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BURFORD BEAUTY CIRCA 1800s

July 6, 2013, 8:01 pm
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48 9TH CONCESSION ROAD, BURFORD, ONTARIO  

 

 
 
 
 
 
Fresh Features:
  • Historical Two Storey Triple Brick
  • Landscaped 3 acre lot surrounded
  • 30' x 50' board & batten barn with 25' X 25' run in
  • Gracious, impressive foyer with ornate plaster moldings, hand-painted faux marble walls, signed & dated in the 1850's
  • Pine plank flooring throughout
  • High ceilings, huge kitchen/great room with original old wood cook stove
  • Original staircase
  • Master w/ ensuite, claw tub & walk-in closet

Offered at $599,900
VIEW LISTING HERE
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QUINSSESSENTIAL QUEEN ANNE

July 6, 2013, 8:49 pm
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316 HERKIMER STREET, HAMILTON, ONTARIO
Photos by Tom Vogel. This Queen Anne Victorian sold a few years ago and its no wonder why it flew off the market. Indulge in the photos below to get your FRESH BRICK fix. Breath-taking!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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A-FOUR-DABLE CHARACTER

July 8, 2013, 10:13 pm
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HAMBLY HOUSE CIRCA 1939

July 8, 2013, 10:48 pm
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This Deco beauty located at 70 Longwood Avenue North in Hamilton, Ontario, is currently listed for $399,900 on realtor.ca (for the second time in 5 years). View the listing here. Read about the history and significance of the property below.


Heritage Value Built in 1939, Hambly House has cultural heritage value because it is a rare example of Art Moderne and has all six typical features of Art-Moderne residential buildings (see numbers 1 to 6), two of three prominent features (see numbers 7 to 9), and one common feature (see number 10).
 
Key Features of Art Moderne 
(1) Horizontal Composition with Flat Roof - Typical
(2) Rounded Corners - Typical
(3) Corner Windows - Typical
(4) Horizontal Lines - Typical
(5) Smooth Wall Surfaces - Typical
(6) Horizontal Window Panes - Typical
(7) Ship Railings - Prominent
(8) Porthole Windows - Prominent
(9) Glass Blocks - Prominent (Not Present)
(10) Prominent Door Surround – Common
 
In addition to these exterior features, Hambly House has many common interior features of this style, most of which are Art Deco (e.g. Art-Deco fireplace, tile patterns, wall paper, and light fixtures; green-yellow Art-Deco bathroom with American Standard fixtures and faucets; brown Art-Moderne plywood kitchen with grey Formica counter top, red corner booth, and red linoleum tiles). Finally, Hambly House has two features that are unusual in Art-Moderne buildings and thus enhance its heritage value: Art-Moderne landscaping, and a National-Park-Rustic-style family room. Both are described and shown below.
 
In a preliminary evaluation, the City of Hamilton reported that 170 Longwood Road North has design value, historical value, and contextual value, and that it is "an exemplary case of vernacular Art Moderne architecture in Hamilton":
 
"The residence municipally known as 170 Longwood Road North (Hamilton) is situated in the Westdale neighbourhood, a planned suburb in west Hamilton developed as part of the “City Beautiful” movement.
 
The subject property contains a one-storey residence built in 1939 of concrete block and clad in quartz stucco, constructed in a vernacular Art Moderne style, derivative of the Late Art Deco tradition in the 1930’s. This structure is unique among the Tudor Revival architecture of the surrounding residences. The house is conjectured to be constructed by local builders for the original owner, Jack Hambly, likely using plans produced by Edward Glass, a local designer. The detached dwelling maintains its original use as a residence, and is markedly distinct from the surrounding vernacular Tudor Revival residences, also built in the early- to mid-20th century. The single-storey structure features a white-rendered house frontage, flat roof, curved frontage, horizontal line above the windows and porthole window, suggesting some nautical elements, all typical of the Art Moderne style.
 
The building is situated on an earthen pedestal on this corner lot, and features curvilinear railings on the front step up to the main entry which, in turn, has Ogee curve detailing above the door. The subject property is the northwest corner lot on the block, and the detailed architectural focus of the building is on its northwest corner, around the porch and entryway. A modest garage, set back from the west façade and lower in height than the main building, is built in the same style as the attached house. The exterior has been fully restored to maintain the original materials, and is in pristine condition. The landscaping has likewise been restored, removing and replacing overgrown shrubs and trees. The interior of the building is also largely unaltered, and includes original flooring and wall-coverings: the basement lounge area features use of the National Parks Service Rustic “Parkitecture” tradition, including replicated log walls in concrete."
 
 

Art-Moderne Landscaping Hambly House has original, wave-like landscaping which fits the Art-Moderne style perfectly but is rarely seen in Art-Moderne houses: the front yard is shaped like waves which rise to the rounded patio and the sides of the house. The landscaping reinforces the impression that the house is a white cruise ship floating on the sea. The architect created this effect deliberately: since the lot was originally flat, two large, deep concrete window wells had to be constructed—partly above ground level—in order to provide the basement family room with natural light.

National-Park-Rustic Design Hambly House has a basement family room in the National-Park-Rustic style: it looks like a log cabin in a US- National Park in the 1930s. The architect chose a Rustic design but used modern building techniques: the "logs" are made of concrete and wire-mesh and were painted to look like wood. The floor and ceiling also give the impression that they are made of wood but are actually made of linoleum and plaster, respectively. The fireplace mantel looks like it is made of river stones of different colours but is actually made of coloured concrete.
 

