A downtown Hamilton pastor says his congregation was “blindsided” by the city’s recent push to make their deteriorating church a heritage site — months before they finalize its sale to a condo developer.
The proposed designation — that would make it illegal to tear down the century-old Philpott Memorial Church — puts into jeopardy the property’s sale, years in the making, said lead pastor Russell Bartlett.
Facing a repair bill of up to $4 million, the congregation decided it couldn’t afford to maintain the building and in 2021 found a developer ready to tear it down to build 700 units across two towers.
With a closing date in September, the congregation has already dedicated the proceeds to buying and renovating a new, better-suited downtown location — the former Lincoln Alexander Centre on King Street — where they can continue their community outreach work, Bartlett said.
“We get to almost when our sale is supposed to close and all of a sudden — it felt like to us — this was kind of thrown into the mix last minute,” he said.
“To designate our building at this stage is deeply unfair.”
He spoke as a delegate at a city planning committee earlier this month and his position was echoed by other church members, developer representatives and a planner the congregation hired.
Housing crisis prompts debate
The church’s fate stirred up debate among councillors about what downtown buildings should be protected in the midst of a housing crisis and development boom — and at what cost.
“A great number of Hamiltonians lament a number of the buildings we’ve sought to get rid of,” said Coun. Cameron Kroetsch, who represents the ward, at the planning committee.
“There are a few special buildings around. This ends up being one of them. I think we should do what we can to protect it.”
In February 2023, the heritage committee was alerted to the pending sale of the property from a member of the public, says the staff report. That prompted the city to conduct a review and then, earlier this year, recommend the site be designated a heritage property.
Coun. Ted McMeekin questioned the timing.
“I find it ironic that in 123 years, nothing happened,” said McMeekin. “And then when [the congregation] finally decided what they wanted to do, suddenly we’re there wanting to designate it heritage.”
In a 8-3 vote, the planning committee gave its approval of the heritage designation, sending it to council for further consideration.
Church is a ‘landmark,’ city says
Philpott Memorial Church at the corner of York Boulevard and Vine Street, across from FirstOntario Centre, was built in the early 1900s for the Christian Workers’ non-denominational congregation, says a staff report.
The church’s architecture “displays a high degree of craftsmanship” with its arched entryways, stone columns and brick construction, although it’s currently concealed behind stone veneer cladding, the report says.
“The building’s dramatic scale at a prominent intersection, together with the loss of building stock within the central neighbourhood from the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries, make this property a physical landmark,” says the report.
But it also has lead pipes, outdated electrical wiring, no elevator for accessibility or sprinkler system for fire safety, planner David Falletta to the planning committee on behalf of the church.
And over a decade ago an assessment of the building determined it would cost millions of dollars to make these upgrades, said Falletta.
Those are millions of dollars the church doesn’t have, said Bartlett.
Since then, the congregation has grown, as has the number of people in need of help, and the desire to move somewhere more accessible, modern and open.
The church’s doors are open every day of the week, he said. On Thursdays, for example, the congregation serves more than 100 meals during a spiritual service for anyone who needs it. They also provide free clothing. And in the last year, they’ve helped settle 80 refugees, finding them apartments and furniture.
“We love being here,” said Bartlett in an interview. “We love the downtown core. We feel called as a church to be here and we want to be able to continue the things we do here in the core. So that’s why we really kind of took this development very seriously. It’s been very worrying to our congregation.”
City chose not to designate in past
When the recommendation got to council last week, Mayor Andrea Horwath intervened.
In a motion that was unanimously approved, she directed the congregation, developer group — Empire Communities and Hamilton Coliseum Place — and city to attempt to find a compromise by July 9.
She said she was “very torn” on the issue but noted that the city had considered the historical value of Philpott Memorial Church in 2012, 2014 and 2018 and none of those times was a heritage designation recommended.
Hamilton also needs “scads and scads” of housing — including in the downtown core.
“Our city is in the midst of a transformation and that puts upon us a very important responsibility and vision,” Horwath said. “What I don’t want to see as mayor is a lost opportunity to really begin the build out of our city.”
Her motion suggests the city enter into an easement with the developer — an agreement it will incorporate some specific church components of historical significance into its design.
The city could also require the developer to build housing within a certain timeframe to avoid a situation like at the James Baptist Church. That downtown property was sold to a developer with the understanding it would incorporate the facade into a condo project, but it has sat vacant, and partially demolished, for years.
The Philpott Memorial Church developer has already indicated its open to an easement. In a letter to city staff from November 2023, its planning representative said it could use the church’s columns, double wooden doors, date stone and stained-glass windows “to pay respect to the site’s history.”