The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is continuing with its efforts to see demolition work at 47 and 49 Queen Street North, Tilbury, completed.
Demolition activities at 47 and 49 Queen Street were halted after engineers determined that structural issues in the neighbouring buildings at 45 and 55 Queen Street have made it unsafe to carry out further demolition work, Municipal officials say.
Because 45 and 55 Queen Street are privately owned, the property owners and their insurers are involved to develop a plan to correct the structural concerns on those properties so that the demolition work can be completed, Municipal officials added.
The Municipality has been in active communication with the owners’ insurer to confirm a plan to see 45 and 55 Queen Street remedied as soon as possible so that demolition work can proceed.
On February 3, 2025, the owners’ insurer informed the Municipality that it has now received a necessary and anticipated engineers report setting out recommendations to address the structural issues.
The insurer has advised it will now be reviewing that report and working with the owners to determine an appropriate plan for 45 and 55 Queen Street.
Demolition at 47 and 49 cannot continue until 45 and 55 Queen St. are stabilized and the danger of further collapse is remedied.
Based on the findings of the engineering report, safety protocols will be established and debris will be removed to accommodate the plans outlined by the insurer.
Because of its prominent location in Downtown Tilbury, the Municipality recognizes the current unsightly nature of the site and has stressed the importance of the project moving quickly in its communications with the property ownership and their insurance provider.
In 2022, Municipal Building Services received complaints of a collapsing building at 47 and 49 Queen Street North. The Municipality retained a structural engineer who confirmed the presence of a partially collapsed roof and structural failures, determining that the buildings were not fit for occupancy and required major repair or demolition.
An Order to Remedy and Unsafe Building was issued to the owner of the building, requiring a condition assessment to be done and to undertake necessary repairs. The owner did not carry out the required steps and demolition was ultimately ordered.
During the subsequent demolition of 47 and 49, engineers noticed pre-existing structural defects of the walls of 45 and 55 and recommended that demolition pause until walls were stabilized.
As a result, orders to Remedy an Unsafe Building and Prohibit Occupancy were issued to the property owners of 45 and 55 Queen St, Municipal officials added.
