ldoto

Update!

A proposed 600-unit, $100-million twin tower apartment project in London's core is a "lottery ticket" city council can't refuse.

But it also could carry a price of more than $3 million for taxpayers if the city wants it to include a five-storey, 327-stall public parking garage.
Each tower will include five storeys of parking for residents.

Kappa21

such a boring city........

ldoto

With nearly 11,000 suggestions to choose from, it's a toss-up which will be the taller order -- building London's newest high-rise, or naming it.

When Tricar Group began work on the $100-million, twin-tower apartment complex this fall, it invited Londoners to name the new downtown landmark in a contest offering more than $5,000 in prizes.

Nearly 11,000 submissions came in by the time the contest closed Friday. "The people of the city really seemed to embrace the contest. It's amazing," Joe Carapella of Tricar said yesterday. "We're really happy about it."

Many of the submissions are identical to others -- variations using the two street names, King and Ridout, where the towers are being built. Carapella and his staff will spend the next few days reviewing entries, the winner to be announced this Friday.

ldoto

McKay-Cocker will construct the plant in Woodstock.

A London construction firm will build the new Toyota plant in Woodstock.

McKay-Cocker Construction is looking to hire more than 500 workers as it prepares to start construction on the $1.1-billion manufacturing plant, which will employ 2,000 when it begins production in 2008.

"We're thrilled. This is great for us," chief executive Paul Cocker said yesterday. "This is a very important, highly visible project and it is a real boost."

The company -- which is partnering with Michigan construction firm Walbridge Aldinger to build about 75 per cent of the massive job -- will double its staff of 150 and add another 400 workers through trades and subtrades to get the job done, he said.

"We will be hiring everywhere from Toronto to Windsor, but most of those people will come from here," said Cocker.

The deal comes at just the right time, helping to offset a cooling of employment in the auto parts sector, added Mike Ropp, training and apprenticeship co-ordinator for Local 1059, Labourers International Union in London.

"This is a huge win," Ropp said. "That much local work will mean job security for some workers."

Although area manufacturers have complained of a skills trade shortage, London has a 6.7-per-cent unemployment rate, meaning there are still workers available to get the job done, said Jeny Wallace, director of workforce development with the London Economic Development Corp.

"We have capacity. This is a clear indication of a fabulous spinoff for London and a great opportunity for London and area workers," she said.

The remaining 25 per cent of the jobs will be contracted to other firms, but McKay-Cocker and its U.S. partner will build:

- A 675,000-square-foot assembly building.

- A 185,000-square-foot paint shop.

- A 495,000-square-foot weld shop.

- A 45,000-square-foot utility building.

- Site work, which means paving and drainage for the area.

"We are very fortunate," said Cocker. "Now, we're just sitting down to staff it and schedule it and will start tendering it soon."

McKay-Cocker will also be looking for project managers, superintendents, labourers and carpenters.

The company has also won deals to build the $65-million Toyota Boshoku parts plant in Woodstock, which will supply Toyota with seats, door panels and floor carpets. And it's also contracted to tear down a shopping mall on the site.

In addition, McKay-Cocker will break ground tomorrow on Aisin Canada, a 140,000-square-foot auto parts plant in Stratford.

"We're a medium-sized company, but this increases our visibility, which is great. It may lead to other things," said Cocker.

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The Forest City

ldoto

Update!

Here's some info I got from someone from SSP!

Everything you wanted to know about the specifics of the Tricar downtown project:


http://council.london.ca/Planning%20.../1Item%208.pdf

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The Forest City