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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHK - 2015-05-05 - Preservation of 11 Young St - Mayfiar Hotel FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 11 YOUNG ST. (FORMERLY MAYFAIR HOTEL) Q1.Why is the former Mayfair Hotel building being demolished? The Order to Remedy an Unsafe Condition for the former Mayfair Hotel building was issued because of significant structural concerns identified by two separate structural engineers' reports.According to a report from the independent engineering consultant hired by the City to assess the building,some of the structural deficiencies pose "immediate life safety concerns" and the only option to immediately remedy these concerns is the demolition of the building. The building cannot be comprehensively repaired because all of the structural deficiencies combined are so severe that work to repair any single deficiency puts the building at risk of collapse and would jeopardize the lives of workers. Q2.Why didn't the City know about the severity of the structural issues before now? The building is 110 years old and so structural issues are not unusual. Previously,there was no way for the City to know the extent of the structural issues which have come to light this week through the inspections of structural engineers. Until recently, all of the interior finishes were intact in the building. It wasn't until the owner removed of all of the interior finishes in recent months that the structural issues could actually be seen. Q3. Is the flooding that occurred on the weekend of April 11 the reason why the building has to be demolished? According to two separate structural engineer's reports,the recommendation to demolish the building is due to numerous structural deficiencies within the building.While the underground water service break on April 11 initiated the City's involvement,the damage done by the resulting flood is not solely responsible for the Order issued by the Chief Building Official. Q4.What safety precautions are being taken to mitigate the risk to public safety? Public safety is the City's main concern. The City moved immediately to put precautions in place once we learned of the severity of the structural deficiencies, including closing Young Street.According to the consultants' report,vibration and weather are the two key factors that could cause the state of the building to change.The City has stopped all vibration-generating activity in the area of the building. While there is no severe weather in the current short-term forecast,we continue to monitor the weather. 1 3 - 1 Q5.Why does Council need to approve the demolition? Council does not need to approve the demolition. In order for the demolition occur though, Council would need to remove the notice of intent to designate the building under the Ontario Heritage Act, which was advertised back in 2008. Council will meet to consider the removal of the notice of intent on Thursday,April 23 at 11 a.m. Q6. If Council votes to remove the notice of intention to designate the building,when will demolition start? If the notice of intent to designate were removed at the April 23 Special Council meeting,the demolition work could start as early as Monday,April 27. Q7. If the building is demolished,will anything from it be salvaged or preserved? The city is working with the building owner to,wherever safe to do so, proceed with the demolition in away that would salvage some key heritage features that were identified in the original notice of intent to designate the property, including: Prior to the Demolition • Measured drawings of the exterior(in particular King and Young Street facades). • Detailed colour photographs of the exterior elevations and heritage attributes. At the time of Demolition • Salvage of the metal balustrade of the staircase, and if feasible the terrazzo treads. • Salvage of a sample of the heritage attributes from the facade as follows: • One palette (approx. 500 bricks)of the brown brick • One palette (approx. 500 bricks)of the yellow brick • Four cast concrete pilaster capitals and one dozen window corner blocks • One example of each type of window voussoir and sill • One six foot section of the wood cornice with brackets Following the Demolition • Design and install a commemorative feature on the property,to include interpretive signage and that will incorporate where feasible, some of the heritage attributes salvaged from the demolition,as listed above. Q8. Does this building have a heritage designation? In November 2008,the City published its intent, under the Ontario Heritage Act,to designate the property at 11 Young Street as well as the adjoining properties at 156-158 King Street. Publishing the 2 3 - 2 notice of the intent to designate the property—which occurred in 2008—essentially protects a property as if it were designated under the Ontario Heritage Act. Q9. Will 156-158 King Street be demolished as well? 156-158 King Street are not part of the Order issued by the Chief Building Official.The notice of intent to designate these properties under the Ontario Heritage Act remains in effect for these properties. Q10.Will Heritage Kitchener have any input into this issue? While an immediate decision and action