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In its lifetime, Wesley Chambers has worn many grand costumes so it is appropriate it should now be one of Hamilton's most luxurious hotels, Rydges Le Grand. The land on which it is built was originally owned by the Methodist Trust and the first building on the site was a church. When the church was relocated to Collingwood Street, the Methodists erected a block of small wooden shops - the Cosy Corner Shops - to supplement their income. In 1904, the wooden buildings were replaced by a brick building, capable of bearing more storeys. Two decades later, the current four- storeyed structure, designed by F E Smith, the town's fi rst full-time architect, was completed.
Wesley Chambers was the first multistoreyed building in Hamilton made of reinforced concrete and the first to have a lift. Hamilton dentist Brian Burkhart, who was a tenant in the building in the late 1950s, says the lift was like an open cage. "It was so slow I could beat it running up the stairs." During renovations, the lift did not meet fire department regulations and was sealed off.
The building was designed in the Modern Renaissance Chicago School style by Frederick Daniell. Daniell's architectural designs are nationally known but Wesley Chambers is regarded as his most important work. The most striking features are the Sullivanesque-style windows with central panes flanked by narrower panes, and the unusual wrought iron balconies on two sides of the building. The six-metre stud was also appreciated by people who worked in the building and, according to Brian Burkhart, allowed for "wonderfully efficient use of daylight."
For most of its history, Wesley Chambers' upper floors were tenanted by some of the city's most prominent professional people including opticians, solicitors, accountants and dentists. The ground level was regarded as an excellent site for retail businesses and was a meeting place for people from out of town. For many years, it was occupied by Hetheringtons Ltd, a large general drapery store.
In the 1980s and early 1990s, the building was vacant and during this time was used as a training ground by the Hamilton Police Dog Unit. But, in 1993, it was bought by Michael and Susanne Blagojevich who lovingly transformed it into a luxurious boutique hotel, which they named Le Grand. The long dark corridors once covered with functional grey lino are now laid with plush carpet and the rooms used by dentists and accountants have been transformed into suites overlooking the bustling South End of Victoria Street.
Writer: Jonica Bray
Photographer: Lena Dimmendaal  |
