Tivoli Theatre | ? | 22 fl | Planning

[bigguy1231]

Originally Posted by KDP

Okay, I am a bit of an idiot, and have only recently been getting into downton Hamilton architecture/buildings, but isn't the Tivoli Theatre GONE? I thought it collapsed in on itself about 10-15 years ago and now its just an empty lot beside the CBC office? But then I see things like Steeltown saying "theatre will remain" and Curran "The Tivoli is a fabulous community asset and it’s sitting there rotting". What am I missing?

The theater is still there. It was just the front of the building that collapsed, the old lobby. The theater is in good shape.

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[urban_planner]

The lobby collapsed but the theater portion remains in the building directly behind the empty"Park" space beside CBC. it will probably be open during super crawl if you go down then!

[KDP]

Okay. Thanks. I'd seen the Hughson side, but figured that was a different building. I guess I just assumed that the lobby wasn't the big either.

[Pearlstreet]

www.tivolicondos.ca


I hope this is the catalyst for the Cannon Knitting Mills to secure tenants, maybe I'm dreaming...

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by Pearlstreet

www.tivolicondos.ca


I hope this is the catalyst for the Cannon Knitting Mills to secure tenants, maybe I'm dreaming...

Or a push to get the Acclamation development going too.

[lucasmascotto]

Maybe, I'm being a little too skeptical here, but I refuse to raise my hopes until I see some solid plans for a condo. So far, this just seems to be nothing but a bunch of advertising hype. It's good to stir up morale and possibly even money, but with nothing standing behind it I can't help but reserve my joy for the infill/rejuvenation project.

[CaptainKirk]

Originally Posted by KDP

Okay, I am a bit of an idiot, and have only recently been getting into downton Hamilton architecture/buildings, but isn't the Tivoli Theatre GONE? I thought it collapsed in on itself about 10-15 years ago and now its just an empty lot beside the CBC office? But then I see things like Steeltown saying "theatre will remain" and Curran "The Tivoli is a fabulous community asset and it’s sitting there rotting". What am I missing?

Nope the actual theatre still exists. It was the foyer and front entrance that collapsed.

The theatre is set quite far back, backing up against Hughson St.

Foyer



Check this out
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/2524936-deal-closes-for-downtown-tivoli-theatre/

[ScreamingViking]

Originally Posted by CaptainKirk

Nope the actual theatre still exists. It was the foyer and front entrance that collapsed.

The theatre is set quite far back, backing up against Hughson St.

Foyer

Thanks! I had forgotten what that looked like. The concession stand was added later on the right side of the foyer, wasn't it?

[matt602]

The part in that photo (the foyer/concession area) still exists too. They ripped the building down to right about where the photographer is standing in that photo.

[markbarbera]

It seems to me the collapsed front portion of the building was the original millhouse before the theatre was built behind and became the Tivoli. Here is what it looked like just before the brick on the streetfront collapsed:



The west wing had to come down after the brickwork crumbled.

While the Tivoli was a gem, the real loss happened years ago when the gorgeous Grand Opera came down. It stood next to the Tivoli right where Centrepoint strip mall is today. It was torn down in 1961.

Here is a photo of the Tivoli and the Grand side by side in 1929.



Photos source http://cinematreasures.org

[durandy]

Jesus, every time I think I've seen it all I come across another treasure taken down in the Jackson-Copps era.

[matt602]

That building would have been absolutely amazing to have on James North today. What a huge loss.

[lucasmascotto]

Originally home to Hamilton's storied Tivoli Vaudeville Theatre, The Tivoli Condos offer 50 brand new contemporary condominium residences in the heart of Hamilton's most connected, most creative neighbourhood. Located on James Street North, in the new art precinct, Tivoli Condos are destined to be the destination for cool, contemporary residences in this hot new 'hood.

http://www.tivolicondos.ca/

I'm very curious about this one...

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Originally Posted by matt602

That building would have been absolutely amazing to have on James North today. What a huge loss.

Here's the Grand near the end looking much different from its original form.

The Granada theatre opened in 1880 as the Grand Opera House with 1200 seats. When a screen was added the name was changed to the Grand theatre. In 1935, the name was changed to the Granada and again changed in 1954 to the Downtown. In 1961, it was torn down. The grand piano was saved and is now on display at Hamilton Place.
source

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Here are some more tidbits about the Grand from FB.

[Pearlstreet]

Do you know why they tore down the Grand? It seems those buildings with more beautiful detail and likely more cost to maintain come down first as a result.

[CaptainKirk]

Don't recall seeing this wonderful pic I bumped into recently. It's from a movie shoot a few years ago.




Ambrose Small the original owner vanished mysteriously in 1919. check out that story http://torontothenandnow.blogspot.ca/2010/12/14-ambrose-small-and-torontos-crime-of.html

Not all of those who have claimed to see Ambrose Small have claimed that he was alive when they saw him. He is said to haunt a number of his former properties, including Hamilton's Tivoli Theatre. Staff have claimed to see someone wandering around the Tivoli Theatre after hours. Some initially mistake him to be a vagrant or an intruder, but then they realize that he is dressed in a gentleman's clothing from the early 1900s. They describe him as being of shorter stature, with a big mustache. The one time manager of the theatre, Loren Lieberman, checked out a book with a photograph of Ambrose Small in it from the Hamilton Public Library. When those who claimed to have seen Ambrose Small's ghost were shown the picture, they claimed that Small's photograph matched the description of the apparition they had seen.

For more information on the history and legends of Hamilton's Tivoli theatre, and other similar phenomenon around Hamilton, be sure to visit the official "Haunted Hamilton" website. Not only do they offer frequent walks around Hamilton, the founders, Stephanie Lechniak-Cumerlato and Daniel Cumerlato, are frequent guests on local television and radio, and in other media. Thanks to Stephanie and Daniel, and all the rest, for over ten years of helping to keep Hamilton's stories alive!

Wonder if he'll haunt the new condos

Ambrose Small's disappearance in 1919 became one of the most captivating and enduring mysteries of Toronto's history. He was a mogul of sensationalist theatre, a ruthless businessman, an adulterous rogue and a self made millionaire who hated children and the less fortunate, and who complained that his wife's benevolence towards charity was a "waste of time". He had all the personality traits that people love to hate, and the fascination with his life and disappearance has endured for nearly a century.

[CaptainKirk]

Ooops. Found this post

Ambrose had no connection to the Tivoli Theatre in Hamilton, It was built five years after he disappeared. However the Grand Opera House next door (102 James N) was under the control of Small from 1902 through to his selling it in 1919...

Interesting to note the same signage for both Grand Theatres in Hamilton and Toronto.

[Beedok]

With that 20 story building going up near by I wonder if complaints about this one being too tall will go away.