This talk explores the architecture and urban design of James Street North, the district at the heart of the current renewal of Downtown Hamilton.

James Street North was the City of Hamilton’s primary street from the city’s founding in the early 1800’s to the 1960s, connecting the historic commercial heart of the city around Gore Park to the waterfront and railway. Its current character is the result of the accumulation of over 150 years of history beginning with the English and Scottish immigrants who founded the city, then the Italian immigrant community and now artists and the creative industries. Each has left its mark on the street and the re-use and rehabilitation of the original buildings such as the Lister Block and The Orange Order Hall and the district itself offer fascinating stories of the area’s rich history and point to innovative and sustainable attitudes toward city design as we move into the 21st century.