As city council prepares to discuss tougher building standards enforcement and possible demolition of the former hospital sites on Queen Street East, the owner of the old General Hospital has written to Mayor Shoemaker and councillors.
In a letter included in the agenda package for Monday's council meeting, Mike Anobile, president of Heritage Community Living At Lakeview Inc. says "we are committed to this property."
"In keeping with our approach to date, we welcome the opportunity to be included in all discussions with council and city staff regarding our property and look forward to being a part of the solution," Anobile writes.
The following is the full text of Anobile's letter:
Heritage Community Living At Lakeview Inc.
27 Roytec Rd. Suite 1C
Vaughan, ON
L4L 8E3, Canada
Tel +1 (905) 264 1555
Mayor Shoemaker and members of city council.
We are the owner of the property located at 941 Queen St. E. which is one of several properties which we own in Sault Ste. Marie.
We have had very positive experiences with most of our tenants in your city. As in all cases for commercial landlords, there are matters that arise with tenants which through time are eventually resolved. We are naturally not immune to the circumstances.
We are fully aware of the videos that have been circulating through social media and through the media about 941 Queen St. We have learned through the media that our property at 940 Queen will be the subject of discussion at your upcoming council meeting this evening.
Unfortunately, due to our becoming aware of our property being the topic of discussion at tonight's council meeting with such short notice in this fashion, we were not able to arrange to attend in person to address any questions you may have. We wish to ensure council that we are committed to this property.
To confirm, we have been working with city staff and following the rules that have been put in place for maintenance of this property. Our engagement with city staff has been cordial and cooperative at all levels.
We commissioned an engineering report by a local firm shortly after our purpose in the scope of our future development plans. We undertook works using local contractors to address certain matters that were identified to us through that process. We regularly dispatch local contractors immediately after becoming aware of issues in order to repair and secure the building when it was unlawfully entered. We have local security monitoring the site overnight. We have also engaged local development and design professionals for the ongoing planning or the development of the property and continue to pursue those endeavours vigorously. We believe our actions today underline our attention to our property.
We appreciate that council must address concerns brought to them by residents about properties in their neighbourhoods. In keeping with our approach to date, we welcome the opportunity to be included in all discussions with council and city staff regarding our property and look forward to being a part of the solution.
Sincerely, Mike Anobile,
president
Monday's city council meeting will be livestreamed on SooToday starting at 4:30 p.m.