Downtown Hamilton congregation opposes heritage status of Philpott church
https://www.thespec.com/news/hamilto...454b70a3f.html
A downtown Hamilton congregation is urging council to abandon plans to designate its historic church under provincial heritage legislation.
But city politicians have backed a plan to follow through with the designation of Philpott Memorial Church under the Ontario Heritage Act.
"I think that it's important that we maintain our heritage assets; This is one of them," Coun. Cameron Kroetsch said Tuesday.
Church leaders say the city's signal alone to designate the York Boulevard building has put a real-estate deal with a highrise developer on shaky ground.
That's jeopardizing a plan to redevelop another downtown property on King Street East into a modern, more functional church, lead pastor Rev. Russell Bartlett told the planning committee.
"Without the sale, it's not financially viable," Bartlett said.
Philpott Memorial reached a purchase agreement in 2021 with the developer and had planned to move out of the 84 York Blvd. sanctuary this year, but the deal hasn't yet closed.
The congregation is growing and dedicated to social causes in the core, said Bartlett, noting renovations are underway at the former Lincoln Alexander Centre on King.
"We have already made a significant investment in our relocation."
The designation of Philpott, which dates to 1901 and 1906, "at this stage, I think, is deeply unfair," Bartlett said.
Empire Communities hopes to build two 30-storey residential towers with roughly 700 residential units and commercial space on the property across from FirstOntario Centre.
That plan involves razing the church.
Technical studies have pointed to "significant issues" with the building, including old knob-and-tube wiring, lead pipes and accessibility issues, David Falletta, a planning consultant representing the congregation, said Tuesday.
It would cost $2.5 million to $3.9 million "just to bring it up to snuff" with building standards, he said.
The bricks underneath 1950s-era cement cladding are badly deteriorating, making a facade replacement "not feasible," Falletta said.
"We don't even have an estimate of that because it's just way too expensive."
The developer has proposed a heritage easement, rather than designation, to ensure key elements, such as the church's pillars, stained-glass windows and wood floors, are salvaged and incorporated into the future building.
But city politicians have backed planning staff's position that the "structurally sound" church can be incorporated into the highrise development.
In March, the city issued its notice of "intention to designate" 84 York Blvd. and, on Tuesday, the planning committee considered official objections, including those of the congregation and developer.
Designation under the Heritage Act can safeguard the church's "significant features" and that protected status makes it eligible for financial programs for adaptive reuse of the building, a staff report noted.
"Further, staff are willing to continue discussions to find a revised development concept for the site that would balance both a dense housing development and the retention of this significant heritage building."
In February, a consultant representing the developer said a plan that doesn't involve knocking down the church would cut the housing component in half.
"We're providing badly needed housing on a site that's ready to go," Stephen Armstrong said.
In an 7-4 vote Tuesday, the planning committee decided to stay the course of heritage designation. That decision awaits final approval at council next week.
Coun. Ted McMeekin noted he's "really torn" as a "heritage buff" but emphasized his appreciation of faith communities striving to advance their ministries.
"Is there a compromise that would actually work? ... That's my dilemma."
Coun. Jeff Beattie noted similar reservations. "Am I protecting the building, or am I protecting the congregation?"
Once designation is enshrined in bylaw, appeals can be filed to the Ontario Land Tribunal to challenge the status.
The Philpott project figures into a plan to create an entertainment precinct along York Boulevard with high-density housing and eateries in concert with a refurbished FirstOntario Centre.
The Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group (HUPEG), a private consortium that's working with the city, has voiced support for the project.
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