Hammer Reno's

[raisethehammer]

I'd like this thread to contain info on all the small reno projects that take place throughout the city. I'm a believer in the "one building at a time" approach to revitalizing our fine city. Please refrain from posting large projects in this thread. This is for the 'coming soon' signs that always pop up on freshly renovated storefronts, and mysterious scaffolding and disposal bins that arrive in front of buildings full of history in need of some TLC.

[raisethehammer]

Downtown needs more folks like Gary

He says more people should live downtown, so he's making his home there - literally
October 31, 2007
Paul Wilson
The Hamilton Spectator
(Oct 31, 2007)
Today's paper is plumper than usual, and it's not just flyers. Tucked inside is a 48-page section called Hamilton Next.

It's a look at where this city needs to go and how it can get there. As far as downtown Hamilton is concerned, there's agreement that we want to have more people who call the core home.

And in a derelict three-storey walk-up on James North, we find a country boy who's come to the city to do his part.

His name is Gary Buttrum. That surname will be familiar to many. There have been Buttrums at the Hamilton Farmers' Market for 160 years.

This Buttrum is 32 and grew up on a farm in Waterdown. He was on the fields from the beginning -- tucked in a melon box, strapped to the cabbage planter.

He drove tractor as soon as he could push in the clutch. He picked, weeded, packed, worked the stand at the market.

Looking back, he'll say this about farming: "Accomplishing things really does get in your blood."

It came time for higher education. "There's no money in farming," Buttrum says, "so I decided to go into something where there's even less money." He went to McMaster for Fine Arts and Comparative Literature.

That led to graphics work with a glow-in-the-dark mini golf outfit. He supervised painting crews at sites of new centres, including Memphis, Tenn., and Chicago.

But the company's art department got laid off. And in truth, that work wasn't really stoking Buttrum's fire. He started doing painting and reno work.

Seven years ago he moved onto James Street North, to an apartment over the Hamilton Pipe Shop. He eventually got the third floor too and began turning it into his art studio.

After ripping up a few layers of linoleum, he discovered some fine hardwood floors and realized the place was too nice for him to be slopping around with his paints. He would open a gallery instead.

"It turned into an excuse to have parties, and sometimes 150 people showed up." And talk often turned to downtown renewal and preserving historical buildings.

"I was constantly saying, 'I've just got to buy one of these buildings,'" Buttrum says. "Then Kieran caught the bug, too."

That would be Kieran C. Dickson, junior partner with the old downtown law firm of Evans, Philp.

The two friends were always talking about fixing up some old gem. Others got weary of hearing them plot and said, "If you haven't bought a building by Christmas, you have to leave the city."

Last November they found just the place, on James Street North near Cannon Street. For decades it had been the European Meat Market. You may have noticed the pigs' feet and fresh kaisers in the window.

It closed some years ago. As for the top two floors, they had been empty since the 1960s.

When Buttrum and Dickson saw the place, there was no furnace, no hydro and many of the windows had been boarded up. But the two knew the shell was sound and bought the place for something under $100,000.

Buttrum is the labour in this partnership, though Dickson does come down after work and slug out bushels of old plaster.

The plan is to rent out the storefront and turn the top two floors of this space into a custom-home-quality apartment that will be Dickson's home, at least until it's time to move onto the next reno project.

The high ceilings, the generous windows, the door casings and wide baseboards all stay. But there will be new plumbing and wiring, a large open-concept kitchen, ensuite bathroom off the master bedroom with double sinks and laundry facilities. On this day, they're punching out part of the back wall on the third floor for a set of double doors that open onto a patio in the sky.

And now Buttrum has bought that building where he lives, the Hamilton Pipe Shop quarters just doors away.

"We need people living down here and shopping down here and walking down here," he says. "That's what's going to save downtown."

[raisethehammer]

A thriving core depends on people walking its streets and living in its buildings. Observers say many downtown buildings have the good bones to make them people-friendly. But change is still needed -- windows and doors must be opened to the street, living spaces must be created above stores. ISSUE: REVITALIZING THE CORE THROUGH ITS BUILDINGS. IDEA: USE CURRENT SPACE TO CREATE MORE CONDOS AND APARTMENTS. ; 'We have the potential of turning it into one of the most exciting spaces to be in North America. There is wonderful architecture.'
Stories by Doug Foley
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(Oct 31, 2007)
It may never regain its position as Hamilton's commercial heart, but the city's architectural community say there can be new life in the old town.

They see a world of potential in the city's heart, and say the first step to revitalizing it is attracting back the people who have shunned it.

They are not talking about shoppers. They say downtown's future depends on making it a more attractive place to live.

It may seem like a tough argument to make, what with recent news of violent crime and downtown's generally rundown look and feel, but major condominium developments such as the Pigott/Sun Life buildings, Chateau Royale and former Bell Canada office have started the ball rolling.

Architects say there is a wealth of other potential upscale living accommodations in the core.

There are parking lots crying out for residential and commercial development, and three- and four-storey spaces above the businesses in the core awaiting refurbishing as modern apartments and condos.

Hamilton and Burlington Society of Architects chairman Bill Curran says increasing downtown's residential component is critical for the health of the entire city.

"The character of the city is driven by the nature of the core," he said. "Having a core that is struggling affects the entire character of the city.

"Downtown living is critical. The more people we have living there, the better the core will be.

"You are going to have restaurants that are busier, more retail on the streets and more people on the streets, which makes them safer."

