‘Collapsed due to neglect’: owner of destroyed Hamilton buildings ordered to bring structures up to property standards in July

The owner of two heritage building that collapsed in downtown Hamilton on Remembrance Day were ordered to bring property maintenance and building code requirements up to standards in July but failed to comply, declared the City of Hamilton in a news release.

An Order to Comply from the city’s building division was issued on July 22 to address specific concerns at 24-28 King St. E. but compliance had not yet been achieved and the city initiated “further enforcement actions” last week to “hold the property owner accountable” to maintain the safety and integrity of the buildings.

The buildings have been owned by companies linked to developer David Blanchard over the years, including Wilson-Blanchard and Hughson Business Space Corporation, and Ward 2 councillor Cameron Kroetsch said the buildings “collapsed due to neglect by its owners.”

The buildings, located across the street from Gage Park – the site of Hamilton’s Remembrance Day ceremony – came down at 6:45 a.m., just a few hours before the ceremony at the cenotaph. No injuries were reported and the ceremony went ahead as scheduled.

Initial inspections revealed that the front portions of the buildings, both vacant four-storey brick structures, had partially collapsed to the north and east. Currently the site remains secured under the care and control of the owner and his contractors, while remedial work is undertaken.

Prior to this incident, according to the statement, the city was actively monitoring these properties to uphold safety and maintenance standards that follow the typical protocol when a building is vacant, including quarterly inspections. Hamilton’s Municipal Law Enforcement team, addressing property maintenance, and the Building Division, overseeing building code compliance, have been conducting regular inspections to ensure compliance with property maintenance and building code requirements, leading to the order in July to bring the buildings up to snuff.

The city is now working with Blanchard’s company to ensure the professional engineer that has been hired conducts a “thorough evaluation” of the structures and determines whether further demolition is needed to protect public safety.

“Our priority remains public health and safety, and we are committed to addressing this situation thoroughly and responsibly,” said Mayor Andrea Horwath. “The building collapse yesterday highlights the need for a review of enforcement processes and recommendations to prevent such incidents. We are fully committed to protecting the community and will take all necessary steps to strengthen these efforts.”

The building owner has been ordered to fence off the properties immediately until all required remedial actions are complete, with protective measures in place to secure the surrounding area. Though the site remains secure and protected to ensure public safety, the city cautions that the building remains “unsafe” and further demolition of the remaining structures at 24 & 28 King Street East will be required, along with further assessments of adjacent connected buildings to ensure structural stability.

A nearby building at 40 King Street East, located at the corner of Hughson and King, was also impacted by the collapse. The two occupied floors of this building have been vacated as a precautionary measure while building evaluations proceed.

“I want to extend my gratitude to city staff across all divisions who responded swiftly and collaboratively. Our team is focused on ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone who lives, works, and visits the Gore Park area. We are working with the building owner to take all necessary steps to prevent further risk to public safety,” said City Manager Marnie Cluckie. “The building owner had been issued an order and further progressive steps were underway to enforce compliance. We remain committed to transparency and accountability in our response to this incident and to finding ways to improve our enforcement process.”

The building at 28 King St. E. was built in 1874 as a furrier shop, while the building at 24 King St. E. was constructed between 1875 and 1876 as a ‘crockery’ store.

The historically significant buildings were initially approved for demolition in 2016 – with the date to demolish no later than January 31, 2021. A six-storey building has been proposed to replace them.

Through the demolition plan, the city will make “every effort” to salvage and preserve any heritage features that can be safely retained, honouring the architectural significance of the buildings.

“We are committed to working with the building owner to preserve heritage features where possible,” said Cluckie.

24-28 King St. E. before the coillapse. Photo Ryan McReal