NEW GLASGOW – This town’s council is hoping to find a temporary means of putting a prettier face on its largest unsightly premises.
Last night, committee of council voted to get a cost analysis from town works staff on ways to both secure the Maritime building and improve its street level appearance.
The town had previously taken steps to shore up security on the ground level of the building and has removed some broken glass on other floors.
Longer-term prospects for 169 Provost Street are not clear.
Entrepreneur Cohen MacInnis purchased the 90-plus-year-old building in January 2008. One year later, an inspection by the fire marshal’s office revealed a number of deficiencies, including issues dealing with emergency lighting, electrical, clutter, alarms and heating. Tenants were ordered out of the building in January 2009.
In a staff report to the committee, CAO Lisa MacDonald said the bank has not chosen to assume the building and instead is seeking to recover its investment from the owner, who’s in the process of filing for bankruptcy.
“So the chance of us getting any action from the property owner is very slim,” she said. “But it’s obviously a detrimental site in our downtown and it’s unsecure.”
It’s impossible to say for certain, but unless someone makes an offer on the Maritime Building, it will likely end up in a tax sale.