That sounds like the Hamilton of 40 years ago when King and James was the heart, home to the major banks and department stores, the big movie houses and best restaurants, City Hall and the major utilities offices, The Spectator and hundreds of smaller businesses serving just about every need.

While the city's suburban areas have since flourished, the core has deteriorated to a state that most longtime Hamiltonians do not recognize it as "my" downtown.

It has a reputation, rightly or wrongly, of being dirty and dangerous with a growing population of panhandlers and vagrants, and few of the amenities offered at suburban shopping malls.

Hamilton native David Premi returned to the city two years ago to open his own company after working as an architect in Toronto for almost 25 years and was shocked at the deterioration.

"But people don't see what it can be," he said. "They think it's a hell hole, but it has the potential to be one of the nicest urban places to be.

"Mixed use is how to create a healthy urban centre -- stores and offices and living space all mixed together. The ideal is that you can live, work, shop and play, all on foot.

"It's not a terribly attractive place to live now because you have to get in your car to go to the Meadowlands to buy something."

Architect John Mokrycke calls the area of King Street from James to Walnut one of the most potentially lucrative development sites in the city.

"We have the potential of turning it into one of the most exciting spaces to be in North America," he said. "There is wonderful architecture, and if it's redeveloped creating living spaces above the stores, it would make a huge difference in the core area.

"Architects who come here from out of town are overwhelmed by the potential because this community is so rich in older buildings."

One such architect is Michael Pettes, who works out of Oakville. He says the older architecture in downtown Hamilton reminds him of areas of New York City with its red-brick facades and various styles.

"It doesn't look so good now and it's sitting there doing nothing. It just needs to be upgraded."

Mokrycke said some downtown properties have been in the same hands for decades with no signs of the owners wanting to do anything with them.

The architects say those owners have to commit to converting them to living spaces, and the city has to help with speedier approvals for building permits.

They cited two areas in Toronto --King Street at Spadina Avenue and Parliament Street -- where the city relaxed regulations to spur development.

"They had fast turnarounds on approvals and permits, and those areas are just burgeoning and vibrant," said Premi.

"Hamilton has to make itself more welcoming for developers, who just see this as a hornet's nest.

"They don't know if or when they will get permits, and that has to change. It's the No. 1 biggest problem. It's too risky to spend money here."

The architects point to signs of improvement downtown with the resurgence of activity on James Street North and east on King Street where small entrepreneurs are opening businesses and creating apartments.

And they point to the Art Gallery of Hamilton, which remade itself as a more people-friendly place with an $18-million overhaul.

The gallery had long been criticized for its daunting brick facade and apparent lack of connection to downtown. The reconstruction opened the building to the outside with more windows and an impressive entrance on King Street West.

It's an example that the architects say the former Eaton's Centre should follow on James Street North and one Jackson Square has picked up on with more store windows onto King West and the addition of a restaurant patio.

Jackson Square and Eaton's were supposed to be the new downtown, but many blame them for helping suck the life out the core with their less-than- people-friendly design. The edifices added unfriendly brick walls to the streetscape.

Curran said Toronto's Eaton Centre addressed that same criticism by opening businesses' doors and windows to Yonge Street.

"That has brought life back to Yonge Street," he said. "You can change those things."

Premi said architecture alone won't save downtown Hamilton but it can be integral to the revitalization.

"There are a lot of good architects, and we are ready to participate but we can't lead the charge. Someone has to get the ball rolling, and when it does it will be out of control."

dfoley@thespec.com

905-526-3264

What the city has to offer:

The Good

* James Street North resurgence

* Smaller-scale renovations in the King and Walnut area

* Art Gallery of Hamilton renovations

* City Hall plans to make its forecourt a people place

* Nostalgia -- people want a downtown

* Wealth of good architecture and building types

* Lots of free parking if you scout around

The Bad

* Noise and fumes from bus traffic

* Reputation as being unsafe

* Condition of Gore Park

* Still too many one-way streets

* Hamilton City Centre's facade

* Perception of City Hall as unfriendly to developers

* Older downtown buildings lack elevators and bigger floor space tenants demand today

* Too many parking lots

* A depressed area that is home to vagrants and panhandlers

AGH president-CEO Louise Dompierre: 'Sense of openness and easy access'

Case study: ART GALLERY OF HAMILTON Open the front door to the street and the people will come.

The Art Gallery of Hamilton hoped its $18-million reconstruction would help draw up to 150,000 visitors a year.

It did, and then some.

AGH president and chief executive officer Louise Dompierre reports that 160,000 people entered the gallery in 2006, and credits the restoration work.

"Generally speaking, people love the renovations and feel more comfortable in the gallery," she said. "We wanted the building to reflect the new direction of the gallery with a sense of openness and easy access. With more people coming, it signals that we met our goal."

Now the key is extending that feeling to the rest of downtown.

Since it opened in 1976, the AGH had been criticized as being somewhat unwelcoming, a criticism shared with its neighbours, the provincial office tower and Hamilton Convention Centre, and Jackson Square across the street.

Their brick walls and lack of windows contributed to downtown developing an atmosphere of being closed in and dark.

Hamilton architects say the AGH reconstruction -- by Hamilton-born architect Bruce Kuwabara of Toronto firm Kuwabara Payne McKenna Blumberg -- shows changes can be made to existing buildings to transform that atmosphere and improve the core.

While the AGH was at the high end of renovations at $18 million, that resulted in an almost completely rebuilt and refurbished building.

"It was a really introverted building," said architect David Premi. "It completely turned its back to the city.

"The renovations were relatively expensive but they made it work with a couple of simple moves.