Even though Art Moderne and National-Park Rustic seem to be opposites, they were fashionable in the same time period and were sometimes employed by the same architect: like Art Moderne, the Rustic style of architecture was developed  in the 1920s, reached its high point in the 1930s, and came to an end in the 1940s. The original owner of Hambly House liked both modern and traditional styles of architecture; they were able to live in their futuristic Art Moderne home during the day and retreat to their Rustic, faux log cabin in the evening.

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CORNUCOPIA OF CHARACTER!

July 12, 2013, 5:09 am
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46 Ontario Avenue, Hamilton, Ontario CIRCA 1889
Holy Brick! Rarely do you find a home in this condition. My jaw dropped when I saw how bursting with character it was. Check out the amazing photos by Tom Vogel below and prepare to fall in love. Jewels like this do not come onto the market very often so if you have the itch, fetch this FRESH PIECE OF BRICK (before its gone).


FRESH FEATURES

  • Queen Anne Victorian
  • Custom built and designed by renowned Hamilton architect Joseph Powell in 1889 (see bio below)
  • 7 bedrooms!
  • 3+1 baths
  • Ornate carved staircase
  • Stained and leaded glass windows throughout
  • Wood trim and wainscoting
  • High ceilings
  • Ornate ceiling medallions
  • Original plaster crown mouldings
  • Eat-in kitchen with reclaimed brick walls
  • Solid oak parquet flooring
  • Inlaid hardwood floors
  • Detached garage
  • Landscaped and fenced back-yard
  • Taxes: $3,193!
Offered at $389,000. Not yet listed on realtor.ca, but for sale by Bill Papaioannou of REMAX...click below for listing details:































LOCATION:
Stinson neighbourhood. The area is going through a slow renaissance, largely powered by Harry Stinson's highly publicized Stinson School lofts development. Definitely an opportunity to invest in an A+ home in an opportunity neighbourhood.

46 Ontario Ave, Hamilton, ON L8N 4J5

Close to the Hamilton GO station, for convenient commuter access:






















POWELL, Joseph (fl. 1888-1896) was active in Hamilton, Ont. where is name can be linked with a variety of residential, commercial and industrial commissions, either under his own name, or by the name of Joseph Powell & Co. He may be same 'Joseph Powell, Architect' who was active in London, Ont. in 1886 and who is credited with the design of a substantial four story commercial block on York Street, immediately east of Grigg House, LONDON, ONT. 

(works in Hamilton)

  • MARKLAND STREET, three houses for an unnamed client, 1888 (Spectator [Hamilton], 16 Oct. 1888, 4, t.c.)
  • SHEAFFE STREET, row of ten brick houses, 1889 (Spectator [Hamilton], 16 Feb. 1889, 4, t.c.)
  • MacNAB STREET SOUTH, alterations and improvements to residence for George C. Thomson, 1889 (Spectator [Hamilton], 20 June 1889, 4, t.c.)
  • MAIN STREET EAST, near Walnut Street, large residence for Dr. Adolphus Farewell 'a mixture of the Norman and Russian Byzantine' styles, 1890 (Spectator [Hamilton], 4 Dec. 1890, 8, t.c.; C.R., i, 13 Dec. 1890, 2)
  • METHODIST MISSION CHURCH, Young Street, 1890 (C.R., i, 13 Dec. 1890, 2)
  • GORE STREET, large residence for O.A. Horning, 1891 (C.R., i, 24 Jan. 1891, 2)
  • W.A. FREEMAN FERTILIZER CO., James Street North, near Murray Street, rebuilding of the factory and warehouse, 1891 (C.R., i, 24 Jan. 1891, 2, descrip.)
  • BURLINGTON BEACH, beach cottage for William Worthington, 1891 (C.R., ii, 28 Feb. 1891, 2)
  • KING STREET WEST, large store or warehouse for George E. Martin, 1891 (C.R., ii, 28 Feb. 1891, 2, t.c.)
  • INCHBURY STREET, three houses for an unnamed client, 1891 (C.R., ii, 25 April 1891, 2)
  • YOUNG STREET, at Ferguson Street South, four houses for an unnamed client, 1893 (C.R., iv, 7 Sept. 1893, 1, t.c.)
  • JAMES STREET NORTH, near Ferrie Street, rebuilding dwellings and additions to No. 448 James Street North, 1893 (C.R., iv, 9 Nov. 1893, 1, t.c.)
  • WENTWORTH STREET SOUTH, near Delaware Street, residence for Leroy Burke, 1894 (C.R., v, 2 Aug. 1894, 2, t.c.)
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REGENCY COTTAGE CIRCA 1846

July 12, 2013, 9:04 pm
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35 Cross Street, Dundas Ontario, circa 1846
Wood-Dale, the Regency cottage of Lt.Col. Thomas Howard McKenzie, built in 1846. Born in Scotland about 1811, McKenzie was one of the biggest merchants in Dundas, buying and selling pork by the hundreds of tons. His sales exceeded $1 million in his best year. He commanded a company in the 1837 Rebellion and was later Lt. Col. in the Wentworth Regiment. He was Mayor from 1859 to 1861.
This is one of my favourite houses in Dundas. View the photos below and you'll see why. Bad news is it sold a few years ago - in the high  $800s I believe...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Photo Credits: Tom Vogel, www.vogel-creative.com
 
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FRESH LISTING - 1930s PIGOTT BUILT

July 16, 2013, 9:59 pm
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1 St. James Place Hamilton, Ontario
Landmark home in the heart of the Durand neighbourhood. Built in the 1930s by the Pigott family (see below history).


