Preparations underway to tear down Saint John's historic Brown House

J.D. Irving is preparing the historic uptown Saint John home known as the Brown House for demolition.

Crews have been working at the site on King Street East in recent days, mostly on remediation efforts on the 80-year-old building's interior.

In an email, J.D. Irving spokesperson Anne McInerney said "the activity you're seeing is related to the extensive abatement work that has to first be done to remove hazardous materials like lead paint and asbestos, where any may be present. That's the focus now."

Built in 1941, the decision by the company to demolish the large home has been controversial.

Irving bought the building, which had been divided into rental units, about 25 years ago.

For a time, the company continued to rent the property to tenants, but by 2016 the last renter was evicted, and the company deemed the building unfit for human habitation.

Also known as the Paikowsky Residence, the building is in a heritage zone.

The city's Heritage Development Board twice refused to approve the demolition of the Brown House.

In a recent report to council, heritage staff said "given the limited domestic residential construction during the early years of the Second World War, the Paikowsky Residence represents a rare, intact, and quintessential example of this unique simplified Colonial Revival style in Saint John."

By 2018, it had deteriorated to the point that the city placed it on its list of dangerous and dilapidated buildings.

The company's efforts to demolish the building came to a head this summer, when Irving officials offered to build a public park on part of the site.

Despite opposition from a number of city councillors, who worried that approving the heritage exemption would just encourage landlords to neglect a property until the city had no choice but to approve demolition, council agreed to allow it.

Now, most of the colonial-style features of the Brown House facade are gone, stripped by the crews on site this week.

McInerney said there is no date for demolition, yet.

"Construction on the park planned for the property will begin this Spring," she wrote.

"We have ensured the necessary permits are in place and we will let the neighbours know in advance once the demolition date is firmed up."