"They brought it onto King Street; they made it transparent; they made it welcoming at a pedestrian scale and, with the sculpture pavilion, they have brought a view of the building out to Main Street."

Kuwabara said at the time that his dream was that the reborn AGH would be the catalyst for further downtown revitalization.

So far, Jackson Square has taken steps to open itself to King Street West, and City Hall is looking into making its forecourt more of a people place.

"It takes time for an impact to be felt," said Dompierre of the AGH starting a kind of domino effect. "But when I think from the time I came here (December 1998) to the actual start of renovations and their completion, that was a long period of time.

"But things did happen."

[raisethehammer]

ps...I completely disagree. Downtown CAN, SHOULD and WILL become the centre of Hamilton's retail/commercial activity once again.
It's happened in other cities and can happen here.

[raisethehammer]

unfortunately I don't know how to get the associated photos from these articles to show up.


Another reason to love this city

Some people can't figure Graham Crawford out.

First of all, after 25 years of living the good life in Toronto, what's he doing in Hamilton?

And why did he buy that 12-foot-wide Chinese bakery on James Street North then line the walls with big flat-screen monitors?

Well, it's because he's about to open his own museum, a free exhibition and meeting space devoted to the architecture and personalities of Hamilton.

And why is he doing that?

"Because I want people to fall in love with this city again."

Crawford, 53, grew up on the east Mountain. Father was a manager in accounting at Stelco. Mother was a manager at several CIBC branches around the city. "She was my creative role model," Crawford says. "She was a determined woman."

He went off to Ryerson to take radio and television arts. In the summers he worked at Stelco, flipping red-hot ribbons of steel. The heat was so intense you worked a half-hour on, half-hour off.

After Ryerson, Crawford ended up in corporate communications at Stelco. In 1980, he headed to Toronto.

A few years later, he and a partner started a small management consulting business.

Early on, through a lucky meeting at a trade show, they landed a contract teaching communication skills to IBM executives in the States. They framed the cheque for that one -- $280,000, an awful lot of money back then.

They eventually had clients such as Imperial Oil, Royal Bank and Canon, and training programs in 18 countries.

Crawford says his job in the fires of Stelco stayed with him. He would say to executives: "You want to be a leader? It's not how you see things from your office. It's how your employees experience things on the front line."

Crawford's goal had always been to retire young, right from the time in Grade 13 when he read Napoleon Hill's 1930s classic, Think & Grow Rich.

So Crawford and his business partner sold the business, both now wealthy men. The partner retired to a castle in Muskoka. Crawford chose this city.

He retired at the end of 2004. About a year before that, he and sister Gillian had a final visit and cry at the family home, 57 Broker Dr. Mother had passed away and it was going to be sold.

Then Crawford took a drive around the Durand neighbourhood. He ended up going though an old six-bedroom beauty.

By the time he reached the dining room, he knew he wanted the house. He wrote a note and told the agent to include it with his offer: "I commit to honouring the legacy of care that is so obvious in this house." It was soon his.

So his Christmas party was held in Hamilton that year, not in Cabbagetown. He showed his friends around. They started to understand, kind of.

It didn't really matter. Crawford knew he'd done the right thing.

"I've met dozens of people here whom I find interesting and charming and supportive."

He went on a James Street North art crawl last year.

"There were hundreds of people down here. And not just the usual suspects, but a really mixed crowd. It felt fantastic."

Crawford had already become involved in Hamilton history, including a vigorous effort to save the Lister Block. He's famous in some circles for standing in the middle of a council meeting with a big poster he made up: Restoration, Not Replication. This March he decided it was time to take his passion for history a step further.

So he bought the skinny three-storey building at 165 James N., not far from the armoury, for $181,000. Then he spent another $70,000 and turned it, top to bottom, into a smart, clean-line space.

HIStory + HERitage (905-526-1405) will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This Friday is opening day.

History here isn't delivered with dusty artifacts. It's talks and discussions and photos and video. Early exhibitions include James Street North -- the World's Neighbourhood; The Women of Whitehern; A City's Hall -- Architect Stanley Roscoe's Masterwork.

He plans to package a presentation for teachers. And he invites submissions.

"Maybe you've got a picture of you and your grandfather in front of the barbershop that you went to for years. Bring it in. I'll put it in a frame, put it on the wall ... . My goal is to appeal to all of Hamilton."

StreetBeat appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

[raisethehammer]

Watchmaker's shop defies time

October 22, 2007
Paul Wilson
The Hamilton Spectator
(Oct 22, 2007)
For the first time in 120 years, no one named Edwin Pass will be fixing clocks and watches on John Street South.

"I'm tired," says Edwin J. Pass, 77, who has worked at the shop on John near Jackson since the summer of 1946.

His grandfather, Edwin K. Pass, was first. He arrived from Coventry, England, at 21, having just finished a seven-year watchmaker's apprenticeship. In 1887, he set up his shop, right where it is today.

There were no cars then. No electricity. Even the wristwatch was not yet born.

The first Pass begat a second, Edwin S. The two worked side by side at a desk of solid cherry by the front window. Two apprentices toiled at the back.

At the end of the Second World War, young Edwin J. Pass joined his father and grandfather in the shop. All wore shirts, ties and vests, no matter how hot the day.

Grandfather died in 1955, and father 20 years later. Edwin J. has been on his own these past several decades.

The mechanical way of watches, with mosquito-sized axles and tiny balance wheels, changed when the Swiss introduced quartz precision. Now you can buy a $20 electronic watch -- with no moving parts.