In 1927 the city of Stuttgart hosted the White Housing show. The structural and stylistic innovations on display penetrated everywhere - even to remote Hamilton, Ontario, where the Pigott Construction Company offered a line of "Better Built" homes: white painted stucco, flat roofs, concrete stairs, steel window sashes and all (as seen with 1 St. James Place) .

NOW FOR SALE on PropertyGuys.com. Click here to view the listing. Oddly, price is not published (contact seller).

FRESH FACT: This home was listed several times over the past 4-5 years without a successful sale. The last asking price was $599,900 and that was an "exclusive" listing with Coldwell Banker.

History: Pigott Construction
Joseph M. Pigott was a prominent Canadian businessman, who jointly ran Pigott Construction Company, responsible for some of Canada's largest industrial plants and finest buildings.

He was born in Hamilton, Ontario on February 23, 1885, the son of a prominent Irish contractor (Michael Pigott, himself the founder of Pigott Construction Co. and the son of an Irish farmer who emigrated to Canada and settled near Guelph).

In 1903 he began working for his father's construction company. In 1909 Pigott travelled to Saskatchewan with his younger brother Roy where they secured a large contract to build St. Paul's Hospital in Saskatoon.

Together the brothers would direct Pigott Construction to fortune and fame. Roy looked after the engineering and Joseph took care of the business administration. The first $1,000,000 year came in 1926, and in 1930, Hamilton's earliest skyscraper, the 16-storey Pigott Building, was completed.
After the Second World War, Pigott Construction was Canada's largest privately owned construction company, amassing more than $113,000,000 in business in a single year.

 Pigott built some of Canada's largest industrial plants and finest buildings: the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto; Crown Life Insurance Company head office, Toronto; Bank of Canada, Ottawa; a plant for General Motors, Oshawa, and buildings for A. V. Roe Company in Malton. In Hamilton, buildings built by his firm included: the Canadian Westinghouse offices, Banks of Nova Scotia, Royal and Montreal, McMaster University, the County Court House, Westdale Secondary School, St. Joseph's Hospital, the Pigott Building, the new City Hall and the Cathedral of Christ the King.


 

 
Joseph Pigott's Home -  358 Bay Street South, Hamilton, Ontario
The home was built for Joseph Pigott, President of Pigott Construction, in the Tudor revival style. It was designed by William Souter, architect of the Cathedral of Christ the King on King Street West. Souter's own home was around the corner at 108 Aberdeen (see below).



William Souter's home - Burnewin, 108 Aberdeen Avenue, Hamilton, Ontario circa 1932
The home was designed by architect William Souter as his own residence. It is made of stone and was constructed at the same time as the Souter-designed Cathedral of Christ the King was being built in west Hamilton. Originally, Souter intended to purchase the house immediately to the east, tear it down, and convert its lot into his front garden entrance on Bay Street South. It's for this reason the front door of the house faces east and not onto Aberdeen Avenue.

FRESH FACT: Sold  about 3 years ago for $1.2 million



   
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WILLIAM PRING HOUSE CIRCA 1855

July 19, 2013, 10:36 pm
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158 Mary Street, Hamilton, Ontario
William Pring, appointed Surveyor of Customs in 1851, had this house built in 1855 for himself and his family. At the time Mary Street was a major artery down to the east docks, warehouses, custom house, and old Port Hamilton on Burlington Bay.


The location was ideal for William Pring. It was close to the harbour and the customs office thought to have been in the post office on James Street North. When Pring had his fine stone home built, he had a view to the east of the Ferguson family farm that extended from Rebecca Street to the bay. He saw a growing city full of optimism in all other directions.
          
Margaret Houghton, archivist at the Hamilton Public Library, says Mary Street is one of the oldest in the city. “Some of the notable institutions along the street included the Lyric Theatre, Chipman Holton, Malcolm and Souter furniture manufacturers, Hamilton Cotton and the Canadian Knitting Company.”

A city heritage designation in 1991 recognized the William Pring House as a rare example of pre-Confederation stone architecture in Hamilton.


FRESH FEATURES:
  • The nine-foot ceilings
  • Eight fireplaces
  • Three-story spiral staircase with turned banister.
  • Wondrous curved panelled doors
  • Thick limestone walls
  • Renaissance Revival entrance
  • Finely detailed shutters

















David Cuming, who manages heritage planning for MHBC, an urban design and landscape architecture firm in Kitchener, says the interior woodwork of the Pring house is on par with the finest examples of pre-Confederation architecture in the province, including the Ruthven Estate in Cayuga.                         
 
Ruthven Estate, Cayuga, Ontario
                                        
FRESH FACT:
Sold in January 2012 after being listed for 1-week for $349,800. The new owners converted the home into a hostel for backpackers called the Hamilton Guesthouse. Click here for details.
 
