Abandoned Hamilton

[matt602]

I've posted some tidbits of my "urban exploration" shots on here, and generally the reception has been good so I figured I'd put together a collection of shots around the Hammer and post up for you guys. Most of this stuff will be familiar buildings to you, others may not be so. In most cases I bet you'll be amazed that this stuff was sitting around. I have been many times.

Please do ask any questions you'd like or request to see a certain building. There's a lot of stuff that I didn't post here that I also have, so if you ask for it I've probably got it. I'm gonna follow the format of one location per post, to keep it organized.

We'll start with a popular topic in the past week: The Royal Connaught Hotel.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/connaught-detail.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/longhall.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/connaught-foyer.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Connaught-Spring07/IMG_0120.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Connaught-Spring07/IMG_0126.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/1-4.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/office.jpg

[raisethehammer]

wow...awesome!
I'm surprised at the good condition of all the decorative mouldings in the lobby area.
I really hope Stinson can restore this thing as proposed. would be so great for the city.

[matt602]

Next up, the Firestone Tire factory North of Burlington St., on the same site as the City of Hamilton's recycling/central compost centre. A sprawling facility that I've spent a lot of time in and have accumulated a lot of photographs in. Some parts date back to the 1920's/30's.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Firestone/firestone-may038.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Firestone/firestone-may019.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Firestone/firestone-may013.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Hamilton-UE/firestone-colborne011copy.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/demo-1.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/IMG_0273.jpg

[SteelTown]

My dad used to work at Firestone. That was his first real full time job. I remember when he got laid off I was about 6 and we had to sell our house.

That was during Reagan's administration that had a policy where foreign factories must close first before American factories. The Firestone plant in Hamilton generated the most profit as it was the most efficient plant in North America.

[go_leafs_go02]

Neat. I'd love to go exploring through abandoned places like that. Even though I hate its appearance on cities and neighbourhoods, it fascinates me. Some gems out towards Buffalo that I know of, including a massive former central railway station.

How long has the tire place been abandonned. The Connaught doesn't look too bad, I'd give that place 10 years of being empty.

[SteelTown]

Firestone closed a good 15 years ago.

[RePinion]

Are the pillars in the Connaught's lobby naturally dark blue, or is that perhaps some sort of coating or covering upon them?

I only ask because I have seen old postcards which showed the pillars in a cream/pink marble. Obviously, however, coloured postcards of that era were not the most faithful depictions and often took serious liberties with their subject matter.

As for instance, these postcards from hamiltonpostcards.com:

http://www.hamiltonpostcards.com/images/hotel5Layer1.jpg

http://www.hamiltonpostcards.com/images/hotel10Layer1.jpg

[fastcarsfreedom]

Definitely not naturally blue RePinion--in fact, the pillars are plaster. During the most recent "renovation" of the lobby (early 1990s?) they had someone come in and paint the fake marble finish--somewhere on an old VHS tape I have the news report from CHCH talking about it and showing the painters at work.

[highwater]

That looks very much like a faux marble paint job to me. I wouldn't be surprised if the columns are wood and have always been painted.

[highwater]

Oops. Fastcars beat me to it.

[fastcarsfreedom]

And Firestone--wow--there was a company that had a rich history in the city--from it's Canadian head office to the big, jazzy neon sign that used to grace Main and Dundurn. I too remember when the plant closed--the victim of various factors--namely the fact that the plant built only bias-ply tires and that the company, which was saddled with debt, was being prepped for sale to Japanese rival Bridgestone.

There are whole swaths of brownfields on the bayfront which will someday have to be dealt with in some capacity. International Harvester/Case, Firestone, Dofasco, Stelco, P&G--all have left huge swatches of land vacant, along with Westinghouse, DomGlass, etc--when you think back over the past 20 years, this city has already gone through a quantum economic shift.

[flar]

The Connaught doesn't look too bad, I'd give that place 10 years of being empty.

It's only been empty for a few years! It was operating as Howard Johnson till around 2004 I think.

[flar]

Oh yeah, awesome pictures Matt, I look forward to more.

[RePinion]

Definitely not naturally blue RePinion--in fact, the pillars are plaster. During the most recent "renovation" of the lobby (early 1990s?) they had someone come in and paint the fake marble finish--somewhere on an old VHS tape I have the news report from CHCH talking about it and showing the painters at work.

Right. Now that I think about it I think I have heard that they were just painted pillars.

I wonder what'll be done with them when the lobby's renovated ... maybe some proper marble ...