But Edwin J. became the man to whom Hamilton turned to fix the old mechanical marvels.

On this morning, Joe Mancinelli's pieces are going home. The well-known union leader has a serious clock addiction. He has old clocks in the hall, in the kitchen, in the bathroom. He's just had two 1830s English grandfather clocks overhauled at the Pass shop and will now have to find another master craftsman.

"I might have been able to coax out another few years," Edwin says, "but I would start to shake. The quality would be gone.

"This is physically demanding work. You need a grip of steel. You need wonderful eyesight. You need very good hearing to listen to how the clock's behaving. You need a keen sense of smell to know what kind of chemical somebody used to gum up the works. You need all your faculties."

Edwin and wife Barbara have a daughter. She is not Edwina, but Anne, and has a good career in construction management.

So Edwin J. would be the last. He decided it should happen this year.

Back in the 1970s, urban renewal ruled. In the core, they were knocking down old theatres and stores and putting in Jackson Square.

Someone in the city hall ranks paid Edwin a visit back then and said, "You know, it's old stores like yours that are holding this city back."

But Edwin would not rip out the past. Not the pressed-copper ceiling. Not the front display window, with showcase mirror on lead-weighted pulleys. Not the big wood-and-glass doors. Not the fancy tiled floor.

And he left that one-ton, bank-quality, century-old Taylor safe right by the front door. It was customized at the factory by in-house artists who painted on special-request landscapes and the Pass name.

So prospective purchasers saw all this when agents brought them through. "A lot of the people were just investors," Edwin says. "The history didn't matter."

Then along came Robin McKee. He is 55, has been an audio man with CHCH for some 30 years and operates a company called Historical Perceptions, which does cemetery tours, research, writing, photography.

He is not a rich man, but decided that he must make this time capsule his. He remortgaged his house near Gage Park and has bought the Pass premises for $145,000.

He plans to change nothing. He'll sell Hamilton history exotica and, beside the old safe, he's creating a little Pass shrine. He's applying right away to designate the building, which makes it harder for anyone to ever tear it down.

"This is not a noble thing," McKee says. "I'm just putting my money where my mouth is and riding the wave of downtown rejuvenation."

The deal closes Wednesday morning. The clockmaker will head for home at noon, a quiet end to the Edwin era.

[raisethehammer]

actually Robin, it is a noble thing.
All of us who love this city and it's rich history thank you!

[the dude]

hope this qualifies for the thread. the owner of this pawn shop on king e seems to have caught the reno bug. he's ripped that terrible facade off this old building [ca.1870s?] and will hopefully have it looking like its neighbour.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/IMG_0305.jpg

[the dude]

here's a picture to go with the graham crawford article.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/IMG_0125.jpg

[the dude]

oh and here's a picture for the gary buttrum article.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/newgallery.jpg

[raisethehammer]

awesome stuff Dude. That's exactly what I'd like this thread to contain.
Hamilton is bursting right now with reno's and and facade improvements.
The shot above with the pawn shop next to the Hamilton Vision Centre is exactly how this works - one property owner spruces his up and "shames" the guy next door into doing the same. Same thing has happened at King and Spring area (316 Lounge and that whole strip). It used to be a rotten stretch and is now one of the nicest on King.

[the dude]

their new home on the corner of james and cannon is currently undergoing a major renovation.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/hamartistsinc.jpg

who are they? i'll let the poster do the talkin'.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/IMG_0336.jpg

[the dude]

it's been so long i can no longer remember what the plan is for these buildings at 212-218 king e. as is so often the case, they started with great gusto but have run outta steam. if i notice any activity i'll be sure to pass it along.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/IMG_0331.jpg

[the dude]

i thought this property was suffering the same fate as the previous ones profiled but there's some activity happening inside. i believe it's being reno'd to become a cafe.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/IMG_0137.jpg

it seems the opening of 316 lounge has spurred the renovation of some neighbouring buildings.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/316.jpg

i noticed this building/business on king e only a few weeks ago. i think it's a fairly recent addition to the international village as well.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/IMG_0332.jpg

[raisethehammer]

yup, that one above is being reno'd for a cafe.

[DC83]

Wow... IV is booming!! I love it!

Thx for all the updates! IV is like Reno Central!

[SteelTown]

Imagine the renovations that will happen after the Lister Block is completed. Question will be what improved more after the Lister Block redevelopment, James St or King William?

[DC83]

Imagine the renovations that will happen after the Lister Block is completed. Question will be what improved more after the Lister Block redevelopment, James St or King William?

Hmmm... I really hope BOTH win from the Spinoffs. Sadly, I think King William is doing better than James along that stretch.
But seriously, I could see a return of a Dining District along King William bet James/John. Back a cpl years ago even, that stretch was full of restaurants/bistros.
I really want King William to be the "King West" (Toronto) of Hamilton!

[flar]

If they filled in the south side of King William it could be the best street downtown.

[DC83]

If they filled in the south side of King William it could be the best street downtown.

The lot at the s/e corner?? That used to be the downtown Zellers store.
I have NO idea why they tore it down?
I'm hoping it's story will be in the newest Vanished Hamilton (III) book!

[SteelTown]

King William will probably improve the most from having the Lister Block redeveloped, especially with new art theme being added on the sidewalks. More office workers mean they'll probably be a new cafe and restaurant for the area.

James St from King to York/Wilson needs a lot of work. Especially from King to King William, that building is still stuck in the 19th century! with electrical work and stuff.