 
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HISTORIC AUCHMAR circa 1854

August 3, 2013, 10:51 am
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AUCHMAR ESTATE HAMILTON, ONTARIO
Former home of the Honourable Isaac Buchanan and a significant monument to the economic, cultural, and architectural history of Canada.

Auchmar is recognized by the Ontario Heritage Trust as having significant historical value and is currently owned by the citizens of Hamilton.

Preservation and public vs. developer ownership are currently in debate. Citizens of Hamilton and anyone who has visited the grounds or stepped inside the building comes away saying, we must save this heritage.  Is Hamilton a city with a teardown mentality or one with a vision for restoration? Now is the opportune time for the citizens of Hamilton and specifically residents of the Mountain to stand up and speak loudly for preservation of the Auchmar estate.
Read the Spectator article HERE

 
History
Source: www.auchmar.info

Auchmar was built in 1854 on land that Buchanan had purchased two years previously. Its name was taken from the Auchmar estate on Loch Lomond, Scotland, which Buchanan's family had owned.
 
 
Over the years the magnificent house was visited by such notables as Sir John A. Macdonald, Sir Allan MacNab, Pope John Paul II (when he was Cardinal) and the Prince of Wales during an 1860 Royal visit. Auchmar still stands on 10 acres of an eighty-six acre spread that Buchanan called Claremont Park. It was considered an elegant example of gothic revival architecture with its arched windows, eleven chimneys, gables, and French doors.

In July 1936, Isaac Buchanan's daughter Elsie shared her memories of Auchmar's early years with a reporter for the Spectator. She said that the family's original intention was to live on the Mountain only during the summer months, as they maintained a winter residence on Henry (now Cannon) Street. Buchanan, however, was so enamoured of the Mountain location and views that he resolved to make Auchmar his full-time abode. The Spectator article noted, "Isaac Buchanan said that the first time he climbed the Mountain and saw the view, he felt like running down and asking people why they didn't build up there. His enthusiasm grew with the years and he was ever an advocate of the idea that the town should be built on top and not under the hill."

Elsie Buchanan said that there were originally glass-enclosed verandahs running the length of the house's front and back, as Isaac was determined to experience the health benefits of the sunshine even when it was too cold to step outside. Years later this 'indoor exposure' practice was used to combat tuberculosis, prompting Miss Buchanan to point out with pride that her father was a thinker ahead of his time.

Auchmar's interior was finished in beautifully grained soft wood, and almost all the inside walls were brick, making the house nearly fireproof. 10 fireplaces were on the ground floor. A long hall in the shape of a Roman cross occupied the main floor, and stairways with bright, large windows ascended from each end, allowing free circulation of air. At the west end, halfway up the stairs, was a niche in the wall containing a French bronze statue called 'Night'. Plans to have a corresponding statue in the east window called 'Morning' never came to fruition.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Miss Buchanan said that from its earliest days, Auchmar had a bathroom and a furnace, both features not found in too many residences during the 1850s. "Another proof that my father was ahead of his time," she said in 1936.

The builders originally planned to make the ground floor consist of four large rooms with identical dimensions of 18 x 20 feet. Then it was decided, probably at the suggestion of Mrs. Buchanan, that the dining room be more generous in size, in order to accommodate the lavish parties that the Buchanans intended to hold for government officials and political associates. There was also a music room with cane lined walls (similar to the bottom of a chair), in which Mrs. Buchanan, an accomplished singer, gave recitals. The unique wall covering improved the tone and resonance of all sounds.

Mrs. Dick-Lauder, author of Wentworth Landmarks (1897), visited Auchmar in the 1890s and vividly recorded her impressions. "From a distance it gives the impression of a little walled fort," she wrote. "...the eastern entrance to the house is next to the conservatory, and the visitor is at once ushered into a most cathedral-like main hallway running the full length of the house.... The hall is cathedral-like because its ceiling is Gothic. Nor is it gloomy, as one might imagine. The effect is not gloom; it is something different- a dim, religious light."

Most dignitaries and political figures visited Auchmar whenever they passed through Hamilton. Elsie Buchanan recalled how the house was once filled to overflowing with the entourage accompanying Sir John Young (later Lord Lisgar). Lord and Lady Dufferin, Sir John A. Macdonald, and the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) also enjoyed the Buchanans' hospitality.
 
 
 
 
 
 
When Isaac Buchanan died in 1883 at the age of 73, Auchmar was sold to Captain Trigg, a military man from India. In 1900 James Buchanan, Isaac's fourth son, bought the property back. Some of his sisters, Elsie among them, lived there for years afterward. In 1926 the family sold Auchmar to A.V. Young, who lived there with his family until September 1943, when it was rented to the Royal Canadian Air Force as a rehabilitation centre. The Hungarian Sisters of Social Service bought the mansion and land in 1945 and retained ownership until 1999, when Auchmar was acquired by the City of Hamilton.

Check it out for yourself. Doors Open Hamilton typically hosts tours every year in May.
 
Factoid
This gate lodge was built for the Hon. Isaac Buchannan (1810-1883) who was born in Glasgow. He emigrated to Toronto in 1830, became a successful wholesale merchant, represented Toronto in the first Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, 1841-44, and moved to Hamilton about 1850. He bought property here, named it the Claremont Estate in 1852, and in 1855 built the lodge and the main house, now located at 88 Fennell West. Buchanan subdivided the estate and renamed the main house "Auchmar" after the Buchanan estate on Loch Lomond, Scotland. He became Member for Hamilton, 1857-67, and served as President of the Executive Council in the 1864 Tache-Macdonald administration. He died in Hamilton in 1883.

