Hamilton’s crumbling Kenmore Theatre to become new arts venue and residential complex
- Michael Kras
- 02 Jan 2020
Right now on King Street West, you can see a chunk of Hamilton’s history literally crumbling as the marquee of the former Kenmore Theatre is in danger of falling off completely.
The building, located at 434 King Street West near the corner of King and Locke, has served a number of purposes in its storied history, from its original life as the Kenmore Theatre movie house from 1924 to the 1940s, to subsequently housing the CHCH TV Studios, and most recently, to its newer identity as a live performance venue called the Lyric Theatre.
However, despite plans to restore the building as the Lyric Theatre’s long-term home, the space has sadly sat vacant and decaying for a number of years. Those years of neglect are catching up, as the massive hanging marquee is coming closer and closer to falling off the façade completely. As of now, the city has blocked off the sidewalk below due to obvious pedestrian danger.
Luckily, recent developments mean this will not be the end for the longstanding King West space.
A new developer, Lyrical Investments Inc, has announced that it will be relaunching the building as the House Theatre, promising a state-of-the-art renovation and revitalization of the crumbling old performance venue accompanied by upper-level residential units, which will also include short-term furnished units as temporary accommodations for artists.
While it’s still early days for the sizeable renovation, the House Theatre is hoping to have permits in hand as soon as Spring 2020, with a projected opening period of Fall 2021. It’s especially heartening, too, to see a developer dedicated to maintaining the space’s history as a local arts hub, with plans to keep driving it into Hamilton’s cultural future.
For updates and more details on the House Theatre developments, check out their website.
Lead image courtesy of Vintage Hamilton
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