Sepia-toned photographs taken in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries of Orangeville’s bustling downtown street of Broadway convey an image of a lively, picturesque street comprised of grand facades, second story balconies, expansive windows, and decorative wood pieces.
At some point, starting in the 1960s and probably lasting until the 1980s, that distinctive look was obscured, if not lost.
Wooden facades were replaced with aluminum ones, the balconies were removed, and architectural features such as specialty windows were covered up, says James Hope, principal of Jas. F. Hope Construction Limited.
A contractor and, perhaps a visionary in transforming his design concepts into a finished product, Hope is doing his share – in concert with the building owners and the town – to nurture the Broadway renaissance.
For almost 40 years he has been restoring the facades of stores, restaurants, and offices along the street, as well as in other areas of Orangeville, and in towns such as Arthur and Fergus. Some of those businesses include Blumen, Suite Six, and H&R Block.
One of his most ornate creations, and one which has generated a lot of buzz, is a large, primarily white coloured façade at 155 Broadway It’s distinguished by an array of features including corbels – which are architectural members jutting out from the wall – sections of tin, and three transom windows, one of which sits above a gold-style entrance door which Hope persuaded the owner, (the Steddy Corp.) to go for, despite the cost. (All the facades are created for and with the approval of the building owners rather than the tenants.) “I was given a free hand to design what I wanted, with some minor requests from the client.”
The Mono Township resident has lost track of the number of facades he has restored and isn’t quite sure how this segment of his contracting business emerged. “I had worked on creative projects before (moving to the area) and just applied my knowledge to the facades.”
To say that he restores facades does not convey the full depth of what’s involved from the design process, to the in plant fabrication of some elements and the purchase of others, to the onsite construction which usually takes three to six weeks to complete, depending on the façade’s size and detailing.
The first step in that long journey is meeting with the owner to gauge their reason for wanting a new or improved façade. Most clients are content to leave the design up to him, although there may be follow up discussions, he says.
Along the way, the design usually has to be modified and, in fact, is constantly changed, even as the face is being installed.
“But I have to know where I’m going (with the design), says Hope, adding that sometimes he will wake up in the middle of the night with ideas on how the façade can be enhanced.
When asked how he avoids the trap of simply duplicating elements used in previous projects, he says that: “Each building is like a new canvas and every building has different dimensions, requirements, and different structural properties.”
Some of the factors which influence the design include the type of business and the customer base the owner wants to attract.
Also the building’s age, the size of the storefront, and the type and location of the entranceway. On a number of projects those entranceways have been altered to bring them back to their original appearance, he says.
There has to be a certain amount of “flexibility,” especially considering what he and his crew have unearthed behind existing façades.
“We have uncovered many things, such as original awnings from the 1800s, old entrances/windows, old glass, and structural defects,” says Hope.
All of the facades are created with wood and, in keeping with the historic character of Broadway, he avoids the use of ‘trendy’ colours and components. “There are certain products that are better to use for this application and we always use them.”
Asked about some of the comments he has received from owners, he says: “They are absolutely thrilled because their clients come in (to the store) and acknowledge the nice change and how it suits the street.”
Certainly, that is true in the case of Kyong Lee, owner and manager of Natural Choice, a vitamin and supplement store at the west end of Broadway.
“It was a really run down building and the façade was really crummy,” says Lee of the building’s original condition about 20 years ago before Hope gave the structure new life by removing a stone covering and then erecting a new façade for her.
The transformation had an almost immediate effect, generating an increase in the number of customers entering the store, she says.
There was a similar reaction last year when the contractor and his crew returned to perform some needed maintenance. In the gloom caused by COVID, the project seemed to uplift the spirits of her patrons, says Lee.
Maintenance is critical in the preservation of facades, says Hope, who believes the ones he has created should last 100 years if the business owners follow that advice.
In assessing his portfolio of work, Hope pays tribute to his five-member crew which includes his son James (Jimmy), Jesse, Patrick, Ryan, and Barry. The crew often provides input into the designs, he says.
“I couldn’t have accomplished what I’ve done without them.”
WRITTEN BY: DAN O’REILLY | RESOURCES: JAS F. HOPE CONSTRUCTION, ORANGEVILLE
