Now vacant, the red brick house was built between 1879 and 1901. Cassandra Wood, Centretown NewsA vacant building in Centretown is at the centre of a battle between a property owner who wants to demolish the structure and heritage advocates who want to preserve a piece of architectural history.
On Oct. 13, the city’s built heritage sub-committee denied a request from local developer Gemstone Corporation to tear down the building, which lies within the Centretown Heritage Conservation District. The company plans to replace it with a temporary park pending future development for the site.
On Oct. 25, the planning committee postponed a decision until Nov. 8 to consult further with the developer. The final decision on the fate of the building will be made by the full council.
The house at 234 O’Connor St., was built between 1879 and 1901 and suffered damage in a fire about 15 years ago. Since then, it has remained unoccupied.
The red brick house stands behind gates. It has crumbling shingles and a rusty black staircase leading to the back door. Fraying electrical wires are exposed and chunks of brick are dislodged at one side. Black marks scar some bricks, showing traces of the fire. A tree rests against one side of the roof, while garbage is strewn across the backyard.
Coun. Tobi Nussbaum, chair of the sub-committee, said granting the demolition request would have violated heritage conservation protocols for the area.
“It was deemed to be in good condition when the building was first assessed in 1996, and so the fact that it has deteriorated since then is not a reason to demolish it,” said Nussbaum.
He said city staff commissioned an independent engineering study that concluded the building is structurally sound and can be repaired, so that demolition is not the only option.
Paul Clarmont, who lives beside the 234 O’Connor house, said he’s seen inside the house and describes it as “decrepit.” He said he loves history, but does not think this building is needed to showcase the heritage of Ottawa.
Gemstone Corporation purchased the house last year and has already tried to demolish it. Shortly after the sale, the company applied for a fire control demolition permit, but the city’s fire chief denied permission to demolish the structure, said Nussbaum.
Nussbaum said that although Gemstone could not be blamed for the deterioration of the house before the company bought it, he said it doesn’t mean that the company should be subject to a different set of rules under the heritage conservation act.
“If that was the way council treated new property owners, then there would be incentives for property owners who had neglected properties over many years to then sell them with the hope or expectation that a new property owner would have better luck seeking approval to demolish a building,” said Nussbaum.
Clarmont, however, said: “I think there are a lot nicer looking heritage homes around that kind of showcase the history of Ottawa and I don’t think anyone really looks at this house and sees more than just an abandoned building.”
He added that there are very few green spaces in the area, so a temporary park would be very beneficial.
“It would be kind of nice to have a patch of green space where you can let your dog run around in, or it would be nice to just have a place to go and sit for a while and take in the breeze,” said Clarmont. “I think people would appreciate a park much more than just walking by a house they can only look at. But I am happy with whatever way this turns out.”
Colin White, a Centretown artist, started doing studies of vacant buildings in Ottawa near the end of 2014, and has sketched the O’Connor Street house from three different angles.
He said such buildings should be kept up because they were generally better constructed back then and remain attractive.
“The best cities in my opinion have kept their heritage, appreciate their heritage and find this balance between modernity and history,” said White.
“There is something about a building when it gets weathered and aged — it starts telling a story. So I think there is something psychological there, as well.”
He said public spaces such as parks are very much needed in Ottawa, but he would rather see something like a parking lot disappear rather than a heritage building.