Located at the southeast corner of Claremont Drive and Arcade Crescent
 

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44 WELLINGTON STREET NORTH

August 8, 2013, 4:05 pm
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44 Wellington Street North, Cambridge, Ontario
I came across this FRESH LISTING on Tom Vogel's site which means it must be coming soon to realtor.ca. Unfortunately I haven't been able to pinpoint its exact location, despite several Google and Google Map searches. Ugh! I will update you as soon as I find out. Enjoy the below pics in the interim.









 
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CORKTOWN CHARACTER HOME circa 1891

August 24, 2013, 6:49 pm
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92 Wellington Street South, Hamilton, Ontario
Currently Listed on Realtor.ca for $369,850. View listing HERE 


This fresh piece of brick has turned my head for years. Captivating curb appeal in a busy but central downtown location. Character trumps location with this  home, but its well worth it based on these FRESH features:

- Magnificent lead glass doors & matching lead glass windows
- 10' ceilings
 - Spacious living room with a large leaded glass bay window
- Gas fireplace & hardwood floors
- Grand staircase
- 3 large bedrooms & a spa like bathroom with jetted tub
- Enchanting low maintenance perennial gardens
- Absolutely spectacular one of a kind 6,000 gallon pond with waterfall (Featured in the Hamilton Spectator - View article HERE)


 

 
 
6,000 gallon pond - Muskoka in the City!
  • Looks more like a lake — all right, a small bay of a lake — than an installed pond
  • The pond takes most of the back yard and is ringed by trees, shrubs and a mulch-covered path that evokes the pine-needle forest carpets of cottage country. The large waterfall provides constant movement and sound that muffles the busy street noise.
  • Around the six-metre by nine-metre pond are 25 tons of granite. It holds 6,000 gallons of water and up to 20 koi and is 48 inches deep at its deepest point
  • The current owners have owned house for about eight years and started the garden about five years ago
  • The couple left a condo in downtown Toronto to live in and restore the old house, which they have determined was built for Arthur O’Heir, a lawyer and, serendipitously, chair of the Hamilton parks board in 1914-15.
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TUDOR REVIVAL CIRCA 1926

August 29, 2013, 6:40 pm
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175 ST. CLAIR BOULEVARD HAMILTON, ONTARIO,  CIRCA 1926


FRESH LISTING - NOT YET POSTED ON REALTOR.CA!
Photos by Tom Vogel. For sale by Zena Dalton at Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd.

I'm guessing this will be listed in the high-sixes as it sold previously in the fives (if memory serves me correctly).
 
175 St. Clair Boulevard is located within the St. Clair Boulevard Heritage Conservation
District, designated under Part V of the Ontario Heritage Act. This dwelling was
constructed in 1926 and is a striking example of the Tudor Revival style in this
neighbourhood of varying architectural styles.


Check out this spout!














History of St.Clair Boulevard
The parcel of land on which the Boulevard was built was owned by the Rutherfords, whose house on the corner of St. Clair and Delaware was razed to complete the construction of the Boulevard which was started in 1913 and was completed before 1930.Each home is architecturally unique.
 
 

What the FRESH
  • In 2002 the owners applied to heritage planning and development to add new acrylic waterproof fabric awnings to windows on the front (west) façade and the side (south elevation.
  • Awnings were previously installed over the windows at 175 St. Clair Boulevard, however they were removed due to deterioration and poor performance.
  • There are no awnings today, so I'm guessing this was never approved or the owner changed their mind
 FRESH Fact: Home values soar in Hamilton heritage districts
  •  Homes within seven designated heritage districts in Hamilton are on average worth double those in surrounding neighbourhoods, a city research firm has found.
  •  The Centre for Community Study, a nonprofit urban research group, found the average property value difference between 323 homes within heritage districts and the other homes in the same ward was about six percentage points higher in 2012 than in 2010.                        
  • The most marked difference this year happened in the Durand-Markland heritage district. The average value of the 46 homes within the district was $507,977, versus $173,400 within the entire area of Ward 2. That’s a difference of 193 per cent.
  • The difference in the St. Clair Avenue district was 139 per cent, with homes in the designated area valued at an average of $330,434 compared to the entire Ward 3, at $138,300.
  • There are about 700 designated heritage properties in Hamilton and another 6,800 listed as properties of historic interest. Read a related article here.
Source: Hamilton Spectator November 2012
 
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FANTASTIC FLATIRON!

August 30, 2013, 12:19 pm
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53 Hamilton Street, Goderich, Ontario
Blog follower Jon Jackson shared his FRESH BRICK story with me and I'm glad he did! Read all about the historic flatiron building he purchased below, including its intriguing history and his future plans for it!



Jon & his wife purchased this old building this summer. It had 71 years of combined ownership between the previous owner and his father. It has as many or more years of deferred maintenance, but they felt like we were up to the challenge of saving this unique old building with its cast iron window lintels and white marble sills. 

