Ontario Construction News staff writer
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath is calling for a review of “at-risk” buildings across the city, after a pair of boarded-up heritage buildings constructed in the 1870s collapsed on Monday.
Horwath is also asking how the King Street East buildings were allowed to deteriorate.
“It’s an awful situation,” she said in a statement. “We have to figure out why it got to this point and what else is out there, because this is not acceptable.”
An emergency demolition order has been issued and the company has been told to knock down what was left of the addresses.
Building Division staff was alerted to a reported building collapse at about 6:45 a.m. on Nov. 11.
A Building Inspector responded promptly and arrived on site at approximately 7:30 am. After the Hamilton Fire Department and Hamilton Police Service provided clearance to enter, the Building Inspector was able to begin their inspection.
The fronts of both buildings collapsed onto the sidewalk and initial inspections revealed that the front portions of 24 and 28 King Street East, both vacant four-storey brick buildings, had partially collapsed to the north and east. Currently the site remains secured, under the care and control of the owner, and their contractors while remedial work is undertaken.
A nearby building, at 40 King Street East, located at the corner of Hughson and King, was also impacted by the collapse. The two occupied floors of this building have been vacated as a precautionary measure, while building evaluations proceed.
“I want to extend my gratitude to city staff across all divisions who responded swiftly and collaboratively. Our team is focused on ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone who lives, works, and visits the Gore Park area,” said City Manager Marnie Cluckie. “We are working with the building owner to take all necessary steps to prevent further risk to public safety. We are also committed to working with the building owner to preserve heritage features where possible.
“Our Municipal Law Enforcement and Building Division teams have been vigilant in monitoring these properties. The building owner had been issued an Order, and further progressive steps were underway to enforce compliance. We remain committed to transparency and accountability in our response to this incident and to finding ways to improve our enforcement process.”
More than a decade ago, the developers’ initial plan to completely demolish the buildings, which date to the 1840s and 1870s, sparked outrage from heritage advocates. However, city council approved a heritage designation to protect the facades.
“Our priority remains public health and safety, and we are committed to addressing this situation thoroughly and responsibly,” Horwath said. “The building collapse yesterday highlights the need for a review of enforcement processes and recommendations to prevent such incidents. We are fully committed to protecting the community and will take all necessary steps to strengthen these efforts. I also commend our first responders – particularly the Hamilton Fire Department – for their swift response in securing the site, allowing the City to proceed with the required actions.”
Prior to this incident, the city was “actively monitoring” both properties to uphold safety and maintenance standards that follow the typical protocol when a building is vacant, including quarterly inspections. The City’s Municipal Law Enforcement team (MLE), addressing property maintenance, and the Building Division, overseeing building code compliance, have been conducting regular inspections to ensure compliance with property maintenance and building code requirements.
An Order to comply, from the Building Division, was issued on July 22, 2024 to the building owner to address specific concerns; however, compliance had not yet been achieved. Last week, the City initiated further enforcement actions to hold the property owner accountable to meet their obligations to maintain the safety and integrity of the building.
The city is now working with the building owner to ensure the professional engineer they’ve hired conducts a thorough evaluation of the structures and determines whether further demolition is needed to protect public safety.