[DC83]

Wow, awesome shots, Matt!
I can't believe what a couple of winters can do to a building. And ya, I think the Connaught has only been empty for 4 years. I'm sure this winter has been the toughest on the place.

[matt602]

Connaught closed doors in late 2004. I remember the very day it happened. Within a week myself and a friend snuck in as they were cleaning the place out. The grand ballroom was full up to the ceiling with HUNDREDS of mattresses. They were grouping everything in the building together for an auction that took place weeks later. A lot of very historic stuff was sold there, everything went. We ended up getting caught in the basement but we were able to sample the beautiful lobby, the crappy pool and the 2nd floor hallway. I wish my friend hadn't insisted on going to the basement, I would have loved to explore the upper floors. I never got to see them. It is all so very different now. Cold and empty.

Anyway I'll have more pictures tomorrow, some better quality ones from Firestone (took a trip today with the new camera) and a new location. I will also be doing Lister Block down the road, but I'm waiting until I can get back in there with my camera. LIUNA has actually been doing a good job keeping the place sealed up, so I haven't been in for a long time.

[go_leafs_go02]

so just over three years has done that much damage in there. wow, I'm quite surprised by that. But I guess that considering it's asbestos free, actually getting it restored into useable shape is doable.

Do you have a flickr account or a photo album that I can view, I have a feeling you have many many more pictures of these locations, and I would love to see them!

[matt602]

Most of the damage to Connaught has happened within the last year, to be honest. This winter's harsh temperatures wreaked havoc.

I dump most of my photos here:

http://sugarton.deviantart.com

(same link as in my signature)

[fastcarsfreedom]

matt602--the upper floors--at least those I was familiar with were fairly typical of a hotel. The Connaught underwent a massive renovation in the 70s which reduced the room count considerably--old hotels had small rooms--so most of the Connaught's rooms were spacious and the majority had two windows as a result. Another reasonably major reno happened in the mid 1980s when the Sheraton was due to open--everything after that was mostly cosmetic--so decor-wise it looked pretty much like a 1980s business-oriented hotel. In December 1999 I attended a reception for my grandmother which was in one of the larger suites in the hotel--it was the full-width of the newer building overlooking John Street and the Sopinka Courthouse--it was huge--had two separate entrances to the hallway--the decor was a little dated but it was in reasonable condition (and the view was great)--had a bedroom with a king bed--a sitting area and a dining room. I recall the room had wainscotting--and I as I was browsing through some photos of the gutted hotel floors I actually spotted some of that some wainscotting still on an exterior wall. Attended my high school prom in the big ballroom on the second floor--had our photos taken with our backs to the glass railing overlooking the lobby--I'll have to dig a few of those photos out for y'all. Been to the ballroom many times through the 80s also for family events and for the old Tiger Cat QB club meetings and pep rallies when they were there--that room never changed as far as I recall--was always brown and always had those vertically stacked light fixtures on the walls.

The main restaurant space--Vinton's Bistro & Grill in the 80s and then a Fran's toward the end was a great space also--has an incredible floor as far as I recall.

As for the pool--it was actually really nice when it was built (and the slide was a novelty)--but the money spent to build and install it was the last money ever spent on it--by then the hotel was in it's period of changing ownership every few years--by then the die was cast as far as the hotel's ultimate fate.

[IronWarrior]

matt602--the upper floors--at least those I was familiar with were fairly typical of a hotel. The Connaught underwent a massive renovation in the 70s which reduced the room count considerably--old hotels had small rooms--so most of the Connaught's rooms were spacious and the majority had two windows as a result. Another reasonably major reno happened in the mid 1980s when the Sheraton was due to open--everything after that was mostly cosmetic--so decor-wise it looked pretty much like a 1980s business-oriented hotel. In December 1999 I attended a reception for my grandmother which was in one of the larger suites in the hotel--it was the full-width of the newer building overlooking John Street and the Sopinka Courthouse--it was huge--had two separate entrances to the hallway--the decor was a little dated but it was in reasonable condition (and the view was great)--had a bedroom with a king bed--a sitting area and a dining room. I recall the room had wainscotting--and I as I was browsing through some photos of the gutted hotel floors I actually spotted some of that some wainscotting still on an exterior wall. Attended my high school prom in the big ballroom on the second floor--had our photos taken with our backs to the glass railing overlooking the lobby--I'll have to dig a few of those photos out for y'all. Been to the ballroom many times through the 80s also for family events and for the old Tiger Cat QB club meetings and pep rallies when they were there--that room never changed as far as I recall--was always brown and always had those vertically stacked light fixtures on the walls.