53 Hamilton Street is an old Vista (flatiron) building in Goderich Ontario. The Victorian store fronts haven't been modernized. The Jackson's 5 year plan is to have an old style toy store in the commercial space. 

Under the piles of empty auto parts boxes there are the old glass encased store cabinets. There is an accounting room with a built in brick lined safe. In front of the safe is an oak desk with a mechanical adding machine. The safe floor has a marble slab inscribed "In Memory Of William Hick died Stratford Ontario 1845." 







FLATIRON 101
Flatiron buildings are structures built between 1880 and 1926, generally in Beaux-Arts or Renaissance Revival architectural designs popular of the era. The buildings are identified as flatirons because they are shaped like a flat clothes iron and built on trapezoid-shaped lots common in the 19th and early 20th century city grids.


History
Existing flatiron buildings in the United States date to 1880 with the first built in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The most popular buildings today are the Gooderham Building, built in Toronto in 1892; the English-American building in Atlanta, built in 1897; and the most famous, the Fuller Building of Manhattan, built in 1902. San Francisco, Fort Worth, Chicago and Portland, Oregon, also have fine examples of flatiron architecture. These buildings have been designated as historic landmarks.

The Gooderham Building of Toronto was built in 1892.

Significance
These structures are the first skyscrapers, which are built using steel frames over reinforced concrete, which takes the weight of the building off the exterior walls to allow it to be constructed taller than other office buildings of the day.

The Columbus Tower in San Francisco.

Types
While the Fuller Building was not the first flatiron, it served as an inspiration for future similar buildings, most notably the Fort Worth's Flatiron Building, which offered elements of Fuller's Beaux-Arts architecture combined with Renaissance Revival.

A smaller yet stately version of the flatiron in Portland, Oregon.

 Features
In addition to its shape, the flatiron features classical Greek columns, terra-cotta facades and stately arched entryways with caged elevators, which originated with Chicago architects who conceived the early renaissance styles of skyscrapers in the 1890s.

Function
Flatiron buildings serve two goals: They employ efficient use of otherwise unused space for commercial purposes and give business districts a specific architectural identity.

Modest flatirons like this one in Wichita, Kansas, make the most of unused space.

Identification
Surviving flatiron buildings are found on wedge-shaped lots usually in the center of a city's business district or older neighborhoods and offer examples of classic 19th-century style.

Fun Fact
Manhattan's Fuller Building is a popular venue for movies, including the comic-book Spiderman series, which used the flatiron as headquarters for the fictional "Daily Bugle" newspaper offices.

Source: eHow read more HERE
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HOUSE COUTURE

August 30, 2013, 6:02 pm
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ANDREA IYAMAH PHOTO SHOOT

F/W 2013 Collection - Check it out here

Location: Historic Balfour House 1880 (view related post here)
Photographed by : William Turner [Willyverse]
Stylist : Thea Acierno
Hair && Make Up : Natalie Scocchia
 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 






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HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS : PART 2

September 1, 2013, 11:27 pm
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MAKE THE MOVE TO MAPLESIDE

September 6, 2013, 9:46 pm
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26 Mapleside Avenue, Hamilton, Ontario


Seize the opportunity to own the first great family home of the fall season. Mapleside is two streets west of Queen Street and south of Aberdeen. The leafy block of early 20th century homes is picturesque with welcoming porches and homes evoking pride of ownership. Located in the Kirkendall neighbourhood, this FRESH listing is close to schools, shops, parks, highway access and shops, including a short stroll to vibrant Locke Street. My prediction is this home won't last so act fast! The only negative, which may be a positive to some, is that there is no yard space (just a deck) -  but good news for families is that there is a park right across the street!



OPEN HOUSE THIS SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9th 2-4pm
VIEW LISTING HERE














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THE CLIFF CIRCA 1879

September 13, 2013, 5:43 am
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6 BULLS LANE, HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CIRCA 1879

HOLY BRICK! My heart jumped when I discovered this one. This is the first really exciting character listing to come on the market in a long time! I need to buy my lotto max tickets tonight as this home is IN-CRED-I-BLE! Tom Vogel of Vogel-Creative captures this fine estate in all its glory in the pictures below. Enjoy!!!


Substantial and significant Georgian stone character home. Once called "the Cliff" on the Mountain Brow. Directly above John Street, "The Cliff" was built in 1879 of local limestone by the "Bull" family. Additions were sympathetically added in 1920 but thankfully none disguises the classic symmetry particular of Georgian architecture (see characteristics below).


The Cliff after remodeling in 1920s. See More Historic Photos Below
FRESH FEATURES
  • Million-dollar, panoramic view of the city
  • 7 bedrooms
  • 4.5 bathrooms (2 ensuites)
  • 3 fireplaces (2 wood burning)
  • Large principal rooms
  • Walkout to pool and patios
  • Beautiful original wood on all 3 floors throughout
  • Finished attic with bathroom and 3 bedrooms
  • Walk-in closets, study, home office, library and more
  • 2 staircases
  • Stone garage
  • Professionally landscaped gardens
  • Private lane owned by owner

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     VIEW LISTING HERE
    Offered at 1,550,000

    For Sale by Zena Dalton of Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd




























    “THE CLIFF” HISTORIC IMAGES


    The Cliff, built in 1876, for George Bull, using limestone. South elevation.
    North elevation of The Cliff.
    ‘Grounds of The Cliff – east of Upper James, along the mountain brow.

