Front page of Monday’s Spectator: a win-win-win for Core Urban, Mission Services, and adaptive reuse! As part of their deal for Mission Services’ property on James Street North, Core Urban is renovating a former industrial building in Landsdale, to reopen as a new, larger shelter facility by the winter.
Most recently home to the Canadian Red Cross, the century-old Landsdale warehouse was originally the woodworking shop for the Meakins & Sons Brush Factory — now recognizable by its “Raise” mural by local artist Lester Coloma. Kudos to Core Urban and Mission Services for their continuing commitment to heritage reuse amid the ongoing climate emergency.
Mission Services in the former International Hotel (309 James St. N. at Barton) Photo: John Rennison.Core Urban refurbishing underway at the former Red Cross building (400 King St. E.), revealing traces of the single-storey Meakins woodshop. Photo: John Rennison.
Mission Services plans to move its downtown Hamilton men’s shelter to a larger, renovated building.
The move is part of a deal with local developer Core Urban, which has purchased the James Street North property.
Core Urban is refurbishing a three-storey building on King Street East, just east of Wellington Street South, to serve as the new men’s shelter.
With the move, Mission Services retains its 58 emergency beds and adds 50 self-contained, transitional-housing spaces.
The century-old brick building, which was covered in cladding, has potential, Kulakowsky said.
“The big timber beams and posts … will be in the shelter. Just because it’s a shelter doesn’t mean it can’t be attractive both on the outside and the inside.”
Steve Kulakowsky, Core Urban Inc.
Lester Coloma’s “Raise” mural (2018) on the main Meakins & Sons Brush Factory building (1 West Ave. S. / 374 King St. E.) Image: Lester Coloma.The Red Cross’ cladding (since removed) visible to the left of the “Raise” mural. Image: Lester Coloma.The Meakins & Sons Brush Factory complex in a 1911 Fire Insurance Plan: the Red Cross appears to have added 2 storeys to the existing, single-storey woodshop. Image: McMaster University.Meakins & Sons postcard, ca. 1910s. Image: eBay.
Spectator print edition: “Mission Services leaving location on James North” (August 15, 2022, A1, A4) | online: “Mission Services leaving longtime James North location in downtown Hamilton.”
The Hamilton Spectator (est. 1846) is published by Metroland Media Group, a division of Torstar. CHCH-TV (est. 1954) provides broadcast news for Hamilton and the surrounding Halton and Niagara regions.
Sarah Sheehan 