263, 267 and 271 Besserer Street to be demolished (Sandy Hill)

Tomorrow, the City's Planning and Environment Committee will be considering the demolition of three Besserer Street properties, 263, 267 and 271 Besserer in Sandy Hill.

From the Report:

263 Besserer Street

The building at this property is the most westerly building of the three and City records show that it is occupied by a two storey duplex dwelling. It is vacant and was constructed in 1892. It is a Category II building on the City's Heritage Reference List, which means that this building has been identified, as being of heritage interest but it has not been officially designated under Part IV or Part V of the Heritage Act.

267 Besserer Street

This is the middle building of the three and it is a two-storey single detached dwelling. It is also vacant and was constructed in 1892. It is a Category III building on the City of Ottawa Heritage Reference List...

271 Besserer Street

This is the most easterly of the three buildings. Like the other two, it was also constructed in 1892 and is two storeys in height. City records show it has been used as a duplex dwelling. Like the building adjacent to the west, this building has been listed as a Category III building on the Heritage Reference List...

The report shows a site map, but doesn't have photos of the buildings themselves. I had taken some last time I was in the area, so here they are:


They're clearly dis-used and the balconies have been removed.

Apparently, they've been empty for a while and vandalized while the property owner waits for the right time to develop the whole block (including Steve's Music and Nate's Deli on the Rideau side) into another mega-condo, like this one a couple blocks over, which has taken the place of Mexicali Rosa's and whose conjoined twin is currently under construction:
There's still no planned timeline for the replacement building to be built, and the demolition of these three 1890's houses is merely to keep them from being inhabited. Reminds me of the boarded-up buildings at Bay and Nepean, which could have remained in use for the many years they've sat there empty.

Hopefully new residences will be built in less time than it has taken to rebuild Lebreton Flats.

Sandy Hill heritage photographers should snap some shots of these buildings while they're still there.