William Thomas Residence

Project Description

This project involved the redevelopment of the former William Thomas building, built in 1855, into a purpose built student housing development in the historic core of Hamilton. The design provides for a 21 storey tower with a podium on James Street and a plaza area facing Rebecca Street. The completed project has 159 residential units in the tower, and retail storefronts and residential common areas within the podium. The podium is the recreation of the William Thomas Building which provides for the historic continuation of the streetscape as it has existed since the construction of the Lister Block in the 1920’s. The project maintains the character of the historic core by utilizing the former heritage façade, while the modern residential tower is set back from the podium and treated with a combination of glass, limestone, metal and brick to create a dialogue between the old and new.

The original building, constructed in 1855 by William Thomas, one of Canada’s most significant 19th century architects, was demolished in 2011 due to structural issues. Its ornate façade was constructed from local stone quarried from the base of the Niagara Escarpment. Prior to demolition, each brick of the façade was numbered, catalogued and stored to allow for the podium recreation. Restoration work included the reuse of the limestone from the original structure, and reassembly of the façade with each brick put back in its original location to replicate traditional masonry techniques. The retail storefronts at grade on James Street were designed to recreate the original rhythm of bays and are treated in a traditional storefront fashion. This recreation enhances the public realm by maintaining the historic streetscape in keeping with the scale of the Lister Block

The residential tower is set back from the William Thomas Façade podium to provide a compositional separation from the heritage base. Multi coloured transparent glass and aluminum panels enhance the visual appeal of the tower from a distance, and elements of the podium materiality are carried up into the tower to integrate the heritage façade into the new development.

There is a plaza off Rebecca Street that has been landscaped with lighting, planter boxes and street furniture to animate the area and provide common amenity space for residents.

Indoor amenity spaces include a lounge/games room, fitness room, convenience store, social room, study rooms, and bicycle storage.

Links:

William Thomas Student Rentals