UPDATE: The City of Hamilton has withdrawn this heritage designation from the September Hamilton Municipal Heritage Committee agenda.
City of Hamilton Director of Heritage and Urban Design Ken Coit states City staff will meet with owner Harry Stinson in the coming weeks to discuss designation, including how Stinson can incorporate the heritage facades within a redevelopment of the site.
Hamilton’s Municipal Heritage Committee will vote this coming Friday, September 27, to designate the former Cannon Knitting Mills at 134 Cannon Street East under the Ontario Heritage Act.
The designation will scuttle proposals by property owner Harry Stinson to build a tall building on the site.
According to City staff, Stinson has not yet formally objected to the proposed heritage designation.
[Stinson was sanctioned last year in a case brought by the Ontario Securities Commission, regarding his Buffalo Grand Hotel. Stinson recently received an insurance settlement for the Buffalo Grand Hotel. A Buffalo business publication details other litigation involving Stinson in New York State.]
Property Meets Eight of Nine Criteria for Heritage Designation
The Knitting Mill consists of five structures, the earliest dating back to circa 1866 and the most recent build was completed in 1927.
“This complex of connected buildings is a rare surviving example in Hamilton of an industrial complex whose evolution over time is visible in the distinct styles and periods of its constituent buildings,” reads an unattributed City of Hamilton staff report.
The building has a strong cultural history involving its industrialists and union leaders.
Other reasons for designation include its value as representative of architectural work over the decades in Hamilton, its landmark status within the Beasley neighbourhood, and its value in displaying Hamilton’s history.
No Active Planning Act Application, Only Proposals
Stinson’s development corporation does not have an active Planning Act application, according to the City’s open data portal.
In 2023, there is a Formal Consultation filing “To develop 2 towers (14 and 30-storeys respectively) atop a 6-storey podium which incorporates the existing heritage building. Includes 458 residential units, 63 commercial units, 95 office units and 59 hotel units. Includes 328 parking spaces.”
The Downtown Secondary Plan permits up to 44 metres on the site, approximately 12 storeys of height.
Friday’s Heritage Committee meeting is scheduled to begin at 12 noon.
Production Details v. 1.0.0 Published: September 22, 2024 Last updated: September 22, 2024 Author: Joey Coleman Update Record v. 1.0.0 original version
Does this mean that this building will continue to be left abandoned like it has been for the past 30+ years? It has become too dangerous to even walk down that section of Mary Street, I don’t see how this does anything to improve the area, Stinson has only completed 1 project here in the last 20 years
I wonder if there’s something going on behind the scenes. The timing doesn’t make a whole lot of sense otherwise, especially if Stinson has yet to submit an application.
I’m all for heritage sites if they are well taken care of or are being used at a museum. These are just empty. The could be built into desperately needed housing.
Why do I have an image in my head of a bunch of old ladies sitting around knitting winter clothes?
Tear them down, build the towers and increase the tax base and density of the city.
I agree with Tanya. Keep the outer shell and build high density housing. Ditto Ron
Folks, these buildings are not an impediment to future use. Industrial heritage buildings have been repurposed throughout the world safeguarding those links with our shared history and still managing change to a building to suit the present community with many different uses beyond their original purpose including home and certainly not exclusively museums and time capsules. Imagination needed.
Encourage this project to respond to the challenges facing the community which seems forgotten and deprived. I don’t know if the condo project down the street will answer that call but I’m not local.
Conservation / restoration projects should diversify local trades with specialist jobs I would hope some programmes to encourage apprenticeships for youth can be added into the mix. You will be hard-pressed to find good quality bricks and competent brick layers in Hamilton to reproduce this building nowadays. Why demolish? and why new? There’s a lot of embodied carbon here to consider.
The scale of this mill suits the neighbourhood and has a real presence despite being mid-rise. It look like it takes up a large block. Its facade has interest and a story to tell – compare that with a new tower intervention – do you want a long afternoon shadow cast over that short park next door? I bet its like a cathedral inside – go see.
I cautiously applaud the City for taking this first step – there are many, many more steps to take ensuring that the community has a voice in shaping this conservation (…but not preservation) project. Good luck from England! Show some guts!