Netflix series the Umbrella Academy as well as Locke and Key have something in common, and it’s not just super powers, they were both filmed in this Ontario suburb along with dozens of other high profile productions. So where does Hollywood love to hang out when not on the sunny shores of California… Hamilton, Ontario – that’s where!
Hamilton, known for its industrial heritage, boasts a growing arts scene, hosts many festivals and concerts, is home to McMaster University and the beloved Hamilton Tiger-Cats (Ticats) CFL Football team. What many don’t know is that Hamilton has a rich historical society and collection of Victorian era buildings that often make it a perfect backdrop for film and television.
Downtown Hamilton isn’t just for university students and football fans. Gore Park and the Downtown Core can be recognized in various series and movies including the Umbrella Academy Hargreeves home and school. 54 King St. E. was originally a Bank of Nova Scotia and also led a life as the Royal Trust Company, a real estate office and various nightclubs. A far cry from the super hero image many fans would recognize it as.
But Hamilton isn’t just for modern day cinema, historical sites like the Scottish Rite Club – Home of the Ancient & Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of Canada – was constructed in 1884. In addition to hosting the Freemasons, the location has been used in The Handmaid’s Tale, Silent Hill, Crimson Peak and It: Chapter Two, among others.
Fans of the long running Canadian mystery series, Murdoch Mysteries, will also recognize many Hamilton landmarks and homes in and around the 1900s-era Toronto “Police Constabulary” depicted in the CBC series’ 14 season long run. Liuna Station is a favourite filming locale for many directors. The former CN Railway station built between 1929 and 1931 with art deco detailing can be seen doubling as Union Station in Murdoch Mysteries, a hotel in Frankie Drake Mysteries and the Titans, a bank in the Umbrella Academy, an Old Train Station in the Good Witch. It is even the scene of a supernatural showdown in X-Men.
What many Hamiltonians also know is the city isn’t just for movie making, it is also a great place to live and buy real estate. The average home price in Hamilton, by the end of 2021, had increased by 96% in just five years! Much of that acceleration in value came during the earlier pandemic period as people in the downtown core of Toronto were looking for more space and the ability for their dollar to go a little further. 2022 has proven to be a bit of a bumpier road for real estate in the Hamilton area. According to the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), in February 2022 the Hamilton-Burlington benchmark home price for all types hit a record high of over $1.068M. This was up over $270,700 year-over-year representing a 34% increase versus February 2021. Since the peak in February, however, prices in the same region have dropped by over $206,000 representing a -19.3% decline in August 2022. While prices are still up significantly versus pre-pandemic levels, the rising cost of living, inflation and Bank of Canada interest rate hikes are threatening this city’s Hollywood ending.
To learn more about buying real estate in Hamilton or anywhere in Canada, connect with a Zoocasa agent to help you learn more about neighbourhoods (and film locations!) in your city.