The main restaurant space--Vinton's Bistro & Grill in the 80s and then a Fran's toward the end was a great space also--has an incredible floor as far as I recall.

As for the pool--it was actually really nice when it was built (and the slide was a novelty)--but the money spent to build and install it was the last money ever spent on it--by then the hotel was in it's period of changing ownership every few years--by then the die was cast as far as the hotel's ultimate fate.


I used to love 'Frans' restaurant! where else could you go to get a great meal at 2:00am after a night of clubbing!

[DC83]

I used to love 'Frans' restaurant! where else could you go to get a great meal at 2:00am after a night of clubbing!

Fran's was a super popular spot for the after-hours crowd! Always packed. I never ate at the one at the Connaught myself, but have sobered up at the College St one in TO several times. As for a 'great' meal... I dunno bout that!! haha

[matt602]

Thanks for all the info fastcars. That was very nice to read. I didn't know the hotel had such a decline in later years. That really is depressing, it looked so grand when you passed by on King St. I remember the lobby looked absolutely vivid at night with the chandeliers lighting it up. The light would flow right out of the giant windows and illuminate the sidewalk.

[matt602]

More from Firestone as promised, from yesterday's trip. Nice and quiet and the snow was falling peacefully.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Firestone/1.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Firestone/2.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Firestone/3.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Firestone/4.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Firestone/5.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Firestone/6.jpg

[RePinion]

These photos are a wonderful entree into a part of town I never get a chance to really explore.

I wonder what will happen with all these factories and the land on which they sit now that it is conceded virtually everywhere that the NA manufacturing economy is moribund and now that it seems that Hamilton is charting a new course for its future.

[DC83]

Awesome pix, Matt! Thanks for venturing in there to share these with us!
Awesome skyline shot... one not seen too often.

The bldg in Toronto I lived in had the exact same stairs (posts and all)... minus the crazy late-70's paintjob! haha
http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/Firestone/2.jpg

[IronWarrior]

Somebody should get some pics up of the Consumer Glass building, I did security there for the owners of the property back about 9 years ago....its was starting to decline then....wonder what its like now! last shift was in 95/96 its been closed since....what about the Frost Fence? what a waste!

[matt602]

Consumers Glass you say? :)

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/1.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/8.jpg

[fastcarsfreedom]

Yeah matt602--I wouldn't even say the place was in that much of a 'decline'--it's not like it was some fleabag hotel--it just was no longer at the level it once was--and that was strictly from lack of investment. Drapes and carpets were worn, furnishing and linens were outdated, there were stains, the TVs were old--but the rack rates and room rates stayed similar to the competition. Mind you--the Holiday Inn/Ramada/Plaza Hotel next door wasn't in much better condition until it's recent overhaul. Basilcally the Connaught suffered after the Joymarmon bankruptcy and the revolving door started with banks and other investors alternately owning the place and never spending any money on it...it's last run was most certainly just to squeeze the last dollars out of the place before the banks came calling again...so you can bet in the final months and weeks nothing was fixed. Mind you--consider everything above the 2nd floor is wiped clean now, there isn't much to worry about on that front.

[fastcarsfreedom]

And as for Consumers Glass--you can go back a few posts and bust me still calling it DomGlass (Dominion)...a previous incarnation.

[IronWarrior]

Is there still fulltime security on at Consumers Glass? curious...because from the looks of that hallway it looks like there have'nt been any vandals there yet...I remember walking down that hallway..haha..its near the nurses/first aid room I think, with the hearing chamber in it..right by the cafeteria..I worked the night shift there for 6 months...got the weirdest feeling when I did some of my patrols...never a problem, I think the vandals knew there was fulltime security there..

[matt602]

Not sure about security but the building is semi-actively used for storage and movie sets. There is also an active office on-site and possibly someone living in one of the buildings (not a bum, actually living in). Even still, we were able to walk right on in through the front gate and open a door into the place today.

Other times I've had to play cat and mouse with people inside. No graffiti anywhere within the building at all. The place is very secured if the front gate isn't opened. They're quick to repair holes in the fence and lock up doors.

[IronWarrior]

Do you know what movies they filmed there....? It was only vacant for 2 years when I worked there, place was like a maze to me...I would start off by the security post through the head office with the old wooden floors and down a set of stairs...I think thats the hallway with the green walls, all the machinery was still there and paper work still in the head office...it just looked like people just got up left and forgot about it! the cafeteria still had all its pots and pans hanging up...