[DC83]

King William will probably improve the most from having the Lister Block redeveloped, especially with new art theme being added on the sidewalks. More office workers mean they'll probably be a new cafe and restaurant for the area.

James St from King to York/Wilson needs a lot of work. Especially from King to King William, that building is still stuck in the 19th century! with electrical work and stuff.

Ya, James (in that stretch) needs a LOT of work!!!
My favourite bldg (besides Lister) along there is The Federal Building. The owner slapped some ugly stucco along the storefronts and allowed dollar/junk stores to open up. It used to house a Ballet company, but I don't know anymore? That building would make AMAZING lofts!!

re: Zellers, all I could find was this from thespec.com
"1988: Zellers closed and was subsequently demolished at the southeast corner of James and King William."
http://thespec.com/specialsections/section/Downtown/267282

[raisethehammer]

the ballet company is still in the old Fed building...on the 5th floor with beauty views of downtown.
I love James St...so full of history.

[SteelTown]

I have an old picture of Zellers at home, all decorated for Christmas too. I'll post it here when I go home.

[the dude]

if you wanna know about that lot on the corner of james and k-w talk to mr. sylvestri. he's been sitting on it for 20 years.

[DC83]

if you wanna know about that lot on the corner of james and k-w talk to mr. sylvestri. he's been sitting on it for 20 years.

:omg: did he tear it down, too??
Does anyone know WHY it was torn down? It's not like they made a nice pkng lot even. Was it deemd "unsafe" or "irrepairable" too??

[SteelTown]

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/Bonaducci1/listerbl21.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b2/Bonaducci1/listerbl2.jpg

I think it was taken down because at the time Jackson Square was bustling and the city decided it's best to add a new parking lot, so they decided to demo the empty Zellers department store.

[raisethehammer]

man, does that suck!
Paul Wilson had a good piece in todays paper about the great old buildings along the north side of King.
I'll find it and add it in. My suggestion to the building owners would be to put apartments or condos in the upper floors now. Imagine living in the Right House?? how sweet.

[matt602]

Kinda sad even seeing the "STORE CLOSING SALE" sign in that picture.

[DC83]

Awesome, Steeltown!!!
Thanks so much for posting those.

What a fantastic bldg that Zellers store was. And look, they utilized their corner location. Imagine.

Does anyone know WHY it was torn down?

[the dude]

either these guys ran outta money or they think this looks good:
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/IMG_0627.jpg
very cheap and cheesy.

[the dude]

further up the street, this cafe is nearing completion:
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/IMG_0628.jpg

[raisethehammer]

geez...some people have no taste. at least the guy near 316 seems to be doing a good job.

[DC83]

We're Transforming the Neighbourhood
Luxury Suites Available soon

Can anyone guess where there's a banner posting this message?
Yep, you got it; Main & Sherman! haha

So remember that building that was gutted by that fire 3-4 years ago on the N/W corner of Main & Sherman? Apparently the people that bought the smaller building beside it are starting to reno this once crack-den of a bldg into Luxury Suites. There's little information besides that there is a "waiting list available".

I'm pretty happy to hear, although I'm sure the rent will be too high for the neighbourhood.

Someone recently bought up another older building at King/Sherman, stuccoed the hell out of it, and turned it into over-priced condos: http://www.mls.ca/PropertyDetails.aspx?vd=&SearchURL=%3fPage%3d2%26Mode%3d0%26vs%3dResidential%26ret%3d300%26sts%3d0-0%26beds%3d0-0%26baths%3d0-0%26aid%3d891%26MapURL%3d%3fAreaID%3d889%26tte%3d0%26tt%3d1%2c2%26mp%3d0-250000-0%26mrt%3d0-0-4%26trt%3d2%26of%3d1%26ps%3d10%26o%3dA&Mode=0&PropertyID=6081488

So what do u guys think? Are developpers actually transforming this neighbourhood? Is it even possible?

[raisethehammer]

of course it's possible.
I have friends who live in that area and have already noticed the change.
Along Main, many of the once-dumpy apartment buildings have been gutted and remade into nice rental units. Logan's Court at King and Sherman was one of the first to do this and now 6-10 other building/complexes have followed suit.
The units on Sherman start at $99,000 - a bargain for a nice, new condo. Any vibrant city I've ever been to has a huge range of living quarters as well as a large rental component ranging from tiny bachelors to nice units such as the ones taking shape in the Main/King/Sherman/Gage area.
The existing residential neighbourhoods through here are nice and stable...now we just need the city to give a rat's backside about the main streets - use them as exactly that - main streets for this wonderful neighbourhood, not as highway shortcuts for Crick residents.

[DC83]

^^ Good call! I love Logan's Court. They did a good job w/ that bldg.
Also, someone bought up those other buildings at Main near Barnesdale (where the 7-11 is) and the ones across from Gage Park.
They did a simple paint job & added nice awnings which made a huge difference in appearance. As for the tenants... still shady! I have a friend that lives on Barnesdale (she moved from upper Stoney Creek to there, what a change!) and the neighbourhood is still FULL of sketchy ppl.
But it's clear some people are trying to make a difference!

[BrianE]

Sweet! I live around that area and I've been waiting since early 2006 for someone to do something with that building. The two apartment buildings next to it (St. Clair Suites) seem to be successful rentals with nice units.

I love all the 3-4 storey brick walkups in this part of town, it's very charming and original.

It should be mentioned however that there has been some neighborhood oposition to past proposals to renovate this building because of lack of parking spaces. There isn't much room left in the area for the mandatory 1 car per unit parking.