    Photo Credits:

    • Modern photos courtesy of Tom Vogel, Vogel Creative
    • Historical photos courtesy PreVIEW, Local History and Archives, Hamilton Public Library; Sourced off Henley’s Hamilton

    FRESH FACTS: BULL’S LANE

    THE PLACE: Bull’s Lane runs off Rosedene Avenue near the Claremont Access on the brow of the Mountain.

    THE NAME: Canon George Armstrong Bull (1828-1909) was an Anglican minister and son of George Perkins Bull, the founder of the Gazette newspaper in Hamilton that later joined with The Spectator in 1850.


    THE STORY: Bull built a large house he called The Cliff on property near Bull’s Lane inherited from his father. He had quite an interest in history, and according Hamilton local history author Margaret Houghton, Bull is credited with discovering the original photograph of Laura Secord.

    Originally published in the Hamilton Spectator, view article HERE


    GEORGIAN ARCHITECTURE (1750-1850)
    Origins
    The Georgian Style was brought to Upper Canada (Canada, prior to 1867, was known as Upper Canada - Ontario and the west - and Lower Canada - anywhere down the St. Lawrence River) by United Empire Loyalists, the citizens who decided to remain loyal to the crown in the war between England and the United States (1755 - 1778). By 1780, a significant number of people were emigrating to Canada from Great Britain, and these people brought with them the Georgian style, among others, as well.

    Georgian Architecture
    Their first homes were log houses. These were replaced by solid stone, brick or clapboard buildings as soon as possible. The style was cumulative of architectural fashion in Britain during the reign of the first three King Georges of England (1750 - 1820). Georgian architecture in Britain and in Canada was a modification of the Renaissance style adapted throughout Europe during the 18th century. It was a variation on the Palladian style which was known for balanced façades, muted ornament, and minimal detailing. Simplicity, symmetry, and solidity were the elements to be strived for. The Upper Canadian at this time wanted a sturdy house that reflected his simple dignity. These houses were very much more than the need for shelter. AS Ann MacRae has stated, they were "a physical expression of the cultural mental climate of the first settlers of Upper Canada".(MacRae, p. 4) Log houses were good shelters, but they were not architectural. The floor plans and details were constructed according to the English Georgian styles and were meant to give the same impression. The site was chosen with great care to afford the most pleasant view for the new occupants.
      

    Georgian houses are generally so well built that they are virtually unchanged 200 years later. The style is so pleasing that it is used extensively in Colonial Revival subdivisions in the late 20th century.

    Source: http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/georgian.htm

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    CHARACTER FOR LEASE!

    September 19, 2013, 5:44 am
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    168 Jackson Street West, Hamilton, Ontario circa 1858
    Exceptional space in an extraordinary building! Office space for lease in a circa 1858 stone heritage building in the downtown core directly across from the CHCH TV building.

    This former mansion has been meticulously restored and renovated to accommodate discerning professionals who are interested in building their practice in synergy with others in a dynamic environment. Private offices up to 1000 s/f are available with access to truly remarkable shared amenities including a boardroom, meeting space, fully equipped kitchen(s) and parking lot.

    Check out the photographs below. A visual feast for the eyes!


    VIEW LISTING HERE, Offered at $3,000 per month
    Brokerage: Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd.
    Photos: Tom Vogel of Vogel Creative

    Italianate Style Mansion

    Mansard Style Roof with Slate Shingles

    Incredible Wood Coiffured Ceilings

    Stunning Etched & Beveled Glass Double Entry Doors









    Victorian, Hand-Painted Stained Glass Windows Throughout



    FRESH FACT:
    Located across the street from the former Wesanford Mansion, home of Senator William Sanford, which once occupied most of the block bounded by Caroline, Jackson, Hunter and Bay streets and was described by The Hamilton Spectator as "one of the most magnificent and luxurious homes in the Dominion."

    The house featured an elevator , a billiard room and many Victorian treasures brought back by the Sanfords in their world travels. 

    Senator W.E. Sanford was a Hamilton manufacturer and parliamentarian who built this magnificent three-storey, 56-room sandstone mansion residence in 1892. With a greenhouse, spacious lawns, and gardens, and a beautiful fountain, it was considered a dream palace back in the Victorian era. 
    Few men were richer or higher up the social ladder than William Eli Sanford.Sanford's was a life of affluence and influence.

