. Such as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, an impressive neoclassical structure on the edge of a park designed by the legendary Frederick Law Olmsted, also the architect of New York's Central Park. Although the setting alone is worth the visit, inside is a collection of late 19th- and 20th-century art that holds it own against almost any museum in the nation outside of New York or Chicago."

- USA Today

"Buffalo is an indigenously, intrinsically hip place."

- Richard Florida, author of The Rise of the Creative Class

"In an age of cultural tourism, an age in which people are eager to find ways to explore places that are different from other places, places that do not look like the banal Anywhere is Nowhere is Everywhere of the American Interstate, Buffalo has a kind of power, the power of the authentic place."

- Paul Goldberger, architecture critic for the New Yorker

"Like the Maid of the Mist boat ride at nearby Niagara Falls, which immerses visitors in the Horseshoe Falls' spray, the Darwin Martin House immerses us in elements of nature. The horizontal thrust, low ceilings...and overpowering hearths are major elements of the 'Prairie Style.'"

- The Wall Street Journal

"I remember every meal I have ever had, and some of the best of them have been at a little chain of hot dog joints called Ted's, in the Buffalo area."

- David M. Shribman in Bon Appetit

"With its thriving medical-technology, aerospace and automotive-parts industries, sprawling State University of New York campus and burgeoning trade with Canada, Buffalo has cast off its old rust-belt image."

- The New York Times

"Buffalo -- yes, Buffalo -- is now walking proud as a hip center of arts and performances."

- The Washington Post


"Our visit to western New York's biggest city was blessed with gorgeous weather and mild temperatures, perfect for a stimulating long weekend visiting some of the nation's finest architectural landmarks and a major museum stuffed with terrific modern art."

- The Record (Bergen County, New Jersey)

"If you care about the art and architecture of the past century, a weekend in Buffalo may not be long enough for any dull moments. With cheap flights available, affordable rooms, good food, sassy weekly newspapers, uncomplicated driving, and laughably convenient parking, Modigliani admirers, at the very least, should make a plan."

- The Boston Globe

"Buffalo is a vast outdoor museum, displaying the work of many of the greatest architects of the mid-19th to the mid-20th century. The homes and public buildings they erected are often breathtaking and always interesting...The architectural treasures of Buffalo are riveting. They must be seen."

- The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Looking for a place to visit over a long weekend or a busy sight-seeing tour? Want a sleeper of a location chock full of name-brand architecture, vibrant neighborhoods, and parks to die for? Try Buffalo - that's right, Buffalo, N.Y. Believe it or not, this upstate port on the shores of Lake Erie offers much more than wings, waterfalls, snowstorms and Bills. Architecturally speaking, Buffalo is one of the most diverse and sophisticated cities in the country. If you haven't been there, you don't know what you are missing."

- Old House Journal

"USA Today launched a nationwide search for a "City with Heart" - one with the energy, excitement and community fellowship that make a one-stoplight town or a swarming metropolis a treasured hometown…The people of Buffalo…managed to be simultaneously proud and humble about their world-class art, architecture and grand urban parks; a great history including two U.S. presidents; and generations of immigrants and their descendants who turn every weekend from May to October into a street festival."

- USA Today (Upon naming Buffalo "The City With Heart")

"Buffalo has an even longer history of architectural distinction than Chicago; you could do worse than to take it as a textbook for a course in modern American buildings."

- The New York Times

"The Albright-Knox Art Gallery should be on everyone's list to see, for it's an overwhelming art experience. Small, intimate, and seductive, the museum has one of the most thumping modern and contemporary collections in the world."

- Thomas Hoving, former director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York


"Go for the festivals, but stay for the impressive array of visual arts."

- AmericanStyle Magazine (In an article ranking Buffalo the No. 8 U.S. Arts Destination)

"When was the last time you were inspired to explore Buffalo Niagara? If you ever needed a good reason - or reasons - consider this: it's blessed with outstanding theater, a world class symphony, authentic American heritage sites, extraordinary architecture, nonstop nightlife, a historic zoo and one of the world's top collections of modern art."

- Going Places Magazine

"We were initially interested in coming to Buffalo because of its reputation as a repository of important buildings by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. But the more we learned about the incredible array of late 19th and early 20th century homes here, the more we were convinced that Buffalo was an excellent location for our show."

- Randall Shuptrine, Producer HGTV's Restore America

"Our last day in Buffalo, we went to the Albright-Knox Gallery on Elmwood Avenue. This was the best thing Buffalo had to offer, even considering the wings. We wandered around the museum for hours, delighted at the whimsical, wacky artwork. We found pieces by Pablo Picasso, Roy Lichenstein, Vincent van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol and Jackson Pollock."

