Developer PMV considers leaving Saint John after demolition dispute
A Fredericton-based developer who bought dozens of older apartment houses in Saint John says he's sent his renovation crew home for a few days while he considers whether to quit the city.
Dave Loten, the chief operating officer for PMV Canada, says the city is too quick to enforce demolition orders on older properties.
In 2016 the company purchased 47 properties as a group, mostly in the old north end and the Waterloo Village area, after the former owner, Phillip Huggard Properties Ltd., was placed in bankruptcy.
One of the buildings, a vacant and boarded-up six-unit apartment building, was demolished on city orders earlier this month.
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In 2016 the company purchased 47 properties as a group, mostly in the old north end and the Waterloo Village area, after the former owner, Phillip Huggard Properties Ltd., was placed in bankruptcy.
CBC News has learned the municipality now has open bylaw enforcement files on six other vacant PMV properties on either Main or Albert streets in the north end.
Deadlines, known as "Notices to Comply," have not yet been issued in those cases.
"I've decided that until I come to a decision on how to deal with the City of Saint John and whether it's worth dealing with the City of Saint John, I just pulled the guys out," said Loten.
"I'm deciding whether I'll invest money in the city or not."
Since purchasing the buildings, PMV has concentrated on refurbishing its apartment units in the Waterloo Village area, which are closer to the uptown and easier to rent.
Loten began to cross swords with municipal officials late last year after the city issued enforcement orders for repairs on a vacant PMV Canada building at 126 Main in the north end.
In January, city council authorized demolition of the building. At that point, PMV employees began to demolish the three-storey, wood-frame building on their own.
Posted a takeover
The company did not rent an excavator and was still at work at the scene May 10 when Mayor Don Darling announced via Facebook the city was stepping in.
"The owner was not performing," Darling said in the post. "The city has taken over the site and this will be cleaned up within days."
The post included a photograph of an excavator loading demolition rubble into a dump truck.
All rubble is now removed and the site has been hydroseeded.
Willing to help company
Darling said the city will reach out to PMV and remains open to working with, and even assisting, the company.
But PMV will be held accountable if buildings are deemed unsafe, the mayor said.
"Property owners have responsibilities, and I don't think PMV yet has been living up to those responsibilities," Darling said.
"But I hope they will, I hope they will start to take action and meet the pledges that they made in investing in the properties."
The bill for the cost of the cleanup at 126 Main will be sent to PMV.