    His W. E. Sanford Manufacturing Company on the southeast corner of King and John streets was Hamilton's largest employer in the 1880s and the largest clothing manufacturer in Canada, with plants across the country.
    His home was a centre of society for upper class Hamilton in the late 1800s and it seldom shone more brightly than on the evening of June 8, 1892, when Sanford and his wife, Harriet, hosted a party for 1,000 people to welcome their son home from his European honeymoon.
    The Spectator recorded how horse-drawn carriages clogged the area streets, dropping off guests clad in Victorian finery at the mansion's portico-covered side entrance on Caroline Street, about where the cul-de-sac Wesanford Place is now located.
    Decked out in her diamonds and wearing a grey silk dress with embroidered chiffon train, Mrs. Sanford greeted guests in the oak and walnut front foyer that was dominated by two bronze statues of Nubians in portals on either side and, in a recess at the back, a statue of Atlas holding a globe with a clock in the middle.
    While refreshments were served in the billiard room, food was laid out on the 33-foot table in the cavernous oak and mahogany-lined dining room, and overseen by a large complement of liveried waiters and staff.
    Outside, an orchestra played on the lawn while fairy lights twinkled in the shrubbery and all the electric and gas lights blazed through the many windows of the north-facing mansion, which was filled with the fragrance of countless bouquets of fresh flowers.
    Residents from other neighbourhoods packed the streets around the estate with their faces pressed to the high wrought iron fence that enclosed the grounds to listen to the music and watch Hamilton high society at play.
    "It was a scene of kaleidoscopic beauty and animation which will not soon pass from the memories of those who witnessed it," said The Spectator.
    The Sanford name lives on in Hamilton with Sanford Avenue and Wesanford Place. Some of the railings on the homes of Wesanford Place were salvaged from the mansion and, with the retaining wall that runs along Jackson Street West, are all that remain of the estate (see below).
    Mrs. Sanford stayed at Wesanford until her death in 1938. The castle was then sold and demolished to make way for Wesanford Court.

    Source: Hamilton Spectator. READ THE FULL STORY BY CLICKING HERE


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    HEAD-TURNER

    September 27, 2013, 11:19 pm
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    9 Turner Avenue, Hamilton, Ontario
    This stately 2.5 storey century, centre hall home has incredible curb appeal and is dressed inside like the pages of a magazine. A pristine home for those who desire charm but must have all the modern conveniences. 9 Turner Avenue is a prestige address south of Aberdeen, between Bay Street South and Ravenscliffe Avenue and right in the heart of the historic and highly sought after Durand neighbourhood.

     
    View listing by CLICKING HERE
    Offered at $1.375 million
    For sale by Sarit Zalter of Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd.
    Sarit_zalter_cropped
    Phone:905 522 3300
    Fax:905 522 8985
    Email:zalter@judymarsales.com
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    Photographs by Tom Vogel, www.vogel-creative.com

    FRESH FACT:
    Turner Avenue was once the main roadway for the old Highfield school for boys founded in 1901 (now relocated as Hillfield Strathallan College on the West Hamilton mountain)
     
    Circa 1910 postcard of an outdoor ice hockey game at Highfield School in Hamilton, Ontario. Founded in 1901 as Highfield School for Boys, this school was the first private residential and day school for boys in the city of Hamilton. It was a prep school for boys planning to enter the Royal Military College of Canada. A severe fire broke out in 1918 and the damage to the building effectively ended the boarding program. In 1933 that structure was replaced by the current house at 362 Bay Street South. VIEW RELATED POST HERE

    LOCATION:

    Turner Ave, Hamilton, ON L8P 3K5

    NEIGHBOURHOOD:
    
    18 Turner Avenue
     
    Located in the Durand neighbourhood on a quiet dead end street. Designed by William Souter and built by Piggott Construction in 1932 the house has been updated throughout and features a gourmet kitchen with pantry, updated bathrooms throughout. The living room features leaded windows with stained glass crests. Just off the living room is the original solarium.

    
    
    























    1 Turner Avenue circa 1907
     
     The home was designed by Hamilton architect Joshua Armes, who also designed the Clubhouse for the Hamilton Golf & Country Club. Ms. Fuller was reportedly from South Carolina and had planned to move to Hamilton. Although she never moved, the house was built for her and featured a large, shaded front porch. The first resident of the house was E.M. Dalley, whose father, F.F. Dalley, built a mansion in 1925 on the family's 100 acre estate in Ancaster called Wynnstay.
     
    Source: http://historicalhamilton.com/history-and-heritage/The-Grand-Durand/1-turner-avenue/

    
    3 Turner Avenue - Sold Recently in the $800s

     
    
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    1940s ON THE PARK

    September 28, 2013, 12:37 am
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    963 Scenic Drive, Hamilton, Ontario
    Check out this charming Cape Cod home set on a fantastic estate sized park like property (100 x 333 feet) on the west mountain. Majestic trees and escarpment views will knock your bricks off! And have no fear, charm is here. This 1940's dwelling reFRESHingly retains many of its original features original including its staircase, hardwood floors, coved ceilings, fireplace and the main bathroom.


    FRESH FEATURE
    The family room/sun room has gorgeous views of the backyard and boasts daily visits from the local family of deer.

    VIEW THE LISTING HERE

    or check out in person:
    OPEN HOUSE THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29 2-4PM!

    Offered at $649,900
    For sale by Julie Maue of Judy Marsales Real Estate Ltd.





    FRESH FACT - CAPE COD ARCHITECTURE

    Cape Cod is a style of house originating in New England in the 17th century. It is traditionally characterized by a low, broad frame building, generally a story and a half high, with a steep, pitched roof with end gables, a large central chimney and very little ornamentation. Traditional Cape Cod houses were very simple: symmetrically designed with a central front door surrounded by two multi-paned windows on each side. Homes were designed to withstand the stormy, stark weather of the Massachusetts coast. Modern Cape Cod architecture still draws from colonial designs.

    20th Century Cape Cod houses share many features with their Colonial ancestors, but there are key differences. A modern-day Cape will usually have dormers, and the chimney is often placed at the side instead of the center. The shutters on modern Cape Cod houses are strictly decorative; they can't be closed during a storm.

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