24 April 2006
a time to destroy (heritage)? = a time to build up (a parking garage?)
Photos: Phase II & III factory additions by John Forsyth Co during 1920's cf. floor plan as Phase III had been previously demolished per approved demolition application & interior as of Oct 05 showing the results of the City's stewardship of this designated heritage resource
- per 1999 designation bylaw: all exterior elevations & stone foundations, yellow brick walls, windows and window openings, painted signage bands were to have been protected
- per 1 Nov 99 Council Minutes: a) " Mayor Zehr commented that he would not support the designation given the obvious outcome that at the end of the given period of time, the building could be demolished." and b) Motion to designate moved by Councillor Haalboom with recorded vote: 8 in favour (current councillors: Vrabanovic, Lorentz, Weylie) versus 3 contra ( current council: Zehr & Smola)
- per 05 Fedy engineering report: 3 storey timber & brick structure; problems with east wall approx 3" pushed out as result of swollen beams and swollen floor decking ===> this is the wall that portended the building's "imminent collapse" and hence, the order to demolish due to unsafe building condition; it was this wall that was to start the domino effect when it collapsed as all walls were structurally interdependent
- per 05 Lekic/ACO structural report: "The first impression after entering into the building was that the property has not been adequately maintained. Signs of water damage are everywhere. Hardwood floors are damaged to the point that all shall be removed. Wood floor structure looks sound and some minor repairs are necessary, while steel structure needs only cleaning and painting....Based on visual examination the masonry walls look solid, except the east wall and the southwest corner of the Forsyth Building built in 1900. East masonry wall is damaged, out of plumb ~ 3” at the third floor elevation. Some structural correction with anchor rods was done. ..“L. Alan Grinham Architect Inc.” confirms that “The east wall is slowly returning to its original position due to the drying of the wood floor.” Some structural corrections are required to fix southwest corner...The building shall be protected from water penetration immediately; otherwise structural damage could easily reach the point where a demolition is only a solution."
- per 21 Dec 05/16 Jan 06 environmental abatement report: flooded boiler room, water damaged floor boards, fluorescent light tubes and ballasts, asbestos, lead paint & mould removal, lead pipe gaskets; -- bird droppings everywhere!
- per McLaughlin history of Kitchener: " Berlin....was a town of smokestacks which contained more brick factories than any town or city of its size in Canada....The characteristic factory building was a three- or four-storey brick structure with two or three distinct segments."
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