Niagara Falls Toronto Power Generating Station Redevelopment | ?m | 6s | Pearle Hospitality | +VG

innsertnamehere said:
Alas Fallsview opened in 2004, 19 years ago, not 10.
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That date notwithstanding; I actually think there may be some merit to the idea, in part.

Casinos are known for being relatively windowless; for buildings that are literally cavernous (going down into the ground), a casino on the lower levels might make some sense; If that allowed demolition of the blight that is Fallsview, which would in turn allow for re-extension of the rail a bit further to the east, and a new train station.

I certainly wouldn't want to see that use for both of them; nor would I want to see the grandest (presumably at or above grade levels) be relegated to private/customer only use............

Still....
 
I can see the OPGS reused for a "green" purpose rather than a specifically touristic purpose.
I'm sure I must have read about it before, but did the TPGS once have a pediment on the river side?
 
How about as a home for the new university or a campus of Niagara College?
 
rdaner said:
How about as a home for the new university or a campus of Niagara College?
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Last I heard the intent was for some sort of new post-secondary campus beside the VIA/GO Station.

Certainly a nice enough building, but there seems to be a lack of logical expansion space for a campus, assuming one does not wish to eat into the parkland.
 
Although I didn't see it in the link, I would imagine a parks commission, as an agency of the provincial government, Would want to limit any potential use to align with its mandate. Then again, Ontario Place seems to be heading for the highest bidder (contributor?) so who knows.

With two casinos plus one across the river, I think the area is covered.
 
yrt+viva=1system said:
Maybe even a small museum dedicated to the history of hydro generation in Ontario
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That's already covered at the Canadian Power Company Generating Station, which opened to the public in 2021 as the Niagara Parks Power Station. Totally worth visiting. We did a story! The old outflow tunnel to below the falls has now opened too, and frankly it's kinda awesome!

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Well, there is already one site interpreting power generation and is apparently marvelous - but you don't need two or three.

Cue proposals for a casino, or a spa! This is Ontario after all.
 
Pearle Hospitality (the operator behind Ancaster Mill, Cambridge Mill, Elora Mill, etc.) has won the bid to restore and renovate the Toronto Power Station on the Niagara River in Niagara Falls.

The E.J. Lennox designed building, one of the grandest in the province (IMO), has been abandoned since 1974.

Pearle Hospitality will renovate and expand the building to accommodate a 5-star boutique hotel right on the Niagara River.

Project cost is apparently expected to be over $200m.

The project will include a museum dedicated to EJ Lennox, a free public observation deck, a 5-star hotel, a public art gallery and theatre, event space, and educational programming.

Construction is apparently scheduled to start in 2024, concluding in 2027.


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Yowza! Interesting combination of restoration and tarted-up tartiness! One side of me is glad this building is going to be reused and celebrated, the other side HAAAAATES this, and then the part of me offloaded to the cloud is like "what?!?!?!?!?!, hooboy, hmm, we'll see…"

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interchange42 said:
Yowza! Interesting combination of restoration and tarted-up tartiness! One side of me is glad this building is going to be reused and celebrated, the other side HAAAAATES this, and then the part of me offloaded to the cloud is like "what?!?!?!?!?!, hooboy, hmm, we'll see…"

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Every other Pearle property in Ontario has been a complete money-printing success for them as far as I am aware. They have plenty of experience with heritage properties as well - I think it's about the best partner that could have been asked for here. All their other heritage work has been very well done.

This is far more ambitious than what they have done to date so far however.

I think there would be strong demand for a unique, luxury hotel product in Niagara Falls as well.. so this could work very well.

As with any of these outlandish proposals in Niagara Falls, We'll have to see.
 
Great! Maybe they can buy the other big Lennox building (old city hall!) what’s going on with it? No news.
 
rdaner said:
Great! Maybe they can buy the other big Lennox building (old city hall!) what’s going on with it? No news.
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Uhh, no. Absolutely not. Nor is that going to happen.

There are plans..........in due course....
 
I actually quite like this proposal, it offers a lot. The free public observation deck, public art gallery and E.J. Lennox museum are all great and I hope they make the final cut. As touched on earlier in this thread, we probably don't need (or would be able to realistically support) another interpretive power generation museum, so it seemed inevitable that this would become a private development along these lines. Pearle Hospitality seems quite capable too, based on previous projects, and I like that they've designed a very complementary addition.

I think the important thing here is that the elements that add some public benefit (observation deck, museum, gallery, educational programming - whatever the ends up meaning) aren't cut as this project progresses.
 
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