[matt602]

Sorry for the lack of photos recently. I went into what is left of Frost Fence and Wire yesterday and it was pretty awesome but sadly I couldn't get any shots as the weather was horrid last night and I didn't want to expose my camera to it. The place got pretty chewed up by the fire in the summer and theres a ton of nasty chemicals left lying around.

I'll try to get back there (and somewhere else that is really awesome) this weekend during the day and pull off some photos. I've got to be careful there because Lottridge has a surprising amount of vehicular traffic and of course the Hells Angels club is across the street. I don't think any of those sources would take well to seeing a dude climbing around on the roof of the factory across the street.

Until then, some recent Consumers (Dominion?) Glass photos to tide you over.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/3.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/4.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/5-1.jpg

[flar]

Love those textures in the first pic above. Upgraded to the Canon Digital Rebel eh?

[matt602]

Yep. Enjoying it very much.

[IronWarrior]

I worked for Frost Fence for 2 years...after I quit working security, I did'nt even know there was a fire there? I just knew its been closed for awhile now! I quit just after they did a major layoff and then closed for good! there is 3 buildings, the building facing lottridge is 'was' the manufacturing facility, the other 2 were used for shipping... there is a upper level in the main building, I remember having to go up a flight of stairs right by the main entrance 'lottridge street' then through the changerooms, then down another flight to the punch clock and main plant floor...its a very old building! check out the 'GALV MILL'...if its still there? just a room with a huge basin...it 'used' to be filled with acid/lime mix..I'd be extra careful in that area if the fire was near there...lol..Its crazy how they just leave these building with all the machinery there and bascially just forget about it! quite a shame! Frost and Consumer glass at one time were major employers to alot! of people in the city! many people retired from both of those places!! with good pensions...its sad to see them in the state there in now!

[matt602]

The fire occured in whichever older building is closest to the CN tracks. There is pretty much nothing left of that building now, the roof caved in and about half of that building is gone. It was an old brick building, not the newer looking one facing Lottridge. We were able to explore 2 of the buildings on the site (the old one which the fire happened in and the newer one facing Lottridge). The much bigger warehouse looking building we could find no way into. Apparently it's all empty though, according to a spectator article I read about the fire.

[IronWarrior]

The newer building facing lottridge was added on to the brick one about 80 years ago.....the brick building would have had the Galv Mill..basically were they would have run the fencing through a acid/lime bath...I wonder if they emptied the basin before they closed up shop for good...haha!...thats some nasty stuff!!!

[oldcoote]

Love those textures in the first pic above. Upgraded to the Canon Digital Rebel eh?

I'm in the market for a new camera.

Would you recommend the Canon Digital Rebel?

[flar]

If you're in the market for a DSLR, then I'd recommend any Canon or Nikon, they're both excellent and there is a great selection of lenses both new and used. Personally, between their current entry level DSLR's, I'd take the Digital Rebel over the Nikon D40. When I bought my camera I chose the Nikon D50 over the Rebel, but the D50 is discontinued. I love my D50.

[oldcoote]

Thanks Flar!

[matt602]

So, I told you guys I'd do Lister. I made my return last week, sadly it was during the night so the photos are less than what I was hoping to achieve. I am horrible at using manual focus during the night, so a lot of my shots were crap. Here's the better ones.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/3rdfloor-hall.jpg
(3rd floor hallway, one of the worst looking halls in the building)

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/lister-cliche2.jpg
Ground floor arcade looking towards James North arcade entrance.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/lister-cliche.jpg
View of James North from the roof.


I hope to return during the day to re-shoot. It's a little hard because of the security guard, but he does occasionally take breaks.

[FairHamilton]

Great shots!! I'm glad these 3 photos turned out great.

[DC83]

Awesome shots! So creepy!

I remember there was a time when James North along this stretch was as dark at night as Rebecca St currently is. Thank God for streetscaping! The street looks great at night now!

[LikeHamilton]

I hope to return during the day to re-shoot. It's a little hard because of the security guard, but he does occasionally take breaks.

Be careful!!!! The cops have busted people twice in the past week and a half for trespassing! They caught people in there on the 18th (day time) and 24th (evening) of this month. I have seen the cop’s presents around there more lately then ever before.

[matt602]

I'm always quiet and mindful of my surroundings. So far in my handful of years going into Lister, I haven't had any issues. I'd be willing to bet that the people who got caught were doing stupid things like hanging out of windows, smashing things or yelling and screaming on the roof.