- The Baltimore Sun

"Buffalo has a remarkably vibrant and robust theatre community for a city of its size. Ranging from the 3,000 seat Shea's Performing Arts Center (a 1926 movie palace of real grandeur) where touring productions of Broadway shows routinely perform before record-breaking crowds to the Irish Classical Theatre Company, founded by members of Dublin's legendary Abbey Theatre, Buffalo theatre is both innovative and an integral part of the life of the community. Visiting artists invariably remark on the quality of the work being done here, the variety of performance spaces and the enthusiasm of the audiences."

- Zoom Magazine

"Visitors to this industrial town dotted with factories and grain elevators are quickly educated that Buffalo nurtures a rich heritage and world-class architectural treasures."

- American Eagle Latitudes

"A tradition for 20 years, Curtain Up draws theatre lovers to the city's theatre district around Main Street to toast the contribution of the arts to our lives, to dine, attend the play of their choice and then to sample street parties and music before a fireworks show lights up the sky at midnight."

- The Tribune (Welland, Ontario)

"Buffalo is, simply put, a really neat city. During our flying visit of less than 24 hours, we strolled those broad avenues, explored the old Statler hotel, played in the empty fountain basins of the McKinley Monument, studied the mesmerizing façade of the art deco City Hall, watched the Metro Rail streetcars zip along Main Street, looked in the window of the fabulous Shea's Theatre, and climbed the gangplank of the 610-foot guided missile cruiser U.S.S. Little Rock…That six of us were able to accomplish so much in such a short time - and to enjoy it all despite our diverse range of interests and ages - is amazing."

- Hamilton (Ont.) Spectator

"I left Buffalo feeling that its reputation suffers from the state in which it finds itself. Second largest city in New York - that's a tough gig. Really, Buffalo should be grouped with the other Great Lakes cities rather than the gotham of the East. It compares favorably to Chicago, for example. I'll take its wings over Chi-town's hot dogs, Bills fans over Bears fans, the Darwin D. Martin House Complex over the Wright houses in Oak Park, kazoos over the South Side blues…Well, that might be overstating it. But I can stomach a pretty long kazoo solo if it's played on the way to Niagara Falls."

- Car & Travel Monthly

"This year's Centennial Celebration is essentially an excuse to show off all that Buffalo has to offer, which is a lot: glorious architecture, eclectic restaurants, and excellent museums and cultural offerings."

- City Paper (Rochester, N.Y.)

^^^^

yaaaaay

From the Toronto StarJun. 4, 2005. 01:00 AM

Niagara gets an Eiffel to call its own
CHRISTOPHER HUME

Things are looking up in Niagara Falls, way up.

Last week, local councillors approved a 229-metre (755-ft.) tower on an important site overlooking the Niagara River and the falls.

The proposed 48-storey skyscraper, the Rainbow Tower, will be the tallest building in Niagara Falls. It will house a restaurant, hotel, an observation deck and other amenities. The $130 million structure, which will also serve as an entrance to Casino Niagara, will replace the Kodak Tower.

"There are occasions for towers," design architect Michael Kirkland says, "and this is one of them."

Kirkland's firm landed the project only a year ago after he was asked by the owners of the property, Canadian Niagara Hotels, to do a critique on an earlier scheme. One thing led to another and, Kirkland explains, soon he had taken on the job himself.

But before he could accept the commission, Kirkland had to declare a conflict of interest. He also happens to be chair of the City of Niagara Falls architectural peer review panel. That body advises civic council on all development projects in Niagara Falls taller than 10 storeys.

"The panel doesn't have statutory power," Kirkland explains. "It provides an analysis of whether various proposals meet the city's policies and advises city council."

As he points out, it's not unusual for members of such bodies to work in the city on whose design panels they serve. It happens most notably in Vancouver, where a similar group sits in judgment of all would-be developments.

Kirkland argues that by going so high, the new tower will acquire iconic status in the city of Niagara Falls. According to the designer, it will bring the community into the 21st century and add a much-needed note of architectural sophistication to the area.

Preliminary drawings show a tall, thin tower whose shaft is enlivened by different exterior treatments. The hotel will be visibly distinct from the observation tower, as if the Rainbow were two buildings in one. Towards the top, the south-facing façade has been chamfered to allow for unobstructed head-on views of the falls.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
`The tower is the signature element of a new round of revitalization'

Architect Michael Kirkland
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Halfway up, a restaurant will cantilever in spectacular fashion over the edge of the building. At the top, a spa/recreation centre will feature a glass-walled pool that also overlooks the falls.