[matt602]

I certainly wouldn't have guessed "Luxury Suites". They've been "working" on it for the past 2 years now, and the changes they've made look incredibly tacky and out of place. A lot of it has already been stucco'd near the top, and I'd expect even more to come. The units themselves still seem completely gutted, some of them haven't even had their fire damage repaired yet.

I remember exploring the place about 6 months after the fire, I can't believe they're re-using the building. The top 2 floors were completely gutted by the fire, the roof had collapsed along every apartment on the top floor. The lower units were suffering incredible mold levels. I didn't see anything for this place other than a wrecking ball.

I guess we'll see...

[DC83]

^^ If you look at the bldg on google maps, you can actually see IN the units b/c there is no roof! hahaha

Ya, I was expecting the wrecking ball too. And probably another Petro Can Stn like down the street... thank god THAT didn't happen.

But I guess aslong as there's someone dedicated to something, they'll follow through. Like this bldg and the other one at Barton/Ferguson. It's amazing these bldgs CAN be saved and WILL be saved, yet bldgs like HMP & Lister are "beyond repair".

[the dude]

phase 1 of the hamilton artists inc. renovation is complete. they've moved into the area at the right of this photo. don't know their timeline for the rest.
http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa121/the_dude1974/hamartistsinc.jpg

[raisethehammer]

dang! that is nice. great job.

[raisethehammer]

what the heck is being demolished on Barton at Sherman next to one of the huge Polish churches??
It's like a 4 storey building being demo'd.
Anyone know why?? I'd hope not for parking on Barton, but this is the Hammer...nothing would surprise me.

[matt602]

It was a '70s or '60s church building, seemed like a school or a banquet center. I assume it's being torn down for the exact reason you mentioned. Probably more parking for the schools there and the churches. I'll be surprised if anything gets built.

[DC83]

I saw some construction people working away inside the old Zig Zag Zebra resto.

Anyone know what's going on here?

[matt602]

No idea on Zig Zag, but the small building at Hunter/James is getting a new floor put on it. Saw it last weekend, it's probably nearly done now. They seem to be working pretty hard on it.

[raisethehammer]

I found out today that the building at James and Hunter sold for roughly $225,000 in 2000. Sold in 2005 for $500,000. Apparently downtown properties are seeing a surge in value for the first time in a looooooong time.
Good news.

[block43]

I saw some construction people working away inside the old Zig Zag Zebra resto.

Anyone know what's going on here?

I think an architecture firm is moving in here.

[the dude]

^i hope they fix the exterior. those faux columns and the caesar statue have to go. would be a great location for an architecture firm.

[LikeHamilton]

what the heck is being demolished on Barton at Sherman next to one of the huge Polish churches??
It's like a 4 storey building being demo'd.
Anyone know why?? I'd hope not for parking on Barton, but this is the Hammer...nothing would surprise me.

The building was originally built as an extension to St Ann’s School in the early 70’s when enrollment was still high. It replaced a building built in the 20’s. The new building was built in the open concept style. On the property are St. Ann’s Church and a second St. Ann’s School building with classrooms and the gym built in the late 50’ or early 60’s at the rear of the property. As enrollment dropped the school was consolidated into the building at the rear. The newer building was turned into the Mancini Resource Centre. That was closed a few years ago and has sat empty. Now they have torn it down as they no longer have a use for it and the cost of maintaining a 70’s building tends to be high. St. Ann’s school is on the list of schools slated for closure in the next year or two. I expect the building to be torn down. The Catholic School board will most likely sell the property to a developer, as they do not sit on vacant property very long. They need the money more than parking.

[flar]

^i hope they fix the exterior. those faux columns and the caesar statue have to go. would be a great location for an architecture firm.

Whether they do this or not should indicate whether the firm is any good.

[raisethehammer]

Whether they do this or not should indicate whether the firm is any good.

hmmm, I'd have to respectfully disagree. I love the columns and statue. Adds character to the downtown.
I love the old signage and images downtown - Capri sign, Pagoda, the new 'old' style signs at christophers and cheapies, lions at embassy etc....
i still wish we had the old 'uncle tommy' sign downtown. remember that? it was cool.

[matt602]

hmmm, I'd have to respectfully disagree. I love the columns and statue. Adds character to the downtown.
I love the old signage and images downtown - Capri sign, Pagoda, the new 'old' style signs at christophers and cheapies, lions at embassy etc....
i still wish we had the old 'uncle tommy' sign downtown. remember that? it was cool.

I would argue that those examples are all quite a bit more tasteful than the example at hand though. :yes:

[BrianE]

We're Transforming the Neighbourhood
Luxury Suites Available soon

Can anyone guess where there's a banner posting this message?
Yep, you got it; Main & Sherman! haha

So remember that building that was gutted by that fire 3-4 years ago on the N/W corner of Main & Sherman? Apparently the people that bought the smaller building beside it are starting to reno this once crack-den of a bldg into Luxury Suites. There's little information besides that there is a "waiting list available".

I'm pretty happy to hear, although I'm sure the rent will be too high for the neighbourhood.

Someone recently bought up another older building at King/Sherman, stuccoed the hell out of it, and turned it into over-priced condos: http://www.mls.ca/PropertyDetails.aspx?vd=&SearchURL=%3fPage%3d2%26Mode%3d0%26vs%3dResidential%26ret%3d300%26sts%3d0-0%26beds%3d0-0%26baths%3d0-0%26aid%3d891%26MapURL%3d%3fAreaID%3d889%26tte%3d0%26tt%3d1%2c2%26mp%3d0-250000-0%26mrt%3d0-0-4%26trt%3d2%26of%3d1%26ps%3d10%26o%3dA&Mode=0&PropertyID=6081488

So what do u guys think? Are developpers actually transforming this neighbourhood? Is it even possible?