was required due to the public safety issues which did not allow time for the formal input of Heritage Kitchener,the advisory committee will be involved in continued discussion about salvaging and preserving heritage features for the future and how those features could -- be reused. (See Q6.)The committee will discuss this issue at its May 5 meeting. Q11. How long did the City own the former Mayfair building? The City owned the property for nearly 12 years of the building's 110-year history.The City acquired the former Mayfair building in 2001 as part of a parcel of properties formerly known as the Centre Block— now referred to as CityCentre. At the time, it served as affordable housing on the upper floors and it housed a bar on the ground floor.The city retained Kitchener Housing to manage the rental housing component.The City sold the building to its current owner in 2013. More information on the historical chronology of the building is available on the City's website. Q12.What did the City do to maintain the building before it was sold to the current owner? The City acquired the former Mayfair building in 2001 as part of a parcel of properties formerly known as the Centre Block--now referred to as Civic Centre. The City's intent was always to sell the property for redevelopment. The former Mayfair building became unoccupied in 2007,with all Kitchener Housing Inc.tenants relocated. Right up until the time the building was sold in 2013,the City continued to exercise due care in maintaining it,ensuring heat and hydro services were adequate within the building, maintaining fire alarm monitoring, performing regular site visits and undertaking maintenance activities as required. Q13. Can I get the engineering consultant's report/where can I get more information? Further information, including the engineering consultant's report, is available on the City's website or by calling 519-741-2345. 3 3 - 3 TIMELINE: 11 YOUNG ST. (FORMERLY MAYFAIR HOTEL) 1905:Edward Lippert built a three-storey building at the northeast corner of King and Young Streets where he operated a retail furniture store and an undertaking business. 1929:A three-storey addition was added to the building,built by Ball Brothers Ltd.,to be used as hotel rooms.The hotel portion later became the Windsor House Hotel and then the Mayfair Hotel. 1924-1925:The building was also occupied by C.L. Moser&Sons dry goods store. 1933-1946.The building also housed Ligget's Drug Store. 1976:The building was sold by George Lippert,after which point it changed hands several times until the City purchased the property. 2001:The City purchased the building in February 2001 as part of the larger Centre Block land acquisition—now known as City Centre.At the time, it served as affordable housing on the upper floors and it housed a bar on the ground floor.The city retained Kitchener Housing to manage the rental housing component. 2006:A staff report was endorsed by council which requested that the Mayfair building at 11 Young Street and the neighbouring 156-158 King St.W., be listed as non-designated properties on the heritage registry. 2007:The building became unoccupied with all Kitchener Housing Inc.tenants relocated.The City continued to exercise due care in maintaining the building,ensuring heat and hydro services,fire alarm monitoring, services regular site visits were undertaken,as well as maintenance activities where required. February 2008:City staff provided a condition update on the city-owned Centre Block buildings and the pending Centre Block redevelopment to council and Heritage Kitchener. November 2008:With council approval,the City issued a notice of intent to designate the property under the Ontario Heritage Act. July 2009: City entered into an agreement of purchase and sale with Andrin Investments Limited for the sale of Centre Block lands which at that time included the Mayfair and 156/158 King Street West as"Phase 3 Lands". June 2011: City staff provided an update to council and Heritage Kitchener on the proposed plans for the former Mayfair Hotel building and its incorporation into the Centre Block plan. December 2012:Council authorized the assignment of the sale of the Phase 3 Centre Block Lands(the former Mayfair Hotel and 156-158 King Street)from Andrin Investments Limited to Ridgewood Holdings or a related company to be incorporated. May 2013: Final sale to the Mayfair Hotel Development Corporation was completed. Inspection by City staff prior to the sale confirmed the building was intact with no water leaks and no exposure to the elements. February 2014: In preparation for future renovations/redevelopment,the owner received a building permit allowing for the removal of interior finishes so that the building's full structure could be exposed to determine what extent of redevelopment would be possible. 