Only hours after Supercrawl ended, Hamilton’s latest demolition-by-neglect began on James Street North.
Early Monday, a yellow CAT excavator began tearing apart the historic Tivoli auditorium, ripping through masonry and brick weakened by decades of neglect.
In January, City Council approved the demolition after receiving a 193-page engineering report that found the building was “past the point of restoration,” citing structural failure, asbestos contamination, and widespread mold.
At the time, Ward 2 Councillor Cameron Kroetsch called the demolition “difficult to accept” but said the evidence was clear.
“It’s sad to see downtown lose another heritage landmark, especially one as loved as the Tivoli Theatre,” he said.
The assessment by Kalos Engineering noted the collapsed roof had allowed water infiltration, with “exterior brick and clay tile walls significantly deteriorating on both the interior and exterior sides.” It also identified extensive asbestos-containing plaster debris throughout the structure.
While most of the building cannot be salvaged, the owner is required to preserve any recoverable elements.
$1-Million Heritage Bond
As a condition of demolition, developer Aventus posted a $1-million bond and must incorporate salvaged heritage features into a future development.
Among the auditorium’s surviving artifacts are two classical statue reproductions – Augustus of Primaporta and Minerva Giustiniani – that heritage restoration expert Steven Dall assessed as salvageable.
“Overall shape of these pieces are fair, and structurally sound, and can be well preserved, restored, and finished for future use,” Dall wrote in his report. (Page 172)
Restoration of the reproductions is a condition of the demolition approval.
Aventus is proposing a 800-square-foot ground-level interpretive centre within the podium of its proposed tall building redevelopment to showcase the history of the site.
The 2004 Collapse
The Tivoli originally opened in 1908 in a converted factory before being rebuilt in 1924 following a fire.
It operated as a movie theatre until September 1989, later hosting community performances before falling into decline during Hamilton’s economic downturn in the 1990s and 2000s.
On June 29, 2004, a portion of the south wall and roof collapsed. The City intervened to stabilize the building and demolished the three-storey front that year at a cost of $300,000 in emergency work.
Although the charge was placed on the property tax roll, it was later waived when the Sniderman family transferred the property to the Canadian Ballet Youth Ensemble (CBYE) in 2006 for two dollars. CBYE, led by CEO Belma Gurdil-Diamante, received City grants to maintain the auditorium.
In 2013, CBYE sold the property to Diamante Investments, a company owned by Gurdil-Diamante’s husband, Domenic. The price was never disclosed.
Neglect During Land Speculator Ownership
Shortly after their for-profit company took control of the Tivoli, Diamante Investments pursued rezoning to increase the property’s value.
In 2015, then-Ward 2 Councillor Jason Farr championed the upzoning application, despite planning staff recommending denial.
The Beasley Neighbourhood Association demanded “enforceable guarantees” to protect the auditorium.
Farr said the Diamante family promised to save the auditorium if the rezoning was approved. Council granted the upzoning and removed conditions that would have ensured the building’s upkeep.
The predictable followed: the auditorium deteriorated, the property’s value rose, Diamante Investments profited, and soon all that will remain is a pile of rubble.
Diamante’s ownership ended in 2022, when Aventus Developments acquired the site along with the neighbouring Centre Point Plaza.
2024’s Proposed Redevelopment
Aventus plans to replace the auditorium with two towers of 32 to 35 storeys each, connected by an amenity bridge.
The proposal includes ground-floor commercial space, a 25th-floor bar and event space positioned as a “public amenity,” and the interpretive center.
A new zoning and official plan amendment application is required.
No application is currently listed for 108 James Street North.
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v. 1.0.0
Published: September 16, 2025
Last updated: September 16, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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