Many a time I've watched people doing this from outside, including setting off fireworks on the roof. Very stupid. There's a lot of dumb kids that wander into the Lister Block, many of them are to blame for some of the fires and vandalism in there.

[raisethehammer]

wow...great shots. judging by the lack of traffic and people on James St, I'm guessing you were there very late on a weeknight??

[MolsonExport]

wicked thread.

[matt602]

wow...great shots. judging by the lack of traffic and people on James St, I'm guessing you were there very late on a weeknight??

It was about 2am on Good Friday night.

[LikeHamilton]

They are filming the “Max Payne” movie around the Lister right now. James is closed from Wilson to King and King William and Rebecca are closed from Hughson to James. They have sprayed snow all around on the streets. It will be closed until 6am. This is the filming that was to happen last Thursday.

[Boomtown_Hamilton]

Good stuff flar. Keep er coming.:tup:

[matt602]

Sorry about the lack of updates recently. I did a ton of exploring in SW Ontario (Woodstock, London, areas in between) but nothing in Hamilton recently. I'll definitely update when I can, and I'm happy to answer any questions about buildings in the mean time.

A bit off topic, seeing the Capitol Theatre in Woodstock was awesome. It felt like our Century theatre here in Hamilton but in much better condition. I hope Woodstock realizes what they have and takes advantage of it.

[Millstone]

Sorry about the lack of updates recently. I did a ton of exploring in SW Ontario (Woodstock, London, areas in between) but nothing in Hamilton recently. I'll definitely update when I can, and I'm happy to answer any questions about buildings in the mean time.

A bit off topic, seeing the Capitol Theatre in Woodstock was awesome. It felt like our Century theatre here in Hamilton but in much better condition. I hope Woodstock realizes what they have and takes advantage of it.

Is any part of that mental asylum complex in Woodstock still standing?

[matt602]

Yes, there's one building left of the Oxford Regional Centre. It's a long building that is completely gutted. I only have one shot of it myself and it's pretty bad, so here's one taken by my friend that I got in the way of.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/me-ORC.jpg

The whole building is like that, just empty corridors.

[itsbryan]

They are filming the “Max Payne” movie around the Lister right now. James is closed from Wilson to King and King William and Rebecca are closed from Hughson to James. They have sprayed snow all around on the streets. It will be closed until 6am. This is the filming that was to happen last Thursday.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/IMG_0959.jpg
Fake snow on the side of Lister Block, with lighting rigged up to the side.


http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/IMG_0956.jpg
(Taken from within Lister Block)

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/IMG_0948.jpg
(Set HQ)

[itsbryan]

Lister Block
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/breathing_by_Bryantology.jpg
The light of James St. pours in through one of the few open windows inside.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/IMG_0937copy.jpg
Me watching the night life below in the now demolished extension. 2:30am: The Fever night club has it's last call, and the drunks wander out onto the street, looking for lust, or a fight.

[matt602]

Was wondering when you'd stumble onto SSP, and I certainly knew that you'd get in on this thread :)

That was a good night I might add. I haven't had a trip to Lister that peaceful for awhile.

[matt602]

A treat for you guys, the old Lyric/Century theatre on Mary St. Just one shot from me, my others are pretty bad.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/lyric.jpg


This would be the area directly behind the stage. To get to it you need to descend the ladder you can see in the picture. It's about 12-15 feet tall and very rickety.

[Millstone]

Wouldn't you have to ascend it before descending it?

[matt602]

Nope. We came in the place from the rear offices, which are through the hole that the ladder goes up to. You basically have to descend that ladder to see the rest of the place. (I hope that made sense)

Anyway there's an order to comply regarding the hole in the boards at the back, so no harm in me mentioning the entry method. It should be sealed up soon... and I'll be glad, because that place really is a death trap. The wooden floors are just rotted right through all over the office areas.

[the dude]

cool photos. i dig that kinda stuff but i know i'd break my neck for sure.

how's the theatre portion of the building? i guess it's been vacant for 15 years now. i always marvel at how quickly the earth claims its victims. if everyone left the hammer tomorrow it'd be rubble in 20 years. actually, at the rate we're going it'll be rubble whether there are people here or not.

