Wait and see for brewery site

There were no visible signs of demolition going on at the vacant Northern Breweries site on Bay Street when SooToday.com snapped this photo Monday morning.

However, City of Sault Ste. Marie Chief Building Official Don Maki told us Monday "we think demolition is going to occur.  There was some disconnection of services to the building last week."

The property was purchased by Toronto-based developer Nirmala Singh in April 2011, with the intention of demolishing the old brewery and erecting a multi-storey tower with commercial space on the lower floors and residential condos on the upper floors.

Singh was not available for comment when we called her office Monday.

A demolition order, to tear down part of the vacant property severely damaged in a fire February 7, was issued by the City February 8, and it was hoped that work would be done by March 4.

The City, in need of more information from Singh's Renaissance Place Corporation before demolition could take place, then gave the company until March 22 to proceed with demolition.

If a demolition plan is not in place by Thursday May 9, Council will be asked for its approval for a contractor to demolish the fire-damaged part of the old brewery, with the cost to be tacked on to the property's tax bill. 

Barricades for public safety are in place at the site.

Maki said Monday "no one has come in to pick up the demolition permit.  They can't proceed without it."

Maki told us "it sounds like they're proceeding, but we will have to wait and see what happens."