"The tower is the signature element of a new round of revitalization on the Canadian Niagara Hotels site," Kirkland says. "It accepts its role as an icon unabashedly. It's going to be highly visible so the question is whether or not it's elegant. What it says is, `This is an exceptional building on an exceptional site.'"

Though not quite as tall as the 300-metre Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Rainbow will stand out in equally dramatic fashion.

Compared to the Sheraton Centre, the traditional mid-rise slab next door, Kirkland's addition is not only much higher but slimmer, too. The idea behind such point towers, as they're known, is that because they're so thin, they don't clutter the skyline. They have become popular in cities around the world, including Toronto, where Kirkland is based, and Vancouver, where the big concern is to maintain view-corridors.

As Kirkland makes clear, when it comes to towers, the real issue isn't so much height as how they meet the street. That means the crucial factor is what's going on at ground level, which is where people passing by experience the building, this is what we see and where we enter.

The Rainbow has also been consciously conceived to be part of something much larger at grade, namely the entrance to Casino Niagara, the Sheraton and Brock hotels as well as the aquatic centre now under construction on Falls St.

This entrance atrium will be a large indoor space with an interior pedestrian pathway system.

But if Torontonians are any indication, the response of Niagara Falls residents will inevitably be hostile. Fear of heights informs a great many development decisions in this city. Here, we would rather squash and spread than go tall. Still, it's debatable whether the slab buildings residents seem to prefer really are more desirable than the point towers now popping up. True, they fill less airspace, but on the ground they loom much larger.

Regardless, partly because of Kirkland's efforts as the design panel chair, council has now approved two towers more than 30 storeys tall. The first was an expansion to the Hilton Hotel that got the go-ahead last year.

The Rainbow still has to be approved by Niagara Region, but that isn't expected to be a problem. Assuming all goes according to schedule, construction should begin next spring.

have there been any updates on the days inn expansion? are there any more drawings apart from the one domer already linked us to?

also, are they any updates on the rumored 61 storey hotel?

have there been any updates on the days inn expansion? are there any more drawings apart from the one domer already linked us to?

also, are they any updates on the rumored 61 storey hotel?

the drawings domer showed us are for the Rainbow Tower Hotel at 59 stories not the days in expansion wich will be 50 stories, for a days in expansion diagram rendering go to www.skyscraperpage.com and type niagara falls in the diagram box. What is this rumored 61 story hotel you are talking about?

oh and by the way, welcome to the forum!! :cheers:

the drawings domer showed us are for the Rainbow Tower Hotel at 59 stories not the days in expansion wich will be 50 stories, for a days in expansion diagram rendering go to www.skyscraperpage.com and type niagara falls in the diagram box."

What is this rumored 61 story hotel you are talking about?

oh and by the way, welcome to the forum!! :cheers:

domer at the bottom of the page provided a link to the skyscrape page for niagara falls that shows days inn (among others). I was just wondering if anyone had anymore drawings (for the days inn).

i believe tony said he knows of a 61 story hotel project on page 2. i was hoping he could give us some more info.

thanks, i found out about this place in may when the rainbow hotel was announced. first time i've decided to post though

^ sorry boys, I have no new info. All I know is the developer had sent out a request for a Planning and Architect firm to help develop it. What I can tell you is that it's definately not in the main cluster of highrises.

Not quite right. When I toured NF about 8-9 years ago, the city looked like it had gone to shit. Since the Government of Ontario brought in the casinos NF has boomed. The casinos have made NF a year-round destination. Prior to the casinos, tourism was more seasonal.

The casinos are definitely a part of the boom, but the real reason is the amalgamation of regional planning activities (the "all for one, one for all" attitude). Things get done a heck of alot faster when the bodies that approve such developments are simple, concise, and nimble.

By the same token, even to the untrained eye, this type of philosophy obviously runs counter to the tried and true NYS way of running things (the taller the wedding cake of bureaucracy, the better!); which is why you will never see highrises on the US side of the Falls (for better or for worse). I wouldn't actually be too surprised to see a bit of development reversal on that side, what with the removal of the Robert Moses Parkway and such. It would be kind of cool to have Vegas on one side, and Victoria Falls (or as close as you could get to it) on the other.

