A B.C. city development analyst says the compelled demolition of a dilapidated resort in downtown Vancouver is an indication of a bigger downside.
Vancouver metropolis council ordered the demolition of the previous Dunsmuir Lodge earlier in December, after an inspection had discovered it had deteriorated to the purpose of turning into a security hazard.
The town blamed the proprietor, Holborn Properties, for neglecting the construction for greater than a decade. Holborn has denied the accusation and prompt pink tape at metropolis corridor is guilty.
However Andy Yan, director of Simon Fraser College’s Metropolis Program stated the Dunsmuir Lodge controversy hints at a a lot bigger downside.
“The entire saga of 500 Dunsumir truly exhibits a bigger systemic downside within the Metropolis of Vancouver of not understanding the variety of deserted or vacant buildings within the metropolis which themselves are deteriorating,” he stated.
“We simply don’t know. For a metropolis that’s a lot in a housing emergency, I believe that is actually alarming.”
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Yan added that the Dunsmuir property may very well be considered as a case of “demolition by neglect,” and stated it stays unclear if the proprietor might be penalized financially for or compelled to switch the 150 single-room lodging models it was residence to.
In an announcement, town stated the one vacant constructing it is aware of of that would doubtlessly be a security threat to the general public is 500 Dunsmuir.
However on the council assembly that determined the destiny of the property earlier this month, Coun. Peter Meiszner requested town’s chief constructing official if town was frequently inspecting massive vacant buildings, and was advised no.
Meiszner stated it was “surprising” that town doesn’t have an excellent reply to what number of unoccupied buildings are within the metropolis and what situation they’re in.
He stated metropolis employees have been directed to type a process power within the new yr to handle that hole.
“We don’t wish to be put in a scenario once more the place we’re having to tear down a constructing because of a public security threat as a result of it has deteriorated a lot and we weren’t conscious of it for thus a few years,” he stated.
However Meiszner stated town at the moment has few instruments to handle buildings of this nature. Vancouver’s Requirements of Upkeep bylaw, for instance, applies solely to occupied buildings.
In 2023, the Union of B.C. Municipalities handed a decision calling on the province to empower native governments to tax vacant properties to discourage derelict buildings, however no provincial laws was ever modified.
“We have to have a look at all kinds of instruments and avenues within the new yr to forestall this from taking place once more,” Meiszner stated.
Within the meantime, the demolition of 500 Dunsmuir will proceed, with out the preservation of any of its heritage parts.
Council’s authentic order to tear the constructing down had directed the proprietor to protect what it may, nevertheless, a subsequent report from town’s chief constructing official discovered doing so would require a 14-month delay — one thing town couldn’t enable because of threat the construction may collapse.
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