Renovating rundown building in Charlottetown would show government leadership, resident says

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Andrea Battison and her neighbours nonetheless hope the provincial authorities will change its plan.

The P.E.I. Housing Company (PEIHC) owns a property at 231 Richmond St., inside Charlottetown’s historic 500 Lot Space.

PEIHC lately received approval from town to make two “main variances” on the property, a step in direction of demolishing the constructing.

That plan consists of constructing a brand new three-storey construction, however Battison says PEIHC ought to renovate the present property as a substitute.

“To my thoughts, it will be much more encouraging to see the province lead by offering a … optimistic instance of environmental sustainability, showcasing the best way to renovate and improve an older home to an energy-efficient house, re-using present constructing inventory and embrace and incorporate Charlottetown’s official plan for the five hundred tons.”

And it’s not simply Battison who has these considerations. 9 neighbours signed a letter she despatched to Steven Myers, the minister of setting, vitality and local weather motion, Brad Trivers, the minister of social improvement and housing and Matthew MacKay, the minister of financial progress and tourism.

Nevertheless, not one of the ministers responded, she stated.

Within the letter, the signees argue the federal government has allowed the constructing to turn into run down within the time because it purchased it in 1973, which quantities to “demolition by neglect.”

“It will be much more encouraging to see the province lead by offering a … optimistic instance of environmental sustainability, showcasing the best way to renovate and improve an older home to an energy-efficient house.” – Andrea Battison, resident of 500 Lot Space

Heritage planning

Town’s official plan and the five hundred Heaps Requirements and Pointers doc lay out targets to take care of the world’s streetscapes, heritage and coherence as a historic district. This consists of an emphasis on renovating current buildings as a substitute of constructing new ones and when new buildings are constructed, sustaining their consistency with the neighbourhood.

For Battison, the province is tearing down a constructing it may nonetheless repair and which can have historic worth.

Whereas the property, constructed between 1888 and 1917, doesn’t have historic safety, Battison says it has not been absolutely investigated.

“Not each constructing has been researched right here.”

On April 28, SaltWire emailed the Division of Social Improvement and Housing, the guardian division of the P.E.I. Housing Company, to ask about plans for 231 Richmond St.

Rebecca Gass, senior communications officer with the division, replied with an announcement about why the constructing isn’t being renovated.

“It at present requires in depth restore and, primarily based on two engineering research, was decided to be most cost-effective and most secure for habitation to design and re-build on the property,” the assertion stated.

“The work is within the planning levels, and the province has contacted an exterior architectural agency to conduct the design work.”

SaltWire requested to talk with the architects, however Gass stated the undertaking is simply too early within the planning levels to debate but.

There’s nonetheless time

With plans evidently going ahead, Battison and her neighbours are additionally involved about transparency and what these plans really include.

PEIHC has launched a primary flooring idea for the brand new constructing, but it surely doesn’t present an artist’s rendition of the outside and surrounding streetscape.

“All we received in our letter was a few flooring plans, so nothing to say what the constructing’s going to appear to be. There have been no detailed facade drawings, no detailed idea plans,” she stated.

Whereas the plan nonetheless has to cross a design overview and town has to approve a demolition allow, Battison says there’s nonetheless time for the province to understand the constructing is a vital a part of the general streetscape and town’s heritage.

“There’s an terrible lot of already designated heritage sources round it, and its design helps help all these different buildings, offers them a way of place (and) total material of what’s occurring down right here.”

Logan MacLean is a reporter with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. @loganmaclean94