Downtown Hamilton Ont. has been going through a period of development. With countless high-rise buildings being built and even more being planned. But the city is known as a "development hell hole". With many projects being held up by the city for years and in some cases like this one, decades.
Nearly 15 years ago a developer bought this whole block in the downtown core, with a plan of building a shopping center with high-rise buildings on top of it. A plan that the city approved, until it was purchased. They then changed their minds and stated the plan did not meet the overall city plans. This was also after some of the tenants and stores had already left four historic buildings in the block. Two date back to pre-confederate times and two from the 1850s. They sat abandoned for years while the developer and city went back and forth with what to do. By the time an agreement had been made, the building were rotted beyond saving and only the front facades could be included in the plan. This started to slowly move forward and then the city again held it up with permits etc.
This is what the building did look like.
And this was the second development plan.
After more than a decade of decay and neglect, the buildings began to collapse on Nov. 11 2024. Requiring demolition of the remaining structure. This is how it now looks!
Then to add insult to injury, in this loss of heritage buildings. The mayor released a statement that laid full blame on the developer. Publicly demonizing them, even though the city has been at fault for almost two decades. I can see why other developers have publicly said they will never do any projects in this city!
Change and progress will always come, it would just be nice if we had actual leadership during it.