Intention to Designate Properties in Hamilton

Description of Property

The properties municipally addressed as 17 and 19-31 King Street East, Hamilton, are comprised of a related three-storey row of commercial buildings constructed in 1949. The row is located on the north side of King Street East, between James Street North and Hughson Street North, in the City of Hamilton.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The 1949 three-storey stone-faced structures located at 17 and 19-31 King Street East have physical value as a representative example of a row of commercial buildings influenced by the Art Deco style of architecture, while also displaying a high degree of craftsmanship.

The properties have historical value for their association with the historic commercial nature of Hamilton’s Downtown, and with the F. W. Woolworth Company. The properties are also associated with Hamilton architect W. Bruce Riddell (1895-1964) and with the historic Hamilton Bridge Works Company and have the potential to yield information about how previous generations of Hamiltonians experienced life in the downtown core.

Contextually, these properties define the historic commercial character of King Street East and Gore Park. Sited on their original location surrounded by other historic commercial buildings, the properties are historically and visually linked to their surroundings.

Description of Heritage Attributes

Key attributes that embody the physical value of these properties as a representative example of a row of commercial structures influenced by the Art Deco style of architecture and in displaying a high degree of craftsmanship, and historical value for their associations with the F. W. Woolworth Company, include the:

• Front (south) elevations and roofline of the three-storey row at 17 and 19-31 King Street East, including its:
  • Three storey massing;
  • Limestone façade;
  • Second and third stories of the front elevation, including its:
    • Twelve window bays separated into alternating groups of two and four; 
    • Parapet stretching between pilasters with incised geometric decorative motifs over window bays;
    • Wide pilasters with stylized fluting and capitals separating groups of two and four bays;
    • Wide pilasters with stylized fluting and capitals bookending the façade;
    • Narrow pilasters rising from second storey continuous lugsills and featuring stylized capitals separating individual window bays;
    • Third storey windows with individual stone slip sills;
    • Incised geometric decorative motif between second and third storey windows; and,
    • Continuous stone lugsills for groups of two and four windows on second storey. 
  • All of the above attributes which may remain intact behind the contemporary metal screening at 17 King Street East. 

Key attributes that embody the contextual value of the property as a defining element in the historic commercial character of King Street East, include its:

• Location close to the public right-of-way along King Street East.

Description of Property

The properties municipally known as 11-15 King Street East (Former Mills Department Store), 14 James Street North (Former Mills Hardware Store), and 10-12 James Street North (Former Oak Hall) Hamilton, are comprised of related and physically connected commercial buildings constructed from 1899 to 1903. The former Mills Department Store is located on the north side of King Street East, between James Street North and Hughson Street North and the former Mills Hardware Store and former Oak Hall buildings are located on the East Side of James Street North between King Street East and King Williams Street, in the City of Hamilton.

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

The buildings collectively possess design and physical value as unique and early examples of twentieth‑century commercial buildings. The former Mills Department and Hardware Stores have design and physical value as unique and early examples of twentieth-century commercial row buildings that display a combination of Victorian and Edwardian Commercial architectural influences. Oak Hall demonstrates design and physical value as a representative example of Romanesque Revival‑influenced commercial architecture that has been sympathetically restored.

The properties have historical and associative value through their connections to two significant commercial businesses that contributed to the development of Hamilton's downtown commercial core: the Mills family, whose department and hardware stores and later china and gift shop businesses became longstanding institutions within the city, and Oak Hall, one of two flagship retail stores operated by Senator William Eli Sanford (1834-1899), which sold ready-made clothing produced by the Sanford Manufacturing Company, the first and largest manufacturer of ready-made clothing in Canada. The properties are also associated with Hamilton architect Charles Mills and metalsmith John E. Riddell, and have the potential to yield information about how previous generations of Hamiltonians experienced life in the downtown core.

Contextually, these properties define the historic commercial character of King Street East and James Street North. Sited on their original location surrounded by other historic commercial buildings, the properties are historically, physically and visually linked to their surroundings. The properties are considered to be landmarks and are core components of Hamilton’s commercial core.

Description of Heritage Attributes

Key attributes that embody the physical value of these properties as representative example of commercial architecture influenced by Victorian and Edwardian style of architecture, in displaying a high degree of artistic merit and craftsmanship, and historical value for their associations with the Mills Department and Hardware Stores, include the:

• Front (south) elevation and roofline of the five-storey row at 11 King Street East, including its:
  • Five-storey massing;
  • Common bond brick façade;
  • Pressed sheet-copper cornice, including its: 
    • Projecting cornice;
    • Dentils;
    • Ornamental brackets and modillions;
    • Stamped lion-head motifs;
  • Brick pilasters framing the façade bays, including their decorative terra-cotta detailing and capitals;
  • Fourth-storey semi-circular arched window openings, including: 
    • Moulded surrounds;
    • Keystones;
    • Decorative foliate spandrel panels;
    • Dividing mullions and columns;
    • Continuous sill;
  • Decorative metal panels with the date reading “1903” flanking the third-storey windows;
  • Decorative horizontal banding between the second and third storeys; 
  • Second and third storey tripartite Chicago-style window openings with transoms; and;
  • The projecting intermediate press metal cornice between the first and second storeys. 
• Front (south) elevation, and roofline of the five-storey row at 13-15 King Street East, including its:
  • Five-storey massing;
  • Any of the above attributes at 11 King Street East which may remain intact behind the contemporary metal screening at 13-15 King Street East. 
• Front (east) elevation and roofline of the five-storey building at 14 James Street North, including its:
  • Five-storey massing
  • Red brick masonry construction;
  • Shed roof;
  • Projecting sheet-copper cornice, including: 
    • moulded architrave;
    • dentil course;
    • decorative brackets and modillions;
    • row of stamped lion-head motifs;
  • Brick pilasters framing the façade bays with decorative capitals; 
  • Fifth-storey group of four semi-circular arched window openings, including: 
    • moulded surrounds;
    • keystones;
    • dividing columns;
    • continuous sill;
  • Large window openings on the fourth, third and second storeys; and;
  • The projecting intermediate press metal cornice between the first and second storeys. 

Key attributes that embody the physical value of these properties as representative example of Romanesque Revival‑influenced commercial architecture, including its; 

• Front (east) elevation and roofline of the three-storey building at 10-12 James Street North, including its:
  • Three-storey massing;
  • Red brick masonry construction;
  • Projecting sheet-copper cornice, including; 
    • moulded architrave;
    • dentil course;
    • decorative brackets and modillions;
  • Round-arched third-storey window openings of various sizes, including;
    • Arched brick voussoirs and keystones’
    • Continuous stone;
  • Horizontal brick stringcourse separating the third and second storeys
  • Second storey window openings including;
    •  Tripartite Chicago-style window openings with transoms; and;
  • The projecting intermediate press metal cornice between the first and second storeys.

Key attributes that embody the contextual value of the properties located at 11 and 13-15 King Street East, Hamilton as defining elements in the historic commercial character of King Street East, include its:

• Location close to the public right-of-way along King Street East, forming part of the continuous commercial streetwall along the north side of King Street East, and contributes to the cohesive streetscape that extends from James Street North to Wellington Street.

Key attributes that embody the contextual value of the properties located at 14 James Street North, and 10-12 James Street North, Hamilton as defining elements in the historic commercial character of James Street North, include its:

• Location close to the public right-of-way along James Street North, forming part of the continuous commercial streetwall along the east side of James Street North.