There was a wrecking crew tearing down the house behind this apartment building, on Sherman Ave, just north of Main St. on Feb. 25th. No doubt this will be the new parking lot for the "Luxury suites" that are being renovated there. Looks like the mandatory number of parking spaces by-law strikes again. It's a little sad to see a hundred year old house get torn down for parking, its a bit of consolation to know that the house was a bit rundown and it has the exact layout and look of about 2000 other homes in the neighborhood.

So, things are looking up for this property. Work is being done, parking is being provided.

Oh, someone mentioned that the rent for this property might be too high for the area. 2 bedroom apartments are going for between $800 - $1000 /month in the Sherman, Gage, South of Main area. I'm sure these will push that $1000 envelope.

[DC83]

^^ That IS sad. Wanna know what's even worse? Covering that low-rise apt building at King/Sherman with (faux) Stucco! AHHH!!

Isn't that a smaller Apt Bldg behind it? That's sad that they have to tear it down for a parking lot. How about in-lieu of parking they give tenants free bus passes for a year? They all have great access to the B-Line right there!

$1000/mth for a washer/dryer in your unit? Hmmm. Is it really worth it? We'll have to wait and see. But good on this neighbourhood regardless!

[matt602]

I don't think people who can afford $1000/month rent will want to ride around on the bus. As awesome as that would be of course, the rich people in Hamilton are still very attached to their cars... and when you're living right on Main St., there's not much they see as a reason to be taking the bus anywhere.

[DC83]

^^ If it were Upper Stoney Creek they would drive to the Shoppers across the street! hahaha

Let's hope that the rent price is on the higher end to attract a better tenant-base than what was previously here :s

[BrianE]

^^ If it were Upper Stoney Creek they would drive to the Shoppers across the street! hahaha

Let's hope that the rent price is on the higher end to attract a better tenant-base than what was previously here :s

I was pretty close on the price of the new units. Here is their add on viewit.ca http://www.viewit.ca/vwExpandView.aspx?ViT=64851

Starting at $650 and up, which means a 2 bedroom unit could be in the $800 - $900 range. If I was still renting, these might be a good deal.

[DC83]

wow they are looking good!
$650 for a one bed tho? Kinda pricey. Depends on square footage I guess.

Great find, BrianE!

[raisethehammer]

yup....the outside looks like crap, but those units are great.
What the frig is that stupid angled stucco thing in front of the building????
for the record, it was a house being torn down, not the apartment behind it. it was already reno'd.
I'd love to see downtown filled with nice, clean enjoyable rental units like this. Just like Montreal. Some overpriced condos are nice to throw into the mix, but lofts and apartments are the way to go downtown.
Not sure how 8 parking spots (or whatever they're fitting on that site) is going to help 3 buildings this size?
80 or 90% of tenants will still be carless, which is good.
I'd like to see renovated apartments in Hamilton start to provide some secure, covered bike parking sheds or rooms. Imagine LRT both ways out front?? a site like this would be VERY sought after. the B-Line is still a big old bus. Nothing unique or sexy.
Overall, great project here. This is exactly whats been happening in this area recently. If we could fix our main streets (check out the 1-way streets conversation) and bring vibrant retail/dining life back to them through this part of town, it would be a really cool, urban neighbourhood. Right now it's just nice apartments having all their pictures and mirrors rattling around thanks to the truck highway out front.

[FairHamilton]

We close on a house in just east of the Sherman & King area in 1 month, so I'm glad to see newly renovated apartments, and condos (even if they are stucco'd) in the area.

I'm getting more and more excited about moving into the area, and supporting the area.

[raisethehammer]

welcome fairhamilton. where do you currently live?

[FairHamilton]

What the frig is that stupid angled stucco thing in front of the building????

Looks like they tried match/complement the elevation of the buildings roof at the rear of the courtyard.

I don't dispute the need of putting some type of control barrier on the courtyard (control street noise, provide privacy, etc.) but it was a poor architectural design choice.

[FairHamilton]

welcome fairhamilton. where do you currently live?

Thank-you for the welcome.

Currently, we live in Toronto (North York). I'm a native Toronto resident and my wife is a Hamilton native.

[DC83]

Welcome to the forum AND Hamilton, FairHamilton!

It seems (to me anyway), that Torontonians moving to Hamilton are choosing the inner-city over the mountain or suburbs? Any reason why a North Yorker would wanna live in the wonderfully-gritty East End? To be honest, I know a few ex-Torontonians who have chosen this area recently (one just east of the Delta and one couple down by Centre Mall). I also have a good friend who moved from Upper Stoney Creek to just down the street from Main/Sherman and bought a house on a wonderful boulevard!

I personally love the central east end and can't wait for it to boom. King St between The Delta & Wellington definately needs some great businesses in the great streetwall along the north side of the street. There are already some newer stores, but I bet the best is yet to come for this whole area!

[raisethehammer]

nothing will boom in central Hamilton until we get rid of these stupid one-way streets. sorry, but it ain't gonna happen otherwise.
This area is a really fantastic neighbourhood though...great homes, big trees, Gage Park nearby is amazing. You'll learn to love Ottawa Street too.
Welcome to the Hammer.

[FairHamilton]

Thanks DC83!