[matt602]

The auditorium that was built by 20th Century Fox in the 1950's is actually doing pretty well, since it is isolated from the rest of the building. The roof of it is swiss cheese but it isn't built of a very strong material, as it was only intended to be an interior ceiling. The theatre has actually been vacant for about 19 years. 1989 was the last film if I remember correctly (Back to the Future 3?). Anyway the building is in a sad state and surely isn't a Lister Block kind of building. There's not really any way it can be saved aside from the facade. Hopefully the developer that saves it does a good job incorporating it into the new structure (doubtful).

The company that owns it now is coming off as rather slumlord.

Here's a site with TONS more info on the Century, including comments from past employees.

http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1996/

[IronWarrior]

I actually saw 'Back to the Future 3' there when I was like 12...now I'am starting to feel old...lol! as well as many other movies, its hard to believe its been 19 years that its been closed! its quite sad to see the condition its in now!

[Gurnett71]

Last movie I can recall seeing there was Pet Semetary, around 1989 as well...

[itsbryan]

A few more of Lyric Theatre for you. Sorry about the size, I don't have photo manipulation on my laptop.


http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/IMG_1482-1.jpg
The main stage, illuminated by a spotlight.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/IMG_1488.jpg
Some of you who attended this theatre may remember the details on the wall.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/IMG_1489.jpg
But what you didn't know, was that around the actual theatre, and an entire vaudeville theatre remained, including a rather large balcony.. which has unfortunately been crushed under a collapsing roof.

The floor in this picture is the roof of the auditorium. It's being suspended by those wires, and is in a terrible condition. I attempted to walk over to the balcony (over a gangway).. a loose wire snapped, the theatre buckled, and a piece of concrete fell three stories into this auditorium.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/Box_Office_Smash_by_Bryantology.jpg
A lobby shot from 2006, when power was still present. Note the Century Theatre sign.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/IMG_1498.jpg
Above the lobby, the offices and projection room are in the worst condition. Entire floors are missing, requiring death-defying leaps between floor supports in order to get to the third and fourth floors.

[matt602]

good stuff bryan.

[holymoly]

Entire floors are missing, requiring death-defying leaps between floor supports in order to get to the third and fourth floors.
Oh man, you're scaring me..... But I love the photos. Thanks for posting them.

[matt602]

More Royal Connaught Hotel :)

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/lobby-upper.jpg

Come on Harry. This building is just screaming potential.

[flar]

These are killer shots, thanks for showing us what's inside these buildings.

[matt602]

I really think at least a portion of the Connaught should have been in Doors Open. The lobby could easily be cleaned up a bit and made "public safe". The 92 King elevator also still works (it's safety certificate only expired a month or two ago). It could be used to take people up to see the view from the circus roof. I'm sure if Stinson had bought it earlier and the idea were put forward he would have made it happen.

[itsbryan]

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/wrath_by_Bryantology.jpg


Just a lightning snapshot I took during the storm on Friday. This is on the roof of a neighbouring Firestone building.

[holymoly]

Fantastic photo! Thanks for posting it.

[the dude]

the last movie i saw there was good morning vietnam. not sure what year that was...maybe 1987. i remember that because i got the tar beaten outta me after leaving the theatre. ah, i miss the old days when random violence was around every corner in downtown hamilton. anyway, it's too bad someone didn't get to it a little earlier. would have been a fantastic renovation.

[matt602]

More of what most people coming to this thread wanted to see: abandoned industrial Hamilton. Firestone Boiler house and main plant again.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/firestone-boiler.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/stairs-firestone.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/spider.jpg
(the spiders in this area get freaking huge during the summer)

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/firestone-long.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/firestone-reflections.jpg
(something tells me this area would make an awesome loft)

And some Lister Block shots that I got a month ago which I didn't post because I didn't want to compromise the entry. It has since been secured, so I guess I can post these.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/hdr-riddle.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/2-4.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/4-2.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/hdr-5thfloor.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/devastation.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/stairs-arcade.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/2ndfloor-hdr.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/lister-arcade2.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/thoughts.jpg

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/lister-arcade.jpg

[MsMe]

Sad to see so many places so run down. It seems greed put into their own pockets is more important then saving the older buildings in the city.

[IronWarrior]

Pretty Cool pics Matt!, although its sad to see the Lister Block in that condition now... Its almost hard to beleive as I remember walking through it many, many times as a young kid/teen I was about 16 when they the last tenants finally left and they boarded it up..Have you been alble to get into the basement of the Lister? there used to be a gym/spa down there, my mom was a member during the early 80's, last I heard there was severe water damage down there!

