Lister Block | ? | 6 fl | Renovation - Page 73

RePinion · #**1441** Posted **Sep 20, 2008, 8:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by omro

I'm aware that it's a Union, however how this Union operates is totally alien to me. Iin the UK, a Union is there merely to represent the interests of it's members, nothing more.

This Union acts worse than any greedy private commercial property owner/building contractor and somehow gets away with it.

Surely even a Union such as this is responsible to someone or something.

Sure, it's responsible to its membership.

highwater · #**1442** Posted **Sep 20, 2008, 8:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by omro

I'm aware that it's a Union, however how this Union operates is totally alien to me. Iin the UK, a Union is there merely to represent the interests of it's members, nothing more.

This Union acts worse than any greedy private commercial property owner/building contractor and somehow gets away with it.

It probably says a whole lot more about Hamilton than it does about how unions generally function in Canada.

adam · #**1443** Posted **Sep 20, 2008, 8:43 PM**

And it spans all across North America. Hamilton is just one of its many holdings.

Dundasguy · #**1444** Posted **Sep 21, 2008, 12:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by omro

I'm aware that it's a Union, however how this Union operates is totally alien to me. Iin the UK, a Union is there merely to represent the interests of it's members, nothing more.

This Union acts worse than any greedy private commercial property owner/building contractor and somehow gets away with it.

Surely even a Union such as this is responsible to someone or something.

My Grandfather was a member of LIUNA along with a ton of the other Irish immigrant construction laborers in Hamilton who came over in the early 1950's. From what I can remember, he did speak of them in a positive way. He had a decent pension and medical benefits until he passed away in '97 and he was retired for more than 20 years. I guess the money had to come from somewhere.

highwater · #**1445** Posted **Sep 22, 2008, 8:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairHamilton

I'll file all the wanting a weed filled lot, over minimalist improvement, for a future date when you start complaining about a weed filled lot somewhere. Thistleclub property anyone............

Don't like it what was done on King William, then arrange a guerilla gardening group.

http://www.guerrillagardening.org/
http://www.publicspace.ca/gardeners.htm
http://wggc.resist.ca/

If you can get something together now you can plant bulbs, and you'll have all winter to plan next summer's plantings.

There's my challenge, will anyone pick it up?

We're really doing it! Check out the King William guerrilla gardening thread for details.

WhipperSnapper · #**1446** Posted **Oct 1, 2008, 5:19 AM**

Quote:

Surely even a Union such as this is responsible to someone or something.

Union pension funds own this country

SteelTown · #**1447** Posted **Oct 16, 2008, 11:12 AM**

LIUNA meeting Lister conditions

October 16, 2008
The Hamilton Spectator

A deal to save the Lister Block is still on track after LIUNA officials met a series of conditions yesterday with the City of Hamilton.

The deal, which would see city employees occupy a refurbished Lister Block by 2012, has a number of deadlines for the developer to meet certain conditions.

Yesterday's deadline required a heritage conservation strategy and planning applications, among other things. Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger said all requirements appear to have been met except for a computer-modelled energy study.

LIUNA, the labour organization that owns the building, was granted an extension for the study because of difficulties in finding someone to do the work, Eisenberger said.

He added that he is confident the deal will go through. "They are spending an awful lot of money on these studies and they wouldn't do that if they didn't plan to follow through ... I think everything is moving along as it should."

A spokesperson for LIUNA could not be reached for comment.

matt602 · #**1448** Posted **Oct 16, 2008, 7:41 PM**

So far, so good. LIUNA is surprising me a fair bit here.

1ajs · #**1449** Posted **Oct 16, 2008, 7:56 PM**

whats the purpos of this study? cause studies usely are just a waste of money

Millstone · #**1450** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 4:22 PM**

The scaffolding is being removed on the James St side right now. Uncovered are a Marvel Beauty Schools sign and another about a discount store.

Jon Dalton · #**1451** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 5:41 PM**

Did they actually do any work while the scaffolding was up? I'll have to go take a look after work.

matt602 · #**1452** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 6:05 PM**

I think they just removed some windows. Other than that, the scaffolding sat for no reason. They might be taking it off of that part because they plan to demo the building in question (Thomas building, pre-dates the Lister itself). LIUNA has had a hard on for demolishing that building for awhile now. The Marvel School of Beauty, Pioneer Cleaners and some other stores were in that building, left in the late '80s I believe.

crhayes · #**1453** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 6:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

Did they actually do any work while the scaffolding was up? I'll have to go take a look after work.

I went by on my way home from school...doesn't look like they've done a lot so far.

raisethehammer · #**1454** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 7:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by crhayes

I went by on my way home from school...doesn't look like they've done a lot so far.

sounds about par for the course. LOL

Jon Dalton · #**1455** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 7:43 PM**

Perhaps this lends some credibility to the theory that they were getting ready to demolish had the city deal fallen through.

crhayes · #**1456** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 8:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon Dalton

Perhaps this lends some credibility to the theory that they were getting ready to demolish had the city deal fallen through.

Yeah possibly, those scaffolds were definitely there to prevent any injury to pedestrians from falling debris. I wonder why they're taking them down, the outside of the building clearly has LOTS of work to be done.

adam · #**1457** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 9:33 PM**

Broken windows have exposed the interior to the elements for quite some time now. I shudder to think the damage this has caused inside. Why wouldn't they just board up the windows to protect their property?

Dundasguy · #**1458** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 9:38 PM**

Does anyone know if the city deal is still on with this?

It seems strange that they would be willing to overpay for a long term lease when they can't afford decent cladding on city hall.

matt602 · #**1459** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 9:38 PM**

They did board them up starting about 5 years ago, eventually doing them all. They recently started coming off again when they started taking out the window frames entirely. They just didn't bother putting the boards back up after.

Here's a video of them doing the final seal-up in the winter 2 years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITAniU-1ZJI

After they did all of that, the interior conditions actually worsened considerably because the water damage had already been done over the past 10+ years that it sat unprotected and abandoned. With the windows sealed up, mold spores grew wild and the plaster seemed to come off the walls a lot faster. Might as well have just left the windows open, it was pointless by then. Even with all that in mind, the building is in fair condition considering how long it has been sitting like it has. It was built very well.

Millstone · #**1460** Posted **Nov 25, 2008, 9:42 PM**

I just hope those junk buildings facing Rebecca come down.