Any reason why a North Yorker would wanna live in the wonderfully-gritty East End?

Here are a few reasons;
- Twice the house for half the price. Meaning it would cost us at least 4x as much to buy the same house in Toronto. Good luck finding pocket doors for less than $700K, even for $1M in Toronto.
- Wife's family is in Hamilton, Hess Village area and Corktown area. We are sick of my family in Toronto so need a break from them :haha:
- We hate the suburbs, and shudder every time we drive through places like Whitby/Ajax and the one time we were in Binbrook new sprawl (not house shopping). We've always been a 1 car family and often rely on public transit which makes an urban location more attractive. We are both TTC Metropass holders, so I'll guess we'll be trading those for HSR passes :yes:
- We like a little grit :)

I think many Torontonians move to the older areas because of the older homes. And why not! They don't build them like that anymore.

nothing will boom in central Hamilton until we get rid of these stupid one-way streets. sorry, but it ain't gonna happen otherwise.
This area is a really fantastic neighbourhood though...great homes, big trees, Gage Park nearby is amazing. You'll learn to love Ottawa Street too.

I agree one-way streets are the death of storefronts and street life. Other cities seem to have been very sucessful in reverting back to two-way streets. I'm a firm believer that one-way streets should only be used selectively, not as a traffic flow cure-all.

I'm looking forward to exploring Hamilton and my wife is looking forward to reacquainting herself to her home city after being away for 8 years.

[DC83]

^^ Sweet! Well I know you'll love living in this city. You have GREAT transit access in the area you're in.

Thanks for the clarification. I fig'd as much re: housing prices. To me, I thought that was the only reason Torontonians would choose Hamilton. But hey, Pocket Doors are a great reason too! (one of my favourite architectural features in ANY home).

If you're not familiar with the HSR and/or it's routes, check out the site: http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/CityandGovernment/CityServices/transit/ and if you email/call them, I believe they'll even send you a package with all bus schdules and a System Map! ... or you could save a forest and just study the online maps ;)

[raisethehammer]

^^ Sweet! Well I know you'll love living in this city. You have GREAT transit access in the area you're in.

Thanks for the clarification. I fig'd as much re: housing prices. To me, I thought that was the only reason Torontonians would choose Hamilton. But hey, Pocket Doors are a great reason too! (one of my favourite architectural features in ANY home).

If you're not familiar with the HSR and/or it's routes, check out the site: http://www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/CityandGovernment/CityServices/transit/ and if you email/call them, I believe they'll even send you a package with all bus schdules and a System Map! ... or you could save a forest and just study the online maps ;)


GREAT transit access??? let's not get his hopes too high! haha.

[FairHamilton]

Hijack over, let`s back back on thread, Hammer Reno`s.

And we`ll be doing some reno`s on our place.

[BrianE]

I also bought a house in the Sherman - Gage corridor 2 years ago, but mine is on the south side of Main St.

We're also doing some renovations which is not surprising since every house we looked at in this area stopped decorating circa 1975.

Welcome to the neighborhood and might I suggest you spend as much time at Gage Park as you can when the weather is nicer. It's an excellent, excellent park.

Coincidentaly, there is a public meeting about Gage Park on March 3rd at 6:30 at Adelaide Hoodless Elementary, on Maplewood Ave. If you want to be kept informed on what changes will be made to the park in the next couple of years.

[FairHamilton]

We're also doing some renovations which is not surprising since every house we looked at in this area stopped decorating circa 1975.

Nothing wrong with 1975 it all now back in style. It's the 80's decorations which gets me. I always feel the need to put on a tennis shirt and tie the sleeves of a pink cotton sweater around my neck. :) Unfortunately no amount of work on what I have left will allow for the return to big feathered hair :shrug: lol

Welcome to the neighborhood and might I suggest you spend as much time at Gage Park as you can when the weather is nicer. It's an excellent, excellent park.

Coincidentaly, there is a public meeting about Gage Park on March 3rd at 6:30 at Adelaide Hoodless Elementary, on Maplewood Ave. If you want to be kept informed on what changes will be made to the park in the next couple of years.

Looking forward to the park and doing some bike riding around town. I figure we are only about a 9km ride to the trailhead of the Hamilton - Brantford Rail Trail. So a round trip to Brantford will be just over 80km.

Unfortunately, won't be able to make the 6:30pm meeting on Monday, but I am interested in the announced changes.

[DC83]

Ok I stole this post from the "Main Street of Canada" thread in the Canada section, and I know it's not 'under reno' but it NEEDS to be...

Hamilton's busiest "main" street that I didn't have a proper picture of until yesterday, King St:

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/Downtown%20Hamilton/traffic.jpg

There's proposals to turn this street into 2 way or reduce the lanes. Yah... I don't think that's gonna work well.

The old Kresge's Dep't Store aka Delta Bingo is in some serious need of TLC.

[matt602]

Yah, I noticed that the building itself is incredibly un-altered. All the old exterior detailing is still there. Beautiful building.

[the dude]

the interior has certain limitations given its vastness - a grocery store would fit the building very well. i can also imagine some sort of vertical addition to it. but as is the case with so many buildings downtown, it's falling apart before our eyes.

[Millstone]

I wish the side exit of the building wasn't doubling as a bus stop.

[DC83]

The tiles from the pyramid-shaped window decor have all fallen off, a portion of the wall has fallen off, the glass display case at the far east of the building was smashed and they've had those pieces of plywood up instead for MONTHS.

WTF is happening w/ that property standards bylaw? This is disgusting!