The vacant building at 21 John Street South will continue to be exposed to the elements for at least another month after the City of Hamilton’s Property Standards Committee failed to make quorum this morning. [March 5, 2025]
The downtown building has been vacant and without a roof since 2016, as shown on Google Maps Streetview.
On December 4, 2024, the City issued a property standards order directing Toronto condo developer Brad Lamb’s BJL Properties Inc to enclose and secure the property.
The City order also instructed Lamb’s company to “provide certified engineers report addressing the structural integrity of the building and remedy related to roof repair.”
Lamb’s company is appealing the orders.
Four representatives of the company attended today’s cancelled hearing.
They declined to identify themselves, and did not answer questions.
As they left City Hall, they stated that the hearing had “been adjourned, so we best not talk.”
Lamb’s Company Seeks Approval to Not Install a Roof
Before the cancelled hearing, Property Standards Chair Thomas Lofchik discussed a possible settlement with Lamb’s representatives.
Sitting around the room from Lofchik, the representatives stated they do not wish to have to install a roof on the building.
They said they will propose another method that “will still do the same thing as putting a complete roof on it.”
They stated the alternative would “keep rain out of the structure.”
City Clerk’s staff quickly ended the discussion, reminding all involved that discussions must occur during a formal hearing.
Order Follows Public Pressure Following Gore Buildings Collapse
The order was issued in the weeks following Hamilton’s latest building collapse.
On November 11, (2024) multiple vacant buildings suddenly collapsed onto Gore Park in Downtown Hamilton. Thankfully, the collapse occurred at approximately 6:12 a.m. between Remembrance Day ceremonies and nobody was injured or killed.
The City inspected the buildings on November 8. As of this publication, the City of Hamilton has not provided any further details regarding these collapses.
Following the Gore collapse, there has been significant public pressure on the City of Hamilton to enforce property standards and to prevent further building collapses.
City Requested to Comment, Respond They Need Time to Prepare Answers
Following today’s cancelled hearing, questions were posed to City staff involved in the hearing. They directed queries, as required by policy, to the City Manager’s Office.
The questions posed are:
- Is 21 John Street South structurally safe? Specifically, can you guarantee the building will not experience any loss of materials such as bricks or other materials falling onto the public sidewalk?
- How often are City inspectors conducting checks on this building, and what steps are in place to ensure an inspection will prevent structural collapse?
- What powers, if any, does the City of Hamilton have during the ongoing appeal, to ensure the stability of this structure?
The City has requested at least an additional day to respond.
Downtown Councillor Disappointed About Delay
The four members of the Property Standards Committee are citizens-at-large. There are no Council members on the Committee.
Ward 2 Councillor Cameron Kroetsch says he is “really disappointed” there was no decision today.
“I know that the building has been in a state like this for quite some time,” Kroetsch said. “The last thing we need downtown is more deterioration of buildings.”
He says it is important that the Property Standards Committee reaches quorum at its next meeting on April 2, “because enforcing the orders is important.”
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Published: March 5, 2025
Last updated: March 5, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
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