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  #1501  
Old Posted May 1, 2009, 5:10 PM
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Awesome, should be very interesting. If they're removing the rear, does that mean they might plan to save the front part? Hopefully. The rear is just a featureless box anyway, I think it was probably added on at some point in the 1950's, probably.
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  #1502  
Old Posted May 1, 2009, 5:22 PM
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Yea, they are suppose to save the orginal facade of the Thomas building. But really we'll have to wait and see the condition of the facade once the medal siding comes off.
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  #1503  
Old Posted May 1, 2009, 6:39 PM
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I've been reading in 'Reviving Main Street' about facade coverings being removed and in many cases the original facade is intact. In the early days of malls and shopping centres alot of aluminum siding was put up to mimic the 'modern' look of the new suburban buildings. I always used to assume that if a facade has been covered up by a giant sign, stucco or siding, that it was a cover up for damage or disrepair. Truth is you never know exactly what you're going to find back there.
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  #1504  
Old Posted May 2, 2009, 3:28 AM
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Great example a few years back when the black's camera metal facade came off the building at King and James (recent home to Cave of Wonders and The Gem Capital) to reveal a really nice building. The only major damage seemed to be to the stone details - which needed to be shaved off to accommodate the new facade.

We'll have to wait and see what hides behind the metal of the Thomas Building...
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  #1505  
Old Posted May 2, 2009, 4:30 PM
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We know they bastardized the wall to some extent to put those little windows on the side. It might be a good canadidate for 'facadism', saving the original facade and rebuilding it on the front of the new building. This would allow LIUNA to do whatever they want behind the building without affecting the streetscape. Given that the Thomas building is pretty far gone structurally, I would be pleased with this outcome.
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  #1506  
Old Posted May 4, 2009, 5:33 AM
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Just was down there today. The rear portion of the beauty school is currently being demolished, as posted earlier. They've already taken a large chunk of the building out, I reckon they'll be done with it by the end of the week. Weird how quickly things are progressing, after so many years of nothing.
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  #1507  
Old Posted May 5, 2009, 12:17 AM
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  #1508  
Old Posted May 5, 2009, 12:46 AM
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Wow. It did not look like that when I walked by around noon. Man, that was quick.
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  #1509  
Old Posted May 5, 2009, 2:44 AM
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hmmm I didn't know that part was coming down. I guess i ever knew this was a part of the building.
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  #1510  
Old Posted May 5, 2009, 3:49 AM
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It's part of the whole deal and good riddance. Now I won't have to look at it every day!
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  #1511  
Old Posted May 6, 2009, 2:11 AM
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The last section of that building is gone (not the Marvel part)
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  #1512  
Old Posted May 6, 2009, 2:13 AM
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Perhaps they'll start to remove the metal facade off the Thomas building earlier than summer.
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  #1513  
Old Posted May 6, 2009, 10:03 PM
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  #1514  
Old Posted May 6, 2009, 10:54 PM
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Wow. Thanks for the pics. I wonder how much more they'll rip down.
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  #1515  
Old Posted May 6, 2009, 11:00 PM
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^ They are suppose to demolish the entire rear addition.

I might have to look back but does LIUNA intend to fill the whole block or just keep the L shaped Lister Block?
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  #1516  
Old Posted May 6, 2009, 11:12 PM
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They're only selling the Lister Block to the city (and restoring it). The rest of the buildings (which is just the Thomas building at this point) are theirs to do whatever with. That's why they ripped down the Rapid Graphic building and made no attempt to salvage the Balfour.
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  #1517  
Old Posted May 16, 2009, 2:46 PM
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1855 Thomas Building gets a new, old face
Lister Block neighbour has 'neat stone walls'

May 16, 2009
Carmela Fragomeni
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/567073

A 19th century building downtown beside the Lister Block has had its front facade exposed for the first time in 48 years as the owner tries to work within its heritage designation.

Workers yesterday removed the final pieces of old white metal cladding that covered the front of the Thomas Building, built in 1855.

Located at 46-52 James Street North, it was designated a heritage site by Hamilton city council in September despite objections from the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA), which owns it and the historic Lister Building.

The cladding on part of the building was put on to provide a consistent commercial front for the Ontario Home Furnishings Company after it expanded into the Thomas Building from its existing spot at 50-52 James St. North, according to a city report last fall on its heritage value.

But to fit on the cladding, the building's stone projections, including the window surrounds and the roof cornice, were removed.

"It looks like someone took a chisel to the limestone there way back whenever they did this cladding and it doesn't match up to what was there originally," said Ricardo Persi, LIUNA Local 837 secretary-treasurer.

LIUNA is simply investigating the structure to see if it is sound and has no definite plans for the building's use, he said, adding it has "some very neat stone walls."

"It looks pretty good. We're thinking of just doing renovations inside and maybe using the building as it is."

Persi said there is some concern that part of the exterior front wall that was just exposed is bowing outward. He said it is serious, but doesn't know how serious.

The four-storey building's southern portion is an example of Renaissance Revival architecture from the pre-Confederation period of Canada -- which typically has a heavy cornice and window surrounds with pronounced mouldings.

The original owner was Robert MacKay, but the building was sold to Best and Green Auctioneers the year after it was built, according to city documents. Other mainstay businesses over the years were the Model Cloak & Suit Company and H.&F. Silk Woolen Company. The upper floors were used for years by Clark's Business College, later known as Central Business College.
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  #1518  
Old Posted May 18, 2009, 3:19 PM
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Lister Block reconstruction enters next phase
Paul Tipple
5/18/2009

The next phase of the reconstruction of the Lister Block in downtown Hamilton is about to get underway.

Crews have spent the winter gutting the building.

And the downtown BIA says the permits have now been issued to allow crews to begin tearing down the two buildings located at the rear of the Lister building.

The city has submitted the extension of its downtown energy generation plant to the Lister building as part of its request for federal and provincial infrastructure funding.
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  #1519  
Old Posted May 19, 2009, 11:13 AM
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Concern for Thomas facade
Bratina wants to make sure building front is not damaged

May 19, 2009
Dana Brown
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/568118

Downtown councillor Bob Bratina wants the city to get involved in the Thomas building demolition process to ensure the heritage facade is not lost.

Bratina is concerned the demolition of the back portion of the building could cause damage that might prompt the city to order the entire structure, including the facade, torn down in the interest of safety.

The building, built in 1855, is on James Street North, next to the Lister Block.

"We don't have any real hopes that the building itself would be useful, but we were hoping that the facade could remain," Bratina said.

The Ward 2 councillor is concerned the Thomas demolition could turn into something similar to the Balfour building situation last year.

As the process was under way, something went wrong with the Balfour project and the city had to issue an emergency order to bring the whole structure down.

Bratina does not want to see the facade of the Thomas building suffer the same fate.

The Thomas building has been designated as having cultural heritage value by the city, with the stone facade specifically being mentioned as one of its heritage attributes.

Bratina said there has already been damage to a neighbouring business because of the project.

"Our interest should be to make sure that everything goes as correctly as possible so that, by accident or something, we don't damage the building and then we're forced to take it down," he said.

The councillor said he will be bringing up the issue at a planning committee meeting today.

A provincial building inspector and the contractor's engineer are also slated to attend the site today.

Bratina is hoping they will be able to assess the viability of the facade and how the demolition may be affecting it.

He has requested someone from the city also be present.
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  #1520  
Old Posted May 20, 2009, 12:53 AM
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I really do hope they can at least save the facade, it would be a shame to lose it.
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