A subcommittee will recommend to Hamilton’s municipal heritage committee that the sprawling 97,000 square foot, four-storey Sisters of St. Joseph convent at 574 Northcliffe Rd. be added to the city’s register of properties of cultural heritage value or interest.
The 66-year-old sandstone mansion built to house approximately 200 nuns and staff was put up for sale in November for $15 million. The building and property has no heritage protection, but does have a very specific zoning that permits only a convent with a couple of small additional residential uses within the existing building. Additional regulations limit any additional development to two single family homes on the more than 50-acre property.
The City of Hamilton’s heritage and design department had no information on the building or its history.
In late November, cultural heritage planner Jeremy Parsons said members of the inventory and research working group approved a recommendation to add 574 Northcliffe to the register. That recommendation must still be considered by the heritage committee at its January meeting, then formally approved by Hamilton’s city council.
Related Content
Meanwhile, two other properties awaiting municipal heritage committee decisions have been pushed into 2018. Parsons said a report on designation of the former post office building at 104 King St. W. is scheduled for the Jan. 18 committee meeting. A report on designation of the Desjardins Canal will go to committee “sometime later next year.” Both designation reviews were originally scheduled for 2017.
A heritage assessment of 2 Hatt St. is already underway.
Powered by Fake News