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Hamilton Plant Demolition

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  • Hamilton Plant Demolition

    The Hamilton Spectator today announced that approval has been granted for the demolition of the Studebaker Hamilton plant, something we've been waiting news on for some time. The Hamilton and Ontario chapter members will soon be able to bring their Hamilton-built Studebakers home for one final photo-op. I hope to have a date for this approved soon. Locals will find it interesting to learn that Hamilton taxpayers will contribute a grant of$650,000.00 to cover the demolition costs and the developer will be eligible for even more for the re-development of the land. The new industrial park replacing the 530,000 square foot Studebaker building will contain 22 industrial lots ranging from 0.71 acres to 1.5 acres. Construction should be completed by mid-2013. More news to come later.
    Stu Chapman

  • #2
    Looking forward to the day !
    sigpic

    Home of the Fried Green Tomato

    "IF YOU WANT THE SMILES YOU NEED TO DO THE MILES "

    1960 Champ , 1966 Daytona , 1965 Daytona Wagonaire

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    • #3
      I drove past the new industrial park in South Bend.

      Nice billboard.
      34 Dictator
      47 M5 Pickup
      48 Commander Convertible
      50 2R10 Pickup
      56 Packard Patrician
      63 Avanti

      Herb Phillips: A lesser known product of the Studebaker Corporation.

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      • #4
        Funny how some city's think every thing has to come down to make improvements, here in the Bay area and in Oakland where I worked for 21 years as a building inspector we also had and still do have the same type buildings and they all did not come down most were renovated and made earthquake proof then turned into live work studios, I was involved with a lot of them, in east Oakland there was a Chevy plant all brick and took up a lot of land most of the building was used and is still there today some removed and along with the original open space were built new town-homes, inside the building still there is live work spaces, retail, big halls for rental and about anything else one can think of, they just don't all need to come down. the old wards 7 story building all concrete came down and new live work and retail stores there now, the old sears building was turned into live work spaces and retail space. Oakland was one of the first city's to get into the use of live work spaces and has created a lot neat configurations in some of these buildings both large and small, again they just don't all need to come down.
        Last edited by candbstudebakers; 08-16-2012, 06:58 AM.
        Candbstudebakers
        Castro Valley,
        California


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        • #5
          Originally posted by candbstudebakers View Post
          Funny how some city's think every thing has to come down to make improvements, here in the Bay area and in Oakland where I worked for 21 years as a building inspector we also had and still do have the same type buildings and they all did not come down most were renovated and made earthquake proof then turned into live work studios, I was involved with a lot of them, in east Oakland there was a Chevy plant all brick and took up a lot of land most of the building was used and is still there today some removed and along with the original open space were built new town-homes, inside the building still there is live work spaces, retail, big halls for rental and about anything else one can think of, they just don't all need to come down. the old wards 7 story building all concrete came down and new live work and retail stores there now, the old sears building was turned into live work spaces and retail space. Oakland was one of the first city's to get into the use of live work spaces and has created a lot neat configurations in some of these buildings both large and small, again they just don't all need to come down.
          I could not agree with you more Bob, but this entire area of Hamilton should be "nuked" and then good planing could start all over in a few decades. Within blocks of this building is Hamilton's Steel Industry that has been spewing toxin's into the Great Lakes for well over a hundred years making it the worst pollution hot spot in the Great Lakes system. Some could say and have said that this industrial area is the rectum of Canada but without it Canada's industrial prosperity would not have happened. The Bay Area Restoration Council has called for $$$ millions to clean up Hamilton Harbour where one plan is to encapsulate part of the bay in a concrete tomb to stop the toxin's further release into the bay.

          This is not a nice area and certainly not a tourist stop or a place you want to build single family homes, Loft's or Condo's unless you want your kids to grow two heads and six fingers on each hand. Some fish and amphibians species already have these problems in an area called Cootes Paradise, a lagoon at the far end of the bay where water enters off the Niagara escarpment due to high pollution levels.

          It's rather sad but it is our legacy


          Allen
          1964 GT Hawk
          PSMCDR 2014
          Best time: 14.473 sec. 96.57 MPH quarter mile
          PSMCDR 2013
          Best time: 14.654 sec. 94.53 MPH quarter

          Victoria, Canada

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          • #6
            Sorry to hear that.
            Candbstudebakers
            Castro Valley,
            California


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            • #7
              In west Hamilton (a much less challenged neighbourhood), there's been a "brownfield" redevelopment somewhat analogous to the Ignition Park plans in SB, though on a smaller scale and with, so far, more in the way of concrete results. McMaster Innovation Park (named for Hamilton's university, a lead player in the project) now stands partially completed and operational on the site of the former Camco/Hotpoint/Westinghouse appliance factory. The office tower on one corner of the property, a classic postwar industrial office design--bland but pleasant--was in sufficiently good shape it was left standing and renovated, while most of the rest of the plant complex was razed and new buildings erected, the first of which now houses a federal government agency dealing with materials research (CANMET). Work continues to complete the park, all of whose intended tenants are science/engineering research outfits of one stripe or another. An antique power plant on the property may be left intact as a small industrial museum.

