‘Fruitful discussion,’ mayor says of meeting
A Toronto developer complained Monday that a fire at the former Pour House Pub — now deemed suspicious by investigators — was just the latest hassle with three vacant buildings he already regretted buying.
Two years after his plans to turn the Chatham Street buildings into retail and residential space still haven’t happened, Henry Tam said Monday he was upset that he sunk $3 million buying the buildings “just to sit there.”
Despite saying he had received no details about the fire from investigators, Tam suggested somebody set it on purpose.
“Maybe someone just didn’t want us to do an apartment building,” said Tam.
“Now they put a fire. Somebody put a fire, I didn’t put it.”
An investigator with the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal began going through the building Monday morning.
The Windsor Fire and Rescue Service said Monday evening the fire “was suspicious in nature” but offered no other details.
Firefighters were called to the building at 52 Chatham St. W., which was formerly the Pour House Pub, around 2:30 p.m. Sunday. There was heavy smoke coming from the first and second floors of the three-storey building. It took about two hours to completely douse the fire.
Tam bought the buildings and two others on Chatham Street for roughly $3 million, and announced plans to renovate the block for residential and retail tenants in 2015. But his plans stalled and he put all three buildings up for sale last October.
Tam lashed out against the city last year, calling it antibusiness after saying he ran into delays obtaining demolition and other permits. After a meeting with Mayor Drew Dilkens and city building officials, the permits were granted.
He later ran into another snag over an encroachment agreement from the 1990s at 28 Chatham St. E. He said the city wanted him to shore up the sidewalk over a basement portion of his property.
He said Monday it was all “too much hassle.”
“All this political B.S. I can’t handle,” said Tam. “I’m a businessman, I have no time for B.S.”
Tam said he was feeling “terrible” Monday waiting for reports from fire investigators and his insurance company.
He said there shouldn’t have been anything in the building that would suddenly catch fire.
Tam said the office units upstairs were torn out and the building was empty.
Electrical service had already been cut to the building, he said.
“Nothing, absolutely nothing,” Tam said.
He said he is converting the upper floors into apartments, but major work like installing bathrooms and kitchens is yet to be done.
Tam said workers were in the building last week removing asbestos from pipes.
“It’s a 100-year-old building, so there is lots of junk to take out,” said Tam.
He said the buildings are still for sale. Asked if he preferred to sell the buildings or continue renovating them, he said “both.”
“If someone is going to buy it, I’ll sell it,” said Tam.