Council delays decision on fate of the Eastgate

The old Eastgate Hotel has gained a new lease on life, although it may turn out to be a very short lease.

Sault Ste. Marie City Council decided tonight to put off its decision on whether to tear down the building at 874 Queen Street East, next door to the Algonquin Hotel.

A resolution to vest the property in the City's name and arrange for demolition of the Eastgate was deferred until August 23.

The building has stood vacant for some time and the City is in a position to take possession of it in lieu of unpaid taxes owed on the property.

"We should leave it to investors to determine if the building should be torn down or not," argued Ward 4 Councillor Lorena Tridico.

Tridico said that a new possible investor from Ottawa who has strong ties to the Sault has shown interest in the property.

She also told her fellow councillors that 42 people attended a community meeting about the building to voice concerns and make suggestions.

"The primary concern expressed was in regard to the structure itself," Councillor Tridico said. "People wanted to know if it is sound."

Tridico said she had unofficial advice from an architect and an engineer that the building is okay.

Other people at the meeting also expressed concern about the security of the building.

They said that the holes in its walls, windows and doors permitted free access to pigeons, rats and homeless humans, making it a fire and health hazard, reported Tridico.

Several people at the community meeting also said they believed it would be more efficient and ecological to gut and renovate an existing, sound building than tear it down and build a new one, Tridico said.

They also said that demolition of the building would result in loss of much-needed affordable housing, office and retail space.

Ward 3 Councillor Bryan Hayes said he believed City Council should not delay its vote.

"The place is a dive. Nothing will change," Hayes said. "I think we should just tear the thing down."

Hayes believes the developers have had their chance with the property up for tax sale for almost a year.

Tridico said that among the concerns raised at the committee meeting was one that there may soon be more buildings in the downtown core in this position.

She said that taxes in the downtown core are the highest for businesses in the city and that business owners there are finding it increasingly difficult to be able to continue paying them.

Council should look at its policy for dealing with properties whose owners are delinquent on their taxes, Tridico said.

Hayes agreed but said this property should not be used to begin that process.

He said that, although it won't do any real harm to wait until August 23 to make the decision, neither was there any reason to wait.

"It's full of rats," Councillor Hayes said. "It's full of mould."

City Solicitor Laurie Bottos told City councillors that the City would have very limited access to inspect or otherwise enter the building without permission of the owner, which is not yet the City.