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UPDATE: Newmarket Mayor ‘infuriated’ over demolished Main Street building beside clock tower

Town has confirmed historical building was taken down without permit, didn't fall down

Yorkregion.com
October 15, 2019
Teresa Latchford

The Town of Newmarket has confirmed the Main Street heritage building that disappeared earlier this week was taken down and hadn’t fallen down.

Town staff have spoken with at least one of the crew members working on a string of buildings just south of the historic clock tower, said Newmarket Mayor John Taylor. The town has been told it “had to come down” but have yet to receive more detail on the reason, the mayor added.

“This is not acceptable,” he said. “I am very upset, it’s frustrating and infuriating and myself and the town will be taking it very seriously.”

So far only preliminary conversations have been had on the matter and the town’s investigation, which needs to be complete before the stop work order is lifted, will include speaking to all parties involved, figuring out the sequence of events that ended in the building being taken down and once a conclusion is reached more exploration of the town’s options to address the incident.

“It could mean recourse and finding out the best way to remedy the situation,” Taylor said. “We can’t bring it back; it’s gone but we can look at other ways to somewhat restore what we have worked so hard to preserve.”

He admits the process will take time but the town intends to continue posting updates on Newmarket.ca and on social media.

The Town of Newmarket issued a stop work order on the evening of Oct. 10 after being made aware of the missing buildings at 184 and 186 Main Street.

The town issued a statement confirming Main Street Clock Inc. Development, the owners of 184, 186, 188, 190, 192 and 194 Main Street, including the historic clock tower, had building permits with a scope of work and conditions only allowing interior alterations to the buildings and not demolition.

A few crew workers were still on site the morning of Oct. 11 despite the stop work order being issued the night previous.

The town is in the process of investigating and gathering more information related to the incident.

“The Town of Newmarket is committed to protecting the heritage of the downtown area to ensure it is preserved, restored and beautified,” the town’s release stated. “Newmarket is taking this matter seriously and will be conducting a thorough investigation. We will provide an update to the community as soon as possible.”

Requests for comments from Main Street Clock Inc. Development have not been answered.

Main Street Clock Inc., a group of stakeholders including The Forrest Group, announced a redevelopment of the building that included condominiums which was changed to a 165-unit, seven-storey rental apartment complex with underground parking and five ground-floor retail commercial units at the corner of Main Street and Park Avenue.

The town felt the height was too much for the streetscape and also stated sewer and water servicing for a development so large would not be available until 2026 or later.

A second proposal was presented by the developer and the town rejected it as well, leading to the April announcement that the Forrest Group would sell the properties.

At that time, the developer confirmed it would take on minor interior renovations and a roof cleaning at the Clock Tower and strip the interiors of the other buildings, bringing the mechanical and electrical up to code and make improvements to the exterior facades.

The property that now stands vacant is just south of the red-brick clock tower is believed to have been a heritage designated building known as the Charles Hargrave Simpson building that was graced by Anne Mary Simpson, the first female apothecary in Ontario.

Following the death of her husband and son due to typhoid fever, leaving the store to Simpson and her five daughters, she sold toys and music lessons while she studied to become an apothecary. When she became the first woman in the province to earn an apothecary and druggist diploma, she began to practice immediately, but still kept toys stocked in the store until she retired in 1914, according to archived issues of The Newmarket Era and historical records at the Elman W. Campbell Museum.

When Simpson died, the supplies were sold to a drug store across the street, where Robins Drug Store now operates. The building housed a jeweller, optician, grocery store and photography studio in the following years before becoming a drug store again.

Many businesses have been located in the building until it became vacant.