3 - 4 April 11,2015:A water service break occurred in an underground pipe between the city valve and the building's Young Street foundation wall which caused flooding inside the building,damaging the building's foundation. April 13,2015:The Chief Building Official inspected the property and upon viewing the damage to the foundation, directed the owner to hire a structural engineer to make a recommendation for its repair.After discussion with the engineer,in light of the potential risk to public safety,the City closed Young Street as a precaution.The city also retained MTE Consultants to conduct an independent inspection of the building. April 16,2015: MTE Consultants provided a comprehensive report indicating that a combination of structural issues—some existing as well as the most recent foundation damage caused by the flood—rendered the building unsafe and unstable.The report indicated that the building poses"immediate life safety concerns"and is not repairable because any work inside would jeopardize the lives of workers. The Chief Building Official issued an Order to remedy an unsafe building under section 15.9 of the Ontario Building Act at 3 p.m,which calls for the demolition of the property. April 17,2015:The owner installed hoarding(barrier)around the site. April 21,2015: Demolition application permit and demolition plan to be filed with the city by 5 p.m. April 23,2015:Council to consider removal of notice of intent to designate under the Ontario Heritage Act at a special meeting at 11 a.m. April 27(estimated): Demolition work could begin(pending Council approval of removal of intent to designate). 3 - 5 City of Kitchener Page 1 of 2 Public safety concerns at former Mayfair Hotel Posted an Thursday April 16, 2015 Like Tweet. (} +i 9 Public safety concerns lead Chief Building official to call for the demolition of former Mayfair Hotel Kitchener--At 3 p.m. today, the city's chief building official issued an Order to remedy an unsafe building under section 15.9 of the Ontario Building Act which calls for the demolition of the property at 11 Young St. (the former Mayfair Hotel).The owner has until Tuesday,April 21 at 5 p.m. to apply for a permit for the demolition. The Order was issued because of significant structural issues identified by two separate structural engineer's reports. According to a report by MTE Consultants, hired to do an independent assessment by the City, some of the structural deficiencies pose"immediate life safety concerns". Additionally, the MTE report indicates"the building is in an unsafe and unstable condition"that requires immediate attention given the location of the building and the pedestrian and vehicular traffic around the property.This came to light as a result of a water service break on the weekend. "This is not a decision that has been made lightly,"said Mike Seiling, the city's director of building and chief building official (CBO). "Public safety is our first priority and based an the recommendations of two separate structural engineers, there was no other option but to issue the Order to demolish." On Monday,April 13, Seiling was called in to inspect the property after a break in an underground pipe between the city valve and the foundation wall which had caused flooding in the basement on Saturday,April 11. Upon viewing the damage to the foundation, Seiling directed the owner to hire a structural engineer to make a recommendation for the repair of the damaged foundation wall.After discussion with the structural engineer, in light of the potential risk to public safety, the city closed Young Street as a precaution while further investigation continued. The city then retained MTE to conduct an independent inspection of the building. The findings of the two separate engineering consultants' reports were in agreement.There are numerous structural deficiencies in the building; the repair of which is not feasible without jeopardizing the lives of workers. While the water service break on Saturday initiated the city's involvement, the damage done by the resulting flood is not solely responsible for the Order issued by the CBO. It is the combination of deficiencies that make"demolition the only viable option for eliminating the hazardous and unsafe conditions and limiting the risks to both workers and the public"according to the consultant's report. http://www.ktchener.ca/en/News/index.aspx?feedld=d4f2lfl2-42d3-4326-a9da-16019215... 4/20/245 - 6 City of Kitchener Page 2 of 2 The city issued a notice of intent to designate the building under the Ontario Heritage Act in November 2008. Because of the intent to designate, a special council meeting will be scheduled for Thursday, April 23 to request the removal of the intent to designate to allow for demolition to begin. Staff will however, pursue with the property owner,the salvage of key heritage features that were identified in the notice of intent pertaining to the building such as the metal balustrade from the main staircase,and some brick from the building, wherever safe to do so, with the view to use such in the design or in an interpretive feature on the site. A webpage will be live later tonight where all of the available documents and reports will be shared. - 30- Back to Search If you need this information or any document contained on this page provided in another format, please contact our Corporate Contact Centre for assistance at 519-741-2345. Visit Kitchener.calsupport to learn more about alternate formats and how they can be made available to you under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act(AODA). 2014 City of Kitchener http://www.ktchener.ca/en/News/index.aspx?feedId=d4f2M2-42d3-4326-a9da-160f9215... 4/20/25 7