We decided to move here to Hamilton Ontario on a whim after finding a really cool loft space. We had never been to Hamilton before! The rent here is probably four times cheaper then a similar place would be on Queen St. West in Toronto (the other neighbourhood in the region we were considering). I suppose we saw our options as being between a small “normal” apartment in Toronto, or this crazy place, full of potential:
There’s a huge difference between Barton Street East and Queen Street West in Toronto. There are strange characters around here, hookers hanging out on the corners, boarded up storefronts, an overabundance of scooter-people, etc… But it’s not too bad, and at least you don’t have to put up with the Queen St. yuppies XD We’re close to a really cool part of Hamilton called James Street North, where the art scene is set to thrive in an area many have compared to Queen Street West “back in the day”. STRUGGLES
When you live in a giant undivided space you must try new things to figure out how to maximize comfort and function. This was our first epic fail:
We wanted to create some division between our living space and our office/music space… and we failed. The curtain was kinda ugly, plus it fell to the ground after only a few hours. We aren’t very handy when it comes to these sorts of projects :/
For our first three months we were sleeping in a loftspace above the bathroom/laundryroom. After going up and down that ladder a zillion times and risking life and limb every night (as the width of the space is little more than the width of our double bed and there is no safety rail), we finally decided to move the bed into the massive common area. A filmmaker friend named Darryl Gold recommended I do this in the very beginning stating “it’s the only way to sleep like a boss”.
HANGOUTS
A few new friends: Mina Ao, Darryl Gold, Jim Ruxton, Michelle Latimer
Mina Ao is a photographer who moved here from Manhattan a few months ago. She says that a space like this in Manhattan often gets chopped up into 10 little mini studios, and artists might expect to pay around $600/mth. If I had this place in Manhattan for the same price I’m paying here I could be a millionaire! I should get to work reshaping space and time or traversing into parallel realities so that this happens.
It’s a hipster prerequisite to acquire vintage oversized things when you live in a lofty space. This radio cost over $500 in 1966, and it’s in near mint condition. We got lucky at an estate sale and scored it for $50. It sounds GRRRRRRREAT! I also bought a bunch of tools from an older gentlemen. He said to me that after 10 or 15 projects I’m likely to actually learn how to use them.
Our place used to be a bank so I’ve been calling it “The Old Bank”. Here’s a shot from the first ever creative meeting in our space:
How to sleep like a boss 101
Here’s what the other side of the room looks like 🙂