[matt602]

Yep, no pictures though because it's pitch dark and I hate trying to manually focus the camera in those conditions. The pool and hot tub are still down there along with barber chairs.

There is VERY severe water damage and mold down there. It's the only part of the building that I recommend wearing a respirator in for people who go. I don't even think LIUNA has ventured down there too much at all. It's really bad.

I really wish I could have seen the Lister in operation. There's only about 3 pictures of the interior of the building that I've ever seen while it was in use. The terazzo flooring on the 2nd floor looked awesome. Same goes for the Century theatre as well. I've only seen 1 or 2 pictures of the interior while it was in use. They are very grainy, old photos from shortly after it opened in the 1920's. Kinda hard to make much out. I'm shocked that the Capitol and the Tivoli also never got too many pictures taken of the interior, especially since the Tivoli was around and in-use until somewhat recently. Thankfully the Tivoli's auditorium is still in relatively good shape, so it doesn't take too much imagination.

[Millstone]

does anybody here have a UER account with full access? i haven't seen any decent Lister shots on there since they went to the 'closed' membership.

[IronWarrior]

I remember going to the Century and Tivoli when I was a little kid on Saturdays to see movies, Century closed up for good around 1988..I can still remember standing in line with my mom going to see the lastest new movie at the time, lineups all the way out the door and down mary street...hard to imagine that now!

[matt602]

does anybody here have a UER account with full access? i haven't seen any decent Lister shots on there since they went to the 'closed' membership.

Try a search for "Lister Block" on flickr. Pretty much everything that was posted on UER will come up there as well. Hundreds of pictures from the last 3-5 years or so. Unfortunately I've only been doing photography for the last 2 years, so my pictures don't go back far. I wish I had pictures of the Lister from the first time I went in, about 7 years ago.

Searching other popular Hamilton locations "Royal Connaught", "Tivoli", "Lyric", "Firestone", "Stelco Rod Mill", will also return some interesting results.

I haven't posted any pictures of the Stelco No. 2 Rod Mill. That place was awesome though. Stelco closed it up in 2004 and we got in about the year after. Everything was in mint condition, even the PA system still worked. It was very eerie, as if workers could come back in the next day and resume production. Unfortunately it is now almost completely demolished. In its last months the security was beefed up a ton because we had frequented the place a bit too much.

http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/rodmill.jpg

That pic is from about a month ago. About half of what you see remains. The stacks are sitting on the ground now.

[IronWarrior]

The Lister was pretty cool back in the day, I was in there tons of times as a little kid before it started to go downhill by 1990. My mom was very good friends/co-worker with the lady that owned hair salon in the Lister, so I was always being dragged in there for visits:haha: I remember alot of tenants started to leave by around 1991, I can remember someone saying it was due to the fact that repairs not being done e.t.c...some of them just got fed up I guess..

[matt602]

That's really a shame. Seems more like we should be blaming Metrus for all of Lister's problems instead of LIUNA. Sounds like they were a slumlord in Lister's last days of function.

[LikeHamilton]

When the NDP where in power, the Lister was closed and they started to do inside demo in preparation so the building could be made into low-income housing. This was one of many such NDP programs across the province. Just as the building was gutted, the PC came into power and that program was cancelled! It has been sitting like that since then changing hands by speculators.

[fastcarsfreedom]

matt602--I have been beating the Metrus drum for ages on this Forum--they were the culprits that took a viable, healthy commercial building (save for the fact that the upper two floors had been sealed off for several years) and emptied it of it's tenants in the hope of being part of some sort of speculative land assembly that never came to pass thanks to the very deep recession which was underway in Central Canada by the early 1990s.

LikeHamilton--I don't even remember that proposal--if you're saying it was election time that was 1995 and I was already living away from the City which may be why I missed it. To the best of my knowledge ownership went from Metrus directly to LIUNA.

[matt602]

I was gonna say, I haven't seen any evidence of any part of Lister being stripped down. The original light fixtures and plumbing, drywalling, carpeting, etc still exist in pretty much every part of the Lister and the Balfour. Even desks and chairs exist in some offices. There's also vaults on floors 4 and 6. A lot of businesses must have left in a big hurry in 1995. The Mr. Sub shop still had pop bottles, bags of bread, stools and posters in it back when I first went into the Lister.

[itsbryan]

A few more from Lister Block back in early May.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/Lister%20Critque/IMG_2001copy.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/Lister%20Critque/IMG_2025copy_1.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/Lister%20Critque/IMG_2031copy.jpg

[highwater]

Great pics. These pics make it obvious how much more suitable the scale of the Lister is for residential. Too bad.

