The owners of the building facing demolition on 100th Street is getting more time, but not much more, to avoid that demolition.
Council is giving the Calgary-based owners until Nov. 25 to pay the outstanding taxes on the former car wash building - otherwise the demolition order will go ahead. The taxes amount to around $27,000.
The owners had been seeking to renovate the property and had appealed the original demolition order to council. They made a presentation Monday night. The building in question are commercial bays located south of the A&W restaurant that had previously been gutted by fire. A demolition order was issued last month calling for removal of the property by Nov. 25.
An appeal by Haroon Khatri was filed just before a Nov. 7 deadline. In a letter dated Nov. 3, Khatri pledged to begin work in cleaning up the building, including cleaning up the burnt rubble, insulation, wood from the floor, as well as cleaning up the office, cutting down small trees growing near the foundation, sweeping the property, replacing the door and windows and painting work.
Kahtri stated he would start the renovation as soon as council approves it, adding it was their intention to start that work right away. In correspondence dated Nov. 7, he stated it was their plan to lease or sell the building first.
He had offered to pay taxes on the property by March 31, 2012, but that did not sit well with city officials. In a memo, Building Inspector Jerry Wintonyk had recommended total taxes owing be paid in full by the much earlier date of Dec. 31, 2011.
Council, however, was not prepared to even be that lenient, as Councillor Don Buglas pointed to council's longstanding policy of not allowing demolition order appeals unless taxes were paid first.
Council voted 5-2 against the recommendation allowing the demolition order appeal, but they have allowed the owners until Nov. 25 to pay the outstanding taxes. Should those taxes be paid, the owner's appeal could come back to council and the demolition order could possibly be lifted at the Nov. 28 meeting. If not paid, the city plans to proceed with the demolition.
