05-12-2015, 06:57 AM
(05-11-2015, 11:06 PM)panamaniac Wrote:(05-11-2015, 10:38 PM)Lens Wrote: Say goodbye to both buildings... http://www.kitchener.ca/en/livinginkitch...upancy.pdf
I don't understand why the Mayfair can't be demolished FIRST and then the other building re-evaluated. This whole thing makes me sick/upset/angry/etc.
You are correct, they are both coming down. The City Building Officer got a new engineers' report, following another building inspection last Friday, that 11 Young Street could not be demolished without threatening the integrity of 156-158 King, which resulted in that building also being declared unsafe. The three storey original building was built as a single building. The threat of collapse of 11 Young is apparently such that it would not be possible to shore up 156-158 King quickly enough and without putting 11 Young at even greater risk of collapse. The demolition permit will be issued tomorrow and it seems that demolition could follow within days. By end of day tomorrow, hoardings will be up to close the King St frontage as well as the laneway at the rear of the buildings.
Their was some concern that demolition could put Weber Chambers at risk, but the CBO was confident that shoring could be installed to keep that building safe.
It is going to leave a bad taste in many mouths, but the decision had a certain inevitability to it, once the newest engineers report on 156-158 King was received and the second unsafe building order issued. A motion to defer a decision on the designation of 156-158 was considered but defeated (had it passed, the CBO made clear that he would retain independent council to pursue a court order for demolition - not because he is a fan of demolition but because public safety is his legal mandate and obligation). It won't help that some delegations to City Council dismissed the various engineers' reports as "opinion" - it seems inevitable that, rightly or wrongly, the Mayfair will be added to the list of bad heritage demolition decisions in some people's minds. There will be those who will not be convinced that the buildings could not have somehow been saved - we will never know for sure.
In his comments, Bernie Nimer seemed to suggest that he wants to proceed with a new project on the site sooner rather than later. He also mentioned that, after the work now going on at 41 King W., his next renovation priority is the building on Queen St S, behind the Walper Hotel.
This is what has surprised me. In talking to people with no expertise whatsoever in the field, they're convinced they know more than an engineer. I'm not saying we shouldn't think critically, but for me personally, when I'm not an expert in a field, I like to trust the experts.