[itsbryan]

I think many of us share the same dream of retail on the bottom floor followed by residential on the remaining floors. The layout really is perfect. The L shape of the hallways already make it feel welcoming, much like an actual residential space.

A few more that I had laying around:
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/IMG_1706copy.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/Lister%20Critque/IMG_2009copy.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b318/BGaines/Lister%20Critque/IMG_2023copy.jpg

[matt602]

Good stuff Bryan. I miss the Lister.

[SteelTown]

Better say goodbye to the Firestone building. It's slated to be demolished over the Summer. It'll cost around $3 million. As you can imagine it's a big factory so it'll take time to completely demolish and tidy up the land.

Public Works will take over the site for future use.

[matt602]

Hm, I didn't know this. Thanks for the heads up. I'll take photos as the demolition progresses.

I'm also going to be putting up a few more Consumers Glass pictures and some Lister Block photos. I'm at school right now but I'll get em up when I get home. Apologies, I haven't been exploring much lately. Things are kind of quiet these days.

[SteelTown]

Be careful security is up now. One of the main reason to demolish now was because UE.

[astroblaster]

hey matt,

do you have any exterior pictures of these buildings that I could use on HistoricalHamilton.com ?

[matt602]

Be careful security is up now. One of the main reason to demolish now was because UE.

Yes, unfortunately the place got very popular and as a result it became a bit of a tourist destination to those in Southern Ontario. Inevitably some people were caught there and now the security is bumped up. I've probably been there at least 30 times over the past 2 years and was never once caught, since it was basically only me going there (there was almost no security there up until now).

hey matt,

do you have any exterior pictures of these buildings that I could use on HistoricalHamilton.com ?

I have exterior pictures of many, many buildings in Hamilton. If you want to post a quick checklist, I'll provide what I can.

[matt602]

Alright, some Consumers Glass:


http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/cglass-fan-bench.jpg


http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/wheel.jpg


http://i89.photobucket.com/albums/k201/sugarton/UE/cglass-yellowladders.jpg


I guess these ones are technically not the usual "exploring". The owner of CG is a nice guy and let us take pictures inside.

[SteelTown]

Firestone plant 'explorers' paradise
'City considers $3-million demolition to stop them

June 15, 2009
Dana Brown
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/583649

Urban explorers have been having their way with the old, abandoned former Firestone plant.

And that's making the city nervous about potential liability issues.

The explorers -- a breed of adventurers who seek thrills among structures and nooks off-limits or unseen in the urban landscape -- have been finding a way into the 552,000-square-foot plant and documenting their travels with photos.

Those pictures, along with comments about the adventures, have ended up online, which is where city staff found them a few months back.

Now, staff are asking councillors to approve moving forward on strategies to secure and demolish the plant, which sits on the same site as city recycling and composting facilities.

To properly secure the plant, which has an office tower and a flooded basement, would cost $150,000 to $200,000 annually. A demolition is estimated at $2.5- to $3-million.

"We have a responsibility to ensure that the site is secured," said Rom D'Angelo, manager of corporate buildings and technical services with the city.

"In my opinion, it is secured and these people are trespassing on that property."

On a website called Infiltration, explorers have posted photos of the inside of the abandoned plant. They depict peeling walls, an abandoned phone, old wiring and crisply-lit factories seen through the broken windows of the structure.

But while explorers may not been seeking anything sinister, the city says it's worried about its potentially liability.

Noting that many of the intruders are likely teenagers or young adults, a single injury worst-case scenario could run the city well over $1 million, a staff report says.

The former Firestone plant, located on Burlington Street near Kenilworth Avenue North, was closed in 1988. The property was bought in 1991 by Philip Enterprises Inc., but was transferred to the city as part of a negotiated settlement in 2001.

D'Angelo said there is a fence around the perimeter of the site and security patrols are doing rounds by the abandoned plant, as well as the city doing some boarding up and fencing of doors and gaps.

"The property's pretty big, it's kind of impossible to secure that, but we do have a fence around the whole property," he said.

Councillor Sam Merulla, whose ward includes the plant, said he's behind a demolition, the price tag of which would be an investment for the future.

"I think anything that contributes to a renewal of old brownfield sites and that of old industrial sites, obviously is a positive step forward," he said.

City staff are asking that $400,000 in available funds from another demolition project be used toward the former Firestone plant.

The report will be presented today at a public works committee meeting.