Heritage committee hears plans to restore Richmond St building

Restoration work is being proposed to the building at 79 Richmond St. The Amherstburg heritage committee discussed the matter April 9.

The Amherstburg heritage committee has endorsed a heritage alteration permit for the building at 79 Richmond St. 

The building, which currently houses a dental office on the first of two floors, will see its masonry cleaned using a “Heritage Restore” cleaning product, removal of damaged mortar and replacement with a specified “Type O” mortar, brick repairs with bricks to match the historic bricks that are there and window sill replacements.

Heritage planner Adam Coates told the committee at the April 9 meeting that it is an “exciting” proposal. 

The building has an Italianate design with Victorian features as well, Coates told the heritage committee during last Thursday evening’s meeting at town hall.

“It is quite a beautiful building,” said Coates. “It’s very distinct when you drive down Richmond St. I think everyone knows it quite well.”

Coates said the town met with the contractor and they have come up with a workplan that is suitable and have identified areas of other concern “and how to move forward with this sensitive project.”

Foundation work is needed, Coates added, noting parged bricks that need to match other bricks. Work on that will help prevent moisture infiltration, he added.

Coates added if roof work needs to be done, a qualified contractor will be coming in to do that work as well.

“The exterior restoration is appropriate and the scope of work that is being proposed is appropriate,” said Coates. “The applicant has selected heritage-grade products and demonstrates an understanding of conservation principles. This particular contractor has done other heritage buildings in the City of Windsor of the same age.”

Coates said the building owner has taken the steps to do the work properly and has a contractor that seems qualified to do it.

“This will hopefully be a wonderful project,” he said.

Committee member Stephanie Thomson said she was “quite alarmed” to see debris at the foot of the building near the foundation. She asked if a look would be taken under the building for further damage, with Coates noting he can only see it to ground level. 

Coates added the workplan said there is further investigation that needs to be done.

“Unfortunately, like a lot of heritage or older buildings, as you get into them, you see more potential issues. If there is anything major in scale, we’ll be coming back to the committee,” said Coates. “If it is within the scope of work that has already been presented by the contractor, he’s going to clean it and reparge it and carry on.”

Committee chair Simon Chamely asked if there was a full basement, with Coates stating he has not been in the building yet but believed there was one. 

Chamely said if there is a full basement, work could be done internally without additional digging.

The building at 79 Richmond St.dates back to 1888, when it was constructed by the Oddfellows. 

Heritage committee hears plans to restore Richmond St building

By Ron Giofu