              Interestingly it looks like the owners of the former Otis/Studebaker complex plan to retain part of the facade of the old Otis offices fronting on Victoria Avenue; that's the first I've heard of possible retention of something for historical reasons. The older (west) end of the complex is turn-of-the-20th-century and architecturally quite appealing. That section of the plant was never Studebaker; our favourite carmaker used the 1939-vintage Bofors gun plant that takes up the east two-thirds of the site. Otis-Fensom operated the Bofors facility as well...it only became Studebaker in 1947-48. I think it's a nice nod to the esteem in which Studebaker was held in Hamilton that, to this day, the whole complex gets called "the old Studebaker plant", when in fact it was entirely Otis-Fensom/Otis Elevator until '48 and again from '66 until Otis largely quit the area in the eighties, and only part of the complex was ever Studebaker. I like that. Incidentally, the new access road through the new industrial park will need a name; one of the local SDCers has already suggested "Studebaker Way"...wonder what chance that idea has?

              S.

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              • #8
                Sad to hear of the destruction/demolition of this plant. However the wheels of progress require that it be done. Take a great photo folks as it will be a lasting memory for all. Not happy to hear that the Hamilton area taxpayers will participate in the costs of this project.
                sigpicSee you in the future as I write about our past

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Avantidon View Post
                  Not happy to hear that the Hamilton area taxpayers will participate in the costs of this project.
                  Neither do I, but it seems it's the 'Canadian way' to tax people for common causes and the betterment of society as a whole.

                  Allen
                  1964 GT Hawk
                  PSMCDR 2014
                  Best time: 14.473 sec. 96.57 MPH quarter mile
                  PSMCDR 2013
                  Best time: 14.654 sec. 94.53 MPH quarter

                  Victoria, Canada

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Dear Stu and Thelma
                    that is one meet I would love to attend, but sadly, I wont be there.

                    Business is ever evolving and things always change, weather we like it or not. One thing that cannot be taken away from that site, is that it was the place where 'Canada's own car' was manufactured at the very end of Studebaker motor car production.

                    In retrospect, I am always more than grateful that I had the opportunity to see SB and Hamilton plant (I think you took me there Stu) when it was still standing.

                    I always treasure the memories of driving up the mountain on the outskirts of Hamilton in 1991 in my Packard Hawk, when I was 27, on my way to work in Stoney Creek, and was always immensely proud of Hamilton's unique standing in Studebaker history, every day I made that trip.

                    Not to mention that I had an uncanny knack of dropping into your place at dinner time !

                    Seeing the fall colours develop on that supercharged drive up the mountain are one of my most favorite memories, and in my opinion, define 'Canada' to a wayward Australian.

                    It was great to see you the other day, and also wonderful to see Don Simmons, Ray Masson, Roger Hill, Richard Griggs, Ray and Vera Martin, all people that made my 3.5years in Toronto incredibly special.

                    The article on Canadian Stude's for executives is very interesting.

                    I may not be at meet you are organizing, but I will be there in spirit.

                    Regards
                    Greg

                    ps I picked up your book My Father the Car at the museum, but am yet to get into it.
                    Greg Diffen

                    Editor Studebaker Owners Club UK magazine

                    Australian Stude guy living in Warwick, United Kingdom

                    1933 St Regis Brougham Model 56 delivered new in the Netherlands
                    1937 Dictator sedan Australian Body by TJ Richards RHC
                    1937 Packard Super 8 Limousine UK delivered RHC
                    1939 Packard Super 8 Seven Passenger sedan monster UK delivered RHC
                    1939 Commander Cabriolet by Lagenthal of Switzerland
                    1963 Lark Daytona Hardtop
                    1988 Avanti Convertible

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                    • #11
                      Sounds like something out of the "playbook" of Lenin...........at any rate Socialism USA style is gaining ground.....and my fellow Americans are sleeping:-(
                      Originally posted by studebaker-R2-4-me View Post
                      Neither do I, but it seems it's the 'Canadian way' to tax people for common causes and the betterment of society as a whole.

                      Allen

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Steve T View Post
                        Interestingly it looks like the owners of the former Otis/Studebaker complex plan to retain part of the facade of the old Otis offices fronting on Victoria Avenue; that's the first I've heard of possible retention of something for historical reasons.
                        That will be great it they do! The old Eaton's facade in Calgary was retained when they built their brand new store in 1990. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cor...entre_(Calgary)

                        Craig

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