Abandoned Hamilton

[DC83]

Originally Posted by IronWarrior

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.

[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

[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?

[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 Drapes and carpets were worn, furnishing and linens were outdated, there were stains, the TVs were old--but the rack rates and room rates stayed similar to the competition.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.

[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]

Originally Posted by flar

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.