The city's built-heritage committee has given the owner of Magee House approval to tear the historic building down, ideally before the snow falls.
It's tragic that it's come to this, committee members said, but a city-hired engineer has deemed the building too dangerous to save.
"This building is a touchstone to our past. It's gone now," said Coun. Jeff Leiper, who is running for reelection in the ward.
The west wall of 1119 Wellington St. W. crumbled suddenly in late July, posing a serious safety risk to the public and the owner, Ovidio Sbrissa, who was living there at the time.
While the building is stable for now, that could change when winter sets in, according to a report by John G. Cooke, an engineer hired to assess the building.
Businesses and residents are also keen for the building to come down sooner rather than later, since the fencing surrounding the structure is still blocking the sidewalk on Wellington Street.
City staff will give the owner until Nov. 15 to demolish the building once council approval is secured.
If the building is still standing after that date, the city's building code officials will need to decide if it poses a threat to public safety. If so, the city can order the demolition and attempt to recoup the cost from Sbrissa.
'It was murdered'
The stone building was constructed in 1881 and converted to a bank in 1907. In 1996, it was designated a heritage building.
The owner once described the building as an elder person who had a stroke, according to built-heritage committee member Sandy Smallwood.
"It seems to me the building didn't have stroke, it was murdered," Smallwood said, calling the current state of events a "very clear case of demolition by neglect."
He asked if the city would take any action against Sbrissa for the deteriorated state of the building. City staff have no plans to do so.
Leiper urged the next elected council to find ways to help owners of heritage buildings maintain their buildings so similar demolitions don't happen in the future.
Looking to the future
The committee also considered what should happen to the site when Magee House is gone.
Whatever replaces it should be "sympathetic" to the original structure, Linda Hoad with the Hintonburg Community Association told committee.
Hoad called for the city to put restrictions on the height and characteristics of whatever development comes to the site so it isn't too out of step with the history of the site.
City staff have some tools to do that when an application comes forward.
The city will also demand a commemorative plaque be placed on site to recognize the historic building that was lost.