I think that's what it's going to take. Maybe that was the plan all along... boost the value of the property, then sell to an actual developer.

I'd be happy if someone bought it and just restored/replaced the Tivoli theatre with another entertainment venue. I hear those may be in demand again... if not now, then soon :D

You're on to something there... since this place and the Century shut, Hamilton has no downtown entertainment venues for shows smaller than for Hamilton Place. Except for SJAM's auditorium, but even that place is closed!

I suspect when things slowly start getting back to normal, and with all day Go Service and LRT construction around the corner and FOC renovation imminent, these types of developments will start hitting the ground running. We're going to see downtown Hamilton explode with interest.

Even small music venues are at a serious low with the departure of the baltimore house, this ain't hollywood, homegrown hamilton, etc in the last few years. It's so unfortunate.

Venues closed in last four years:

Baltimore House (2011-2017)
Artword Artbar (2010-2019)
Zyla’s (2015-2019)
The Pearl Company (2006-2020)
This Ain't Hollywood (2009-2020)
HAVN (2012-2020)
Homegrown Hamilton (2015-2020)


Venues opened in last four years:

Sous Bas (2017)
The Mule Spinner (2018)
The Gasworks (2021)
Bridgeworks (2021)

I loved Baltimore House, Artword Artbar and Zyla’s. Went to them with my wife and friends quite often. We where sad when they all closed!

Apparently this has been purchased by https://www.societydevelopments.ca/

Well kiss the theatre good bye and look forward to generic towers with a touch of "not-Vranich" but a whole dose of meh. Looks like all they care about is amenities haha.

I think it was a requirement of the city that the theatre be made "public" and be retained. The theatre will remain, what tower will be proposed though, who knows. This developer looks like it has a penchent for the plain and bland.

Oh how I’ve dreamed of this development teaming up with Effort Trust and destroying the plaza next door and building the tower at Wilson and Hughson beside the Tivoli and making the property in front from Wilson to the CBC building as Tivoli Square. James needs some open space. Humans crave it.

I think Tivoli deserves a lobby. Which would take the space of the front.

First thing that came to mind:
https://vlp.to/Jw270BFh

Did we ever see a good render of what was planned? I recall some drawings, but that's about it. We may have been disappointed with the outcome of the original plan, and while these guys don't inspire hope based on the website, hope remains.

It will also be interesting to see if this new owner keeps the concept, or wants to modify. I'd like the theatre to stay, and hopefully this company doesn't start trotting out with "it was left too long... it's too damaged now to renovate"

From Society's development resume - https://www.societydevelopments.ca/our-developments: (sorry for the size of some of these; I just copied the image addresses)
https://www.societydevelopments.ca/s...s/333-main.jpg

https://www.societydevelopments.ca/s...s/339-main.jpg

https://www.societydevelopments.ca/s.../1235-main.jpg

https://www.societydevelopments.ca/s...s/330-main.jpg

https://www.societydevelopments.ca/s...s/145-main.jpg

https://www.societydevelopments.ca/s.../1635-main.jpg

https://www.societydevelopments.ca/s...s/716-main.jpg

I've walked by Icon 330 before and it's actually fairly attractive.

A lot more Waterloo housing developers seem to be setting their sites on Hamilton.. First IN8 and now Society. Luckily Society is actually one of the better builders for building attractiveness.. not like that's saying a ton.

The Icon is likely their best work, I see it almost daily. Unfortunately, the brickwork is lazy and comes off as cheap, with bricks being stacked vertically instead of 'interlocked' which is a detail certainly not present in the render. Its a small visual thing, but like most Waterloo developments it ends up looking cheap. I frankly do not want to see Waterloo-tier quality development in Hamilton; I am familiar with these and they feel dated already. I would rather we get more GTA developers, even if their products are still cheap by Toronto standards. These guys literally do the bare minimum.

330 is the best looking of that bunch, just based on those images. If they can do something like that above the Tivoli theatre I'd be happy with it, especially if the base stands out with a nice design.

I see a few London references on their site too.

Very true. It does deserve a lobby. That corner also deserves better than that horrible plaza. It can still work. 😀

Ooh I really like "716" - even if its just for the roof and that bigass clock..

and cornices :P

https://www.societydevelopments.ca/s...s/716-main.jpg

and at least they use real brick! No pre-cast panels..

https://www.societydevelopments.ca/s...e-projects.jpg

The clock building looks kind of gaudy and architecturally mediocre. It's a bit cringe tbh. They don't always use real brick that's for sure. They have a long list of buildings with precast panels.

Trust me with all the ikea-esque cookie cutter buildings that have been going up in hamilton I'll take gaudy over just plain lack of effort.

Wasn't Sideshow Harry proposing something similar for the lot at Main and John?

If so, IMO we dodged a bullet.