Six-figure bill anticipated for owner of derelict building on Hamilton Road

Failing to comply with a property standards order issued by city hall could add almost $100,000 to the tax bill of a prominent eyesore in east London.

On Monday, the Community and Protective Services Committee unanimously supported a staff recommendation to demolish the commercial building at 1154 Hamilton Rd. (at Gore Road) and add the costs to an already substantial bill made up of municipal fines and fees.

“We have issued $7,300 in contractor fees, [and] another $3,100 in Administrative Monetary Penalties (fines),” explained Orest Katolyk, Director of Municipal Compliance. “My estimation of the demolition and the designated substance survey [is] we'll approach six figures.”

The Designated Substance Survey (DSS) will determine if any remediation of hazardous materials is needed to safely tear down the building.

After the DSS is complete, a competitive tender process will seek a company to undertake the demolition.

Katolyk estimates the entire process will take three to six months.

The large commercial building was most recently the Roast Buffet Restaurant but has also been a bingo hall and a grocery store in the past.

The windows are smashed, the interior has been damaged by fire, and there are piles of illegally dumped soil and garbage on the site.

A property standards order was issued in September 2023 regarding the exterior of the building.

However, a staff report states that the problems have not been addressed, “Staff have continually attempted to have the property owners take stewardship over this building for some time now.”

In April 2023, Lynphyl Homes successfully had the property rezoned to accommodate 34 stacked townhouse units—but now the phone number on the website of the Hamilton-based company’s is no longer in service