I'm not sure if Dawn Sloane has begun reading the other threads yet but just a quick message for her;

"I am glad to see a few councillors, such as yourself, step foward and donate to the effort of moving historically significant buildings to allow for high-class development while keeping the charm of the city intact."

I find this a great way to infill currently abandoned lots while allowing for appropriate development on more valuable land.

Walkin the Walk and not just talkin
 

This is a great day for our city. Yes, this concerted effort is an amazing feat. It took a lot of work by all stakeholders but at 9:30ish tonight, the building was brought to the NSPI site. Still a lot of work to do!

They do this in Milwaukee! So why not do this type of infilling here!
Merry Christmas everyone.
Dawn

Great news! Have there been any ideas floated as to where it could be permanently be relocated? Maybe one of the smaller empty lots in the north end?

The North End would make little sense, since it was not part of the original survey. It should be in the downtown. JET

How about the empty lot just up the street near Barrington and Morris (next to the pizza place before the W development.

A block or two from Hollis/Morris would be best; but getting a lot to put it on might not be easy. Hopefully the Heritage Trust and the City will find a spot. JET

What about incorporating it into the Alexander development? Corner of Bishop and Hollis.

The other house has now been completely demolished.

As for Charles morris' house, how about the corner of Morris and queen or one of the other Dal lots on Morris between Queen and Barrington

I think that says a lot about the quality of the heritage designations. Some things clearly have to change if a building that old, and owned by a significant Haligonians, is undesignated.

Still, well done to all involved.

Demo has begun on the top floor on the Hollis Street side, it looks like it was just done by hand. It must have been yesterday as there doesn't appear to be much activity today.

December 2009 Phototour
 

From this afternoon;

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2798/...a2097995_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2486/...5b64f19e_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2572/...243c73c7_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2709/...c5958e7b_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2772/...4ff2c290_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/...5f7d8dff_b.jpg

They finally put the excavator to the building today. It's pretty cool seeing the excavator sitting on essentially 2 stories of rubble. Here are some photos:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/...10662599_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2694/...ffa6f5c5_b.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2747/...99264a73_b.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/...49e31b95_b.jpg

It definitely takes a fine touch because that pile would not be the most stable piles to operate an excavator on.

progress, couldn't be happier.

The building will bring new life to the area.

Thanks for the photos "kph06". :)

I can't wait until the damn powerlines are buried ... those things piss me off trying to take photos.

Um, does that look crazy unsafe to everyone else? What is keeping the rubble pile from tumbiling over with the excavator on top?

Absolutely unsafe - its not like that debris is going to provide any traction if things start going south for the excavator. Its kind of ironic that the Department of Labour is right next door at 5151 Terminal Rd (or at least used to be).

I was thinking the same when I was watching. As the excavator got closer to the Hollis and Morris corner you could see through the windows, the ones right on the corner you could see there was no rubble in there yet - leading me to believe the second floor/first floor ceiling was still intact. The nature of the building could easily make voids that could support a fair bit of rubble, but as soon as the excavator was over top it would go through. I think a bigger machine or a long arm excavator with a clamp like Murray Demolition is using at the NSP site would have been better. I would say the operator was probably testing the pile before he moved with his bucket, but still, I think there were probably better ways to do it.

I must admit that does look quite precarious.. But I've seen some pretty crazy excavator work in my experience

Cripes! Looking at those photos, I can't imagine how the operator could even get up to the machine safely to start his workday.:koko:

This approach is typical, nothing out of the ordinary here.