Despite owner's 'diligent efforts,' derelict Vancouver building will not be demolished on schedule, city says

The owner of a crumbling 127-year-old building in downtown Vancouver is "making every effort" to comply with the city council's order to demolish it, but will not meet the council's 21-day deadline for doing so, according to city officials.

Holborn Properties, which owns the 176-room former Hotel Dunsmuir at the corner of Richards and Dunsmuir streets, maintains that it is committed to acting in the best interest of public safety.

In a statement to CTV News Thursday night, the City of Vancouver said its chief building official has been "in close and regular communication with Holborn," and is "confident" that the developer is working to demolish the building as quickly as possible.

"The 21-day time limit was established to prompt immediate action from the owner, and it remains an important benchmark," the city said.

"However, due to the complexity of the demolition process, the co-ordination required among multiple agencies … and the need to carefully schedule operations to minimize impacts on the city, it is likely they will exceed the 21-day limit despite diligent efforts to comply."

Among the agencies involved in the process are multiple city departments, BC Hydro, WorkSafeBC, FortisBC, TransLink and Coast Mountain Bus Company, the city said.

It did not provide an estimated timeline for when demolition would take place.

First opened in 1908, the building was most recently used as SRO housing, but has sat empty since 2013.

In a report to council last month, city staff said the derelict building had holes in the top-floor ceiling, into which water has apparently been pouring unabated for years, causing the floors to rot.

Parts of the main floor have collapsed into the basement, and the building contains hazardous materials and a high amount of "wildlife biowaste," largely from pigeons that have taken up residence there.

Chief building official Saul Schwebs told CTV News last month that city officials had hoped the building could be saved, but felt there was no safe way to begin repairs.

He said he's working with councillors to amend and update the bylaws around vacant buildings so that his office will have more authority to compel owners to maintain them before they reach an irreversible state of disrepair.

With files from CTV News Vancouver's Ben Miljure