Some of this development going up now makes me wonder how much longer some of the major players on the Canadian side have left in their lifespan, such as the Skylon Tower? Last I saw, it was starting to look pretty old and weathered. I wouldn't be surprised to see it eventually fall to some sort of replacement, a la Las Vegas. Landmarks don't stand a chance in places like that.

^ Well that's not quite right either. I'm talking about why Niagara Falls has turned things around, and it wasn't because regional planning activities were amalgamated over the last few years or so. Here's the history on this:

Work on local government reform began in 1963 with the creation of the "Niagara Peninsula Municipal Committee on Urban and Regional Research". Dr. Henry Mayo was commissioned in 1965 to report on such a restructuring to the provincial government's minister of municipal affairs, the Honourable J. W. Spooner. The Mayo Report, released in 1966 recommended that the Regional Municipality of Niagara be created.

A bold movement to reform local government in the decade of 1965 to 1975 saw many county governments (in place since confederation in 1867) reorganized in the populated industrial corridor around the Great Lakes.

Niagara became part of the reform movement to create new forms of governance - Regional Governments. On June 26, 1969, the provincial legislature enacted The Regional Municipality of Niagara Act. On January 1, 1970 twelve area governments and one regional government replaced the 2 counties and 26 municipal structures.


http://www.regional.niagara.on.ca/living/region/history.aspx (lots of fun reading here if you are really interested about the region)

So things have been this way for 35 years! You imply that these changes are fairly recent. Niagara had regional government but continued to decline for decades.

The casinos are much more recent than any significant change in regional governance. Regional government facilitated the boom, but the casinos were the catalysts for it.

^ sorry boys, I have no new info. All I know is the developer had sent out a request for a Planning and Architect firm to help develop it. What I can tell you is that it's definately not in the main cluster of highrises.

61 story's, i wonder hows tall that would be? and if it was built outside the main cluster that would be so stupid it would look so out of place! can niagara falls even handle another large building, or is the tourism they get enough to support it?

61 story's, i wonder hows tall that would be? and if it was built outside the main cluster that would be so stupid it would look so out of place! can niagara falls even handle another large building, or is the tourism they get enough to support it?

You know, I sometimes wonder that myself... but then another goes up anyway.

i've read several reports stating niagara falls will host 30 million visitors withing the next two decades.... basically double what we have now.

61 story's, i wonder hows tall that would be? and if it was built outside the main cluster that would be so stupid it would look so out of place! can niagara falls even handle another large building, or is the tourism they get enough to support it?

Marriott Courtyard
Skylon Redevlopment
Crowne Plaza
Great Wolf Lodge
Hilton Expansion
HOCO/Clifton Hill Expansion
http://www.city.niagarafalls.on.ca/economicoutreach/qnewdev.html

Note: Scroll down and click on the above titles for photos/drawings of these developments in Niagara Falls

More developments are on the way. In the St. Catharines Standard there was a project worth $1.5 billion composed of different facilities/attractions. One thing is a 20 storey hotel on top of the whirlpool bridge. The most skeptical project imo.

While it's great too see the amount of development in Niagra falls and the corresponding economic success, I must admit I am a bit worried about the concentration of tourist based business.
Niagra Falls should try to diversify a bit more. If the whole city becomes a one industry town, it will be very susceptable to market conditions. An example, imagine if another SARS, or for that matter an Avian flu pandemic. Guess which city would get hit one of the hardest.
Hopefully nothing will happen, but it's something to watch out for.

Heres a little insight to some of the behind the scenes stuff I was able to obtain on this topic for you all. Proof of Project (http://www.canadianniagarahotels.com/04516WIND.pdf)

I read in wikipedia that these tall bulidings have changed the wind pattern across falls and as a result canadian side view is now not that good with more mist...i personally have experienced this in my recent visits to the falls.If thts true i think they should not build tall buildings in vicinity of the falls

I was just in Niagara Falls. There is more mist, but the view is as awesome as ever.

Not to diminish this tower but there is another down the pipe somewhere at 61 Storeys. I have no details other than knowing it does indeed exist.


So it's been awhile, and we haven't heard anything about this. Do you know if it's dead or...

How about releasing some info??? :cheers1:

Like most wonderful things I keep coming across for N.F., it's probably dead too. :(

But really, who knows. If it's still a go, they must have contracted a Planning and Architecture firm by now and are working on a submission.

Last I heard was it was away from the main cluster, somewhere close to a golf course?

The Casino Tower may need to be imploded to make way for the Rainbow Tower Hotel. Although the chances of the hotel getting built may be very slim.