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Star: Bylaw Against "Demolition by Decay" (Hume)
From the Star, GTA Section by Hume:
Bylaw takes aim at `demolition by decay'
Jul. 17, 2006. 01:00 AM
CHRISTOPHER HUME
In some cities, a developer like Joe Jonatan would be heavily fined for his actions and even have his property expropriated.
In Toronto, we have no choice but sit by and watch as he lets a unique and valuable heritage site fall apart.
If Councillor Kyle Rae (Toronto Centre-Rosedale) gets his way, however, that could all change. He plans to introduce a bylaw that would force owners to maintain heritage buildings and ban "demolition by neglect."
Jonatan owns Walnut Hall, the only block of Georgian townhouses left standing in the city. They are on the north side of Shuter St., just east of Jarvis. Built in 1858, this four-unit terrace was designed by Irish-born architect John Tully. Despite decades of shameful neglect that predates even Jonatan, they remain a monument to Victorian urbanity, something we are just beginning to rediscover 150 years later.
From the moment he bought the property in 1996, Jonatan has made it clear he wants to tear it down. The previous owner, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, did its bit before him to destroy the complex by leaving it empty and unheated for 20 years. But when bricks started to fall to the ground recently, the city finally had to step in and order Jonatan to erect a fence around the building.
"It's heartbreaking," says Rae. "We've worked with the owner to give him additional density. We arranged for him to get a $20,000 heritage grant. We've given him every possible advantage the city can offer. But still he refuses to do anything."
As the manager of Toronto Heritage Preservation Services, Denise Gendron, points out, now bricks are starting to fall off the building. It has become dangerous.
"You turn off the power," she says. "You let vagrants go in, then basically you just sit there and let the building fall apart. The owner has neglected his responsibilities and allowed the building to decay."
As Rae rightly says, "It would be horrible to lose this property."
In recognition of the historical and architectural significance of the site, the city designated it in 1997. In her book, Toronto Architecture: A City Guide, Patricia McHugh praised "its beautifully proportioned façade, and exquisite details such as six-light sash windows, stone lintels and sills and Flemish-bond bricks."
Even through the crumbling exteriors, the boarded-up windows and the general rot, these townhouses, at 102 to 108 Shuter St., retain a surprising degree of their original dignity. They stand four storeys high and are built right out to the sidewalk. Above all, they speak of an age that understood what a city was about and knew how to build for it. Tall and thin, they take complete advantage of the site and even in the 21st century, have much to teach us about city-building.
Is it any wonder developers have such a bad name?
"It was part of a basket (of property) we purchased in 1996," Jonatan explains. "We built 10 semis north of Walnut Hall on George St., but we weren't sure what to do with the building on Shuter. For some reason, we just haven't been able to make it work from a business point of view. It's not unfeasible, but everything has taken much longer than expected.
"I know it has decayed a bit, but it will be a great place to live. I would have thought Kyle would be happy that I've moved up the schedule and put the place up for sale two weeks ago. I've had a couple of calls already."
Rae's bylaw, based on one from Miami, would require minimum standards of maintenance. Its intention is to preserve the interior, exterior and structural integrity of historic and architecturally significant buildings. If adopted, the new regulations would allow the city to impose fines of up to $5,000 a day. The city could also force owners to take remedial action at their own expense. Failure to comply would give the city the right to foreclose.
"We believe the building can be saved," Gendron insists. "We've compelled the owner to get an engineer's report on the state of the structure."
These townhouses are a major civic asset and deserve to be treated as such.
AoD
From the Star, GTA Section by Hume:
Bylaw takes aim at `demolition by decay'
Jul. 17, 2006. 01:00 AM
CHRISTOPHER HUME
In some cities, a developer like Joe Jonatan would be heavily fined for his actions and even have his property expropriated.
In Toronto, we have no choice but sit by and watch as he lets a unique and valuable heritage site fall apart.
If Councillor Kyle Rae (Toronto Centre-Rosedale) gets his way, however, that could all change. He plans to introduce a bylaw that would force owners to maintain heritage buildings and ban "demolition by neglect."
Jonatan owns Walnut Hall, the only block of Georgian townhouses left standing in the city. They are on the north side of Shuter St., just east of Jarvis. Built in 1858, this four-unit terrace was designed by Irish-born architect John Tully. Despite decades of shameful neglect that predates even Jonatan, they remain a monument to Victorian urbanity, something we are just beginning to rediscover 150 years later.
From the moment he bought the property in 1996, Jonatan has made it clear he wants to tear it down. The previous owner, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, did its bit before him to destroy the complex by leaving it empty and unheated for 20 years. But when bricks started to fall to the ground recently, the city finally had to step in and order Jonatan to erect a fence around the building.
"It's heartbreaking," says Rae. "We've worked with the owner to give him additional density. We arranged for him to get a $20,000 heritage grant. We've given him every possible advantage the city can offer. But still he refuses to do anything."
As the manager of Toronto Heritage Preservation Services, Denise Gendron, points out, now bricks are starting to fall off the building. It has become dangerous.
"You turn off the power," she says. "You let vagrants go in, then basically you just sit there and let the building fall apart. The owner has neglected his responsibilities and allowed the building to decay."
As Rae rightly says, "It would be horrible to lose this property."
In recognition of the historical and architectural significance of the site, the city designated it in 1997. In her book, Toronto Architecture: A City Guide, Patricia McHugh praised "its beautifully proportioned façade, and exquisite details such as six-light sash windows, stone lintels and sills and Flemish-bond bricks."
Even through the crumbling exteriors, the boarded-up windows and the general rot, these townhouses, at 102 to 108 Shuter St., retain a surprising degree of their original dignity. They stand four storeys high and are built right out to the sidewalk. Above all, they speak of an age that understood what a city was about and knew how to build for it. Tall and thin, they take complete advantage of the site and even in the 21st century, have much to teach us about city-building.
Is it any wonder developers have such a bad name?
"It was part of a basket (of property) we purchased in 1996," Jonatan explains. "We built 10 semis north of Walnut Hall on George St., but we weren't sure what to do with the building on Shuter. For some reason, we just haven't been able to make it work from a business point of view. It's not unfeasible, but everything has taken much longer than expected.
"I know it has decayed a bit, but it will be a great place to live. I would have thought Kyle would be happy that I've moved up the schedule and put the place up for sale two weeks ago. I've had a couple of calls already."
Rae's bylaw, based on one from Miami, would require minimum standards of maintenance. Its intention is to preserve the interior, exterior and structural integrity of historic and architecturally significant buildings. If adopted, the new regulations would allow the city to impose fines of up to $5,000 a day. The city could also force owners to take remedial action at their own expense. Failure to comply would give the city the right to foreclose.
"We believe the building can be saved," Gendron insists. "We've compelled the owner to get an engineer's report on the state of the structure."
These townhouses are a major civic asset and deserve to be treated as such.
AoD