There’s something new developing in the neighbourhood! Hughson St Baptist Church purchased the former LCBO / Picton Library building at the north-east corner of James and Picton in 2011 with a plan to renovate it into a new church facility. In January 2016 those plans changed significantly as the need for affordable housing in the North End became apparent to the church members. Working with Indwell Christian Homes, the membership decided to add 45 units of supported, affordable housing to their new church plans. This means the demolition of the present building and building brand new. The new facility will house the church in the main floor and basement with the housing being on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors.
Indwell is a Christian charity that creates affordable housing communities that support people seeking health, wellness and belonging. Their programs presently support more than 400 households in Hamilton, Woodstock and Simcoe. Their team is working with the church in the building of this project and once completed, Indwell will oversee the operation of the housing portion of the new facility for the church.
Most of the apartments will be single bedroom units, suitable for independent singles or a couple, with a few two bedroom units. Indwell will have support staff on site to create a community atmosphere and help people with maintaining their general health and well-being. While being a part of Hughson Church will not be a requirement for living here, HSBC is looking forward to being able to offer programs and ministries during the week and on Sundays that will be specifically for the residents, or be inclusive for the residents to take part in.
After a delay this summer and into October, the project is moving ahead again and the preparation for demolition of the building will start at the end of October. This will mean security fences around the entire building, including the parking lot. The goal will be to receive residents at the end of 2019 or early 2020.
