Lister Block | ? | 6 fl | Renovation - Page 53

Hammer Town · #**1041** Posted **May 30, 2008, 10:51 PM**

I walked Past lister today as well, they now have 2 levels of scaffolding up on the James st side. Also one of the borded up store fronts along King William has the plywood removed.

matt602 · #**1042** Posted **Jun 1, 2008, 3:51 AM**

Yep, that's the King William arcade entrance. If you want to see what the arcade looks like, take a peek through the glass windowed doors. I actually invite everyone to do so while you still can.

MsMe · #**1043** Posted **Jun 1, 2008, 4:51 AM**

Well if they plan on fixing up the building, they had better do something soon. Or I'm sure it will end up like the adjoining building, since the building is in such a BAD state. Sad to see it let get run down like this.

raisethehammer · #**1044** Posted **Jun 1, 2008, 12:21 PM**

I have a feeling they arent planning on fixing anything.
Don't be surprised to hear about more 'accidental collapses' in the main building this time.

MsMe · #**1045** Posted **Jun 1, 2008, 3:19 PM**

Sadly that will probably happen to the building. Maybe thats what they are waiting for so they don't have to come up with millions of dollars to repair it.

matt602 · #**1046** Posted **Jun 1, 2008, 7:09 PM**

It's gonna be pretty hard to make a six story concrete and steel building "accidentally collapse". Much easier to do to 100+ year old wood/brick buildings.

BCTed · #**1047** Posted **Jun 2, 2008, 2:35 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt602

It's gonna be pretty hard to make a six story concrete and steel building "accidentally collapse". Much easier to do to 100+ year old wood/brick buildings.

We should not have to read such ridiculous "accidental collapse" suggestions on this board... and certainly not multiple times. Goodness, this seems to border on slander or libel (whichever applies to Internet postings).

matt602 · #**1048** Posted **Jun 2, 2008, 2:39 AM**

Yah I kind of worded that wrong. I didn't mean to say that it happened with the Balfour, rather regarding that a wood/brick building *would* be easier to accidentally cause structural damage to in a demolition. I mean as a serious accidental incident, no conspiracy or anything involved... in comparison to Lister's construction, which is much more sturdy.

If you'll recall about 10 pages ago when that stuff happened, I was against all of the conspiracy theories regarding Balfour. I don't favour LIUNA at all but I believe the only wrong doing they have in any of this is demolition by neglect, not by accident or any kind of conspiracy type thing.

BCTed · #**1049** Posted **Jun 2, 2008, 11:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by matt602

If you'll recall about 10 pages ago when that stuff happened, I was against all of the conspiracy theories regarding Balfour.

I know. It was raisethehammer and his repeated suggestions of sabotage that I was complaining about in my last post.

raisethehammer · #**1050** Posted **Jun 2, 2008, 12:46 PM**

yea, how crazy of me to think that a company might sabotage a building that they have been trying to demolish for years.
Don't be so naive.

BCTed · #**1051** Posted **Jun 3, 2008, 2:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by raisethehammer

yea, how crazy of me to think that a company might sabotage a building that they have been trying to demolish for years.
Don't be so naive.

Forgive me for my naivete. I'm not sophisticated enough to understand that the recent building collapse was triggered by a couple of guys in suits who asked some local street kids to do them a favour in exchange for a few bucks, which is exactly how things work in the real world.

Millstone · #**1052** Posted **Jun 3, 2008, 5:08 PM**

The scaffolding company was putting up the green tarp this morning.

Some guy was walking underneath the scaffolding that they were yelling at.

Film at 11.

FairHamilton · #**1053** Posted **Jun 8, 2008, 4:29 AM**

A couple of things I'm surprised about.

1. The fact no one has posted about the "demolition and metal salvage" company sign on The Lister. I'm guessing they are doing a final strip of the building. The same sign is on the other building LIUNA owns on King William. I'd pay particular attention to the outside of The Lister, as it looks to me that it's painted copper below all the windows. Copper is worth approx. $4/lb the last I heard, and people are killing themselves pulling it out of hydro sub-stations.

2. The Friday Globe & Mail and today's Spectator had info about his building: http://www.torontolofts.ca/loft17_argyle407.html. To me it's a cousin of The Lister.

3. Little talk about anybody dining at Thai Memory after they've re-opened, since LIUNA pretty much killed their business.

Hammer Town · #**1054** Posted **Jun 8, 2008, 1:01 PM**

Me and My Girlfriend have been to Thai Memory since they have opened went down on a thursday night and they were doing quite well. Anyway Hope to see something done soon.

FairHamilton · #**1055** Posted **Jun 8, 2008, 7:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hammer Town

Me and My Girlfriend have been to Thai Memory since they have opened went down on a thursday night and they were doing quite well. Anyway Hope to see something done soon.

Great to hear they were doing well on Saturday.

We were in last night (Saturday) and at 6:30pm were only table #8 for the whole day....... I hope things pick-up overall for them.

Jon Dalton · #**1056** Posted **Jun 9, 2008, 2:02 PM**

I rode by earlier today and saw there is a Copper Cliff Metals demolition sign right above the corner entrance. It looks like they're removing some of the terra cotta pieces along the James St. wall.

I was at Thai Memory on a friday night recently and it was full. I think they've had alot of new customers after re-opening thanks to the spectator coverage and everyone knowing they got screwed by the demolition.

FairHamilton · #**1057** Posted **Jun 9, 2008, 2:28 PM**

Why would a demolition & metal recycling be interested in terra cotta pieces? Any one have any thoughts?

I have the feeling what's happening is not good, not good at all.

SteelTown · #**1058** Posted **Jun 9, 2008, 2:33 PM**

They might be taking one of the terra cotta down to use as an example for the replication. The rest are probably going to be taking down to repair them and then re-installed back up.

highwater · #**1059** Posted **Jun 9, 2008, 2:54 PM**

Copper Cliff Metals is owned by this fine upstanding citizen:

http://thespec.com/article/229077

I'm with Fairhamilton. I don't think this is at all good. Jon, Millstone, anyone who is witnessing this should contact the city ASAP.

hmagazine · #**1060** Posted **Jun 9, 2008, 2:59 PM**

I sent this email on the weekend to Bob Bratina and Brian McHattie:

Hi Bob and Brian -

I wanted to pass along a pretty disturbing comment I heard today from a friend:

This individual who I know very well was at Pepper Jack Cafe recently and talking to a contractor from Copper Cliff Metals who as you know is working on "remediating and cleaning up" the Lister Block site. My friend entered into a conversation with the contractor who stated the company's plans was to strip the building down to its most basic (I'm assuming steel joints and concrete floors?) and at that point claim the Lister is structurally unsound. He went on to say that the building would be coming down for sure.

First off - I'm concerned that this is the communication going out to the general public from a company responsible for this important, heritage site ( just wanted to remind you that this is the same company who is currently being charged by the city for its role in the illegal demolition of the Dynes Tavern.)

Secondly - Why is this happening all of a sudden? What's the rush? Why hasn't there been any communication about this? One quick glance on that corner with all the new scaffolding in place and the "Copper Cliff Metals and Demolition" sign prominently displayed - the average citizen is probably thinking that the grand old Lister is done for.

Bob and Brian - who from the city is making sure LIUNA and Copper Cliff are following the rules when it comes to permits, heritage details, etc.?

Thanks for all your work on this and I look forward to hearing back from you.