FEDERAL OFFICE BUILDING ON FOR MARKET AND BAY
The Hamilton Spectator – December 18, 2000
By Eric McGuinness

It’s official – a new federal office building will go up on a parking lot at Market and Bay Streets.

While that kills immediate plans to redevelop the Lister Block on James Street North, Heritage Minister Sheila Copps is hinting the government might have other plans for that site.

A government announcement quotes the Hamilton East MP as saying:
"This is only the beginning of the renewal of the downtown core. All governments must do their part, and the federal government will take into account, in its plans, the importance of heritage buildings such as the Lister Building."

"About a thousand federal employees will eventually come to work each day to this brand new building in Hamilton’s city centre. The decision to build reflects the Government of Canada’s desire to maintain a presence in this city’s downtown core, and to provide efficient, convenient services to the people of Hamilton and surrounding communities."

The announcement issued late yesterday does little more than confirm a report in Wednesday’s Spectator that Hi-Rise Group Toronto Inc. had been chosen to build and lease space to the government.

The only new information is that the building will be nine storeys tall and won’t be finished until the summer of 2003.

What it doesn’t say is that the 1,000 federal employees already working in downtown Hamilton, scattered among several offices that will be left vacant. City officials would have preferred to see a new structure built within the walls of the Lister Block at James and King William Streets.

The Lister Block proposal came from the Labourer’s International Union of North America (LIUNA) and Canderel Stoneridge Equity Group of Toronto.

Mayor Bob Morrow, leaders of the Downtown Business Improvement Area and others, argued that plan would preserve a heritage building and stimulate growth east of James Street, where it is most wanted.

Joe Mancinelli, LIUNA’s international vice-president, said last night he was encouraged by Copps’ comment and hoped "the government is serious about what that press release says, that it will do the right thing and be sure more things come to Hamilton".

"The time has come to put their money where their mouth is and bring a number of things to the downtown core. I have complete faith in what Minister Copps has to say and am confident she will deliver."

"We’re going to hold the federal government’s feet to the fire, and hope all Hamiltonians will do so."

Mancinelli said the Lister Block, derelict for about 10 years, is decaying rapidly and while, "I’d hate to see it come down, I’m afraid left another year or so, there may be no choice. It’s imperative something be done with that building within the next year."

Though unhappy about losing the project, the union leader welcomed the 250 construction jobs it will create and said Hi-Rise is a reputable company he’s sure will do a good job. Details of the deal have not been announced, but the announcement says Ottawa will lease from Hi-Rise for 15 years, with an option to buy the building during that time. Industry sources estimate the 22,500 square metres the government requires will cost $50 million to $60 million to build.

About 800 of the 1,000 federal employees are from the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and now work at three sites – the government building at Main and Caroline Streets, the Standard Life Centre in Jackson Square and on Arrowsmith Road in east Hamilton.

Sandra Young, spokesperson for Department of Public Works and Government Services, said the new building will also house Citizenship and Immigration offices, a passport office, and staff from Veterans Affairs, Canadian Heritage, National Defence, Health Canada, Correctional Service, RCMP and Industry Canada (bankruptcy).

The fate of the existing seven-storey government building remains uncertain. Young said her department would now begin "to develop a long-term strategy to determine best use" of the landmark erected in 1955.