The Pigott Building in Hamilton, Canada was built in 1929 on the site of the first Canada Life Assurance Building, which was erected in 1852. It was the city’s first steel-skeleton skyscraper and incorporated elements of both Art-Deco and Gothic-Revival architecture. The construction was done using glass from Belgium and window frames from England. The interior decoration featured marble, tile, and murals painted by church decorators that showed events related to the building of the skyscraper. The building had rotating searchlights that revolved every 30 seconds.
The building remained a bustling commercial hub until the 1970s when the downtown economy started declining. During the next ten years, the skyscraper was sold and resold several times, and many projects planned for it never saw the light of day. It was designated as a place of heritage interest in 1984 after it had undergone numerous changes, including the disappearance of its stained glass windows, brass doors, and fancy woodwork.
However, luckily, the stained glass windows were recovered from a local antique shop at the cost of $12,000 and were re-installed. Despite going through tumultuous times over the years, the Pigott Building remains a landmark of Hamilton’s skyline.
Posted by s i l e n t p i c t u r e s on 2016-06-06 01:28:56