252-256 James St N

Christ’s Church Cathedral and Schoolhouse

DesignatedHamilton, Ontario · Register as of October 12, 2026

Is it a heritage property?

Yes. 252-256 James St N, Hamilton is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, Part IV (as an individual property).

Designation is the strongest protection under the Act and is not affected by the January 1, 2027 deadline. Source: City of Hamilton — Heritage Properties, as of October 12, 2026.

A place of worship. Many are being sold or closed; see Regeneration Works for ways to keep them in community use, and other places of worship at risk.

At a glance

Year built: 1852
Architect or builder: William Thomas; Langley and Burke
Architectural style: Gothic Revival
Storeys: 2
Heritage neighbours: 40 other heritage properties within 100 m
Designation: Part IV (individual property)
By-law: 86-177
Ward: Ward 2
Location: Matched to the municipal address

CHRIST’S CHURCH CATHEDRAL Christ’s Church Cathedral, located on James Street North, has served as the cathedral church for the Anglican Diocese of Niagara since 1875 and is considered an important ecclesiastical centre for the Niagara Peninsula. Built on the site of the first Anglican church in Hamilton (1835), the present cathedral was begun in 1852 with the construction of the east end of the church as designed…Statement of cultural heritage value, from City of Hamilton — Heritage Properties · full text at the source

Building details from the municipality's register unless marked otherwise.

Condition on the ground

No condition reports yet.

A vacant or neglected heritage building can be reported to the municipality's property standards or by-law office (311 in most cities). Photos must be taken from public property and must not show people.

Community collection

No historic photos, documents or recollections yet. Do you have one?

Development applications

Formal Consultation · filed in 2014 · ApprovedAbout 16 m away, at 252 James St N · FC-14-065To convert the existing 2 storey portion of the school house to contain ground floor retail and 2nd storey office uses and connect to a new 8 storey mixed use building containing up to 98 residential units.
Site Plan · filed in 2002 · ApprovedAbout 27 m away, at 252 James St N · MDA-02-043
Site Plan · filed in 2002 · ApprovedAbout 4 m away, at 252 James St N · MDA-02-208

From municipal open data (City of Hamilton Open Data Licence). An application is a proposal; it doesn't change the property's heritage status. Nearby means within 50 m.

History on this site

October 5, 2026First recorded as designated

Other heritage properties on this street

Source: City of Hamilton — Heritage Properties, as of October 12, 2026.

Contains public sector Data made available under the City of Hamilton's Open Data Licence.

Not legal advice. Confirm status with the municipality.