Notice of Intention to Designate 140 Locke Street South, Hamilton

In the matter of the Ontario Heritage Act and the property in the City of Hamilton known municipally as 140 Locke Street South, notice is hereby given that the City of Hamilton intends to designate this property as being a property of cultural heritage value.

Why?

The former church at 140 Locke Street South was constructed in the late 19th century and was originally relocated from its former location on Canada Street in 1895-1896. The church was associated with the theme of late 19th and early 20th century places of worship in Hamilton. The former church served as the Immanuel Congregational Church from 1890 to 1925, then became Trinity United Church from 1925 to 1967, and was later converted into an auction hall in 1967. The former church has design value as it demonstrates the influence of Neo Gothic style of architecture. The Statement of Cultural Heritage Value pertains to the exterior of the building as visible from the street.

The Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest, Description of Heritage Attributes and supporting cultural heritage assessment can also be viewed in person during regular business hours at:

Office of the City Clerk
71 Main Street West, 1st Floor
Hamilton, Ontario, L8P 4Y5

Written Notice of Objection

Any person may, within 30 days after the date of the publication of the Notice, serve written notice of their objections to the proposed designation, together with a statement for the objection and relevant facts.

Dated at Hamilton, this 28th day of April, 2017.

R. Caterini
City Clerk
Hamilton, Ontario

Contact
Chelsey Tyers, Cultural Heritage Planner
Phone: 905-546-2424 ext. 1202
Email: [email protected]

Statement of Cultural Heritage Value or Interest

Description of Historic Place

The former church building at 140 Locke Street South was constructed in the late 19thcentury. In 1895-1896, the former church was relocated from its original location on Canada Street. It is a two storey L-shaped frame brick cladding structure with a cross gable roof. The church was one of the first five (5) places of worship during the late 19th and early 20th century in Hamilton. Before the former church was converted into an auction hall in 1967, it served as the Immanuel Congregational Church from 1890 to 1925 and became the Trinity United Church from 1925 to 1967. Despite numerous interior alterations and a contemporary addition to the north side, the church retains much of its historic architectural detail that distinguishes it as a former church, particularly on the east (front) façade. The building continues to provide a link to the past while contributing to the existing commercial character of Locke Street South. The gable roof form is distinctive from the other flat-roof forms of surrounding buildings. The statement of Cultural Heritage value pertains to the exterior facades of the building that are visible from the street.

Heritage value

The property at 140 Locke Street South demonstrates design value, historical value, contextual value, and good integrity, particularly on the east façade and the western section of the north façade.

The property demonstrates design or physical value as a representative example of a late 19th century church. Its architectural features demonstrate influence of Neo Gothic style of architecture, evident in the parapet with flattened ends, broad pointed arch window and door openings, buttress heights, rectangular panels, brick courses, and wide bays that emphasized some of the horizontal lines of the structure. Verticality is still emphasized with the front facing gable and vertical lines of the buttresses and tracery, but the broadness of the features restrains the height of the building. The building facade demonstrates a high degree of integrity, with many retained, restored or sympathetically modified features.

The property at 140 Locke Street South reflects the late 19th century and early 20th century development of Locke Street South, indicating its historical or associative value. The former church was one of the five (5) places of worship in Hamilton in the late 19th and early 20th century. The building is associated with the Immanuel Congregational Church (1890s-1925) and later the Trinity United Church (1925-1967).

The contextual value of the property is manifested in its physical relationship to Locke Street South, and is a distinctive form on this section of Locke Street South, south of Hunter Street West. The gable and the defining architectural elements of the facade define its unique features as the street is primarily flat-roof commercial or residential structures. The former church successfully adapted the commercial establishment as it was converted into an auction hall in 1967. The former church’s unique features contribute to the commercial character of Locke Street South.

The property demonstrates some social value to the local community, having been recognized previously for the façade improvements and contribution to the streetscape by the BIA, and having been recognized in a local history book about Locke Street South.

Description of Heritage Attributes

• Two storey massing and L-shape plan of original structure
• Red brick cladding
• Cross gable roof with east facing front gable and north facing side gable
• Brick parapet with stone capping that extends beyond the roofline
• Broad pointed arch window and door openings with brick courses and corbelling on east facade
• Stone window sills
• Wood frame window with window tracery
• Round window with wood tracery and brick course
• Rectangular brick course projecting panels with concrete corner details
• Brick buttresses with stone caps
• Brick corbelling and detail work with inset panels (covered with concrete) at the flattened ends of the parapet
• Rectangular window and door openings with triangular transom on north façade
• Wooden scroll style bargeboard on north gable