Plans to demolish a historic east St. John’s estate to build a new 68-unit apartment building won’t go ahead on schedule, according to the Ontario developers who bought it, but the future of the property is still unclear.
Craigie Lea has stood on a hill overlooking the Westmorland Road near Kane’s Corner for over 150 years. The red brick house, with its front porch and arched windows, was built for the famous Scottish grocer and importer Alexander Jardine in 1850.
The Jardine residence was “the first home in St. John to have a full bathroom with running water, and the original tub is still in the house,” according to a neighborhood profile posted on the city’s website.
In addition to the unusual wooden plumbing fixtures, the home features a carriage house, stained glass windows and signed 1850s trompe l’oeil paintings.
“I get goosebumps when I walk into something like this,” said architectural designer John Haddon. “You can’t reproduce that.” (Roger Kosman/CBC)
“It’s one of the few homes with 3D plaster painting techniques still around,” said Chris Osborne, who is a board member of the Heritage Saint John group.
The building, which has been converted into six flats, has no official heritage declaration.
Developers from Ontario
Ontario real estate investors and developers Adriana Ostapenko and Ali Nazarian of EcoLux Developments purchased the unseen building in November 2021 for $670,000. The building was assessed in 2022 at $280,000.
On June 15, 2022, they went live on Instagram to document their first visit to the site in a suburban neighborhood with winding streets near the city’s main shopping district. .
The original wooden tub, said to be the first in St. John, filled with running water. (Submitted by Bob McVicar)
“We’re inspecting the building for the first time, live and in person, and we’re actually currently applying for a rezoning permit to build a purpose-built residential building here,” Ostapenko said in the video.
“We’re looking forward to keeping some of the local feel. We are very excited,”
“First time in New Brunswick,” Nazarian added.
Ontario developers Adriana Ostapenko and Ali Nazaria, captured live on Instagram from June 15 at 110 Westmorland, purchased the house in November 2021 and visited for the first time in June 2022. (Julia Wright / CBC)
Rapid public feedback
A June 23 conceptual design flyer for the site outlines plans for a 68-unit building called One Ten that includes landscaped buffers and underground parking. Before construction begins in the spring of 2023, developers asked for public feedback.
Feedback came quickly from the likes of architectural designer John Haddon, a heritage lover who owns a historic church in St Stephen’s.
When Haddon saw the plan to demolish the home, he went public with his concerns.
When it came to 110 Westmorland, “I was absolutely blown away by the interior,” Haddon said. “This is extremely rare. Very, very rare. There are a few left in St. John. To keep it intact after all these years is absolutely mind-blowing.
Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever.”
To them, I think it’s just an old building that needs to be torn down. In St. John, that’s rare.”
Stained glass windows are one of the many significant architectural features at 110 Westmorland. (Submitted by Bob McVicar)
A petition to save the building, started by Sean Polistack, has gathered more than 800 signatures in two weeks.
In response to the feedback, the developers sent a letter of thanks to residents.
“We heard you [loud] and clear, and we’re back to the drawing board!” the letter said.
“Our intent from the beginning has been to work with the city and community to find a win-win solution and bring desired development to this beautiful city and neighborhood.”
The house overlooks the Kane’s Corner area of St. John’s, near Fernhill Cemetery. (Submitted by Bob McVicar)
“That’s why we reached out to the community to gather feedback on our proposal before submitting the application. We have carefully considered the feedback received and have decided not to proceed with the submission of our original proposal.”
Ostapenko and Nazarian did not respond to CBC’s request for comment.
“I am pleased that the rethinking of the proposal is being undertaken by the developers who bought the site,” Osborne said.
The developers who purchased 110 Westmorland say they heard the community “loud and clear.” (Roger Kosman/CBC)
“I hope they got the message,” Haddon said. “They said they did, but they said they were going back to the drawing board. So I think the petition and our cry was heard.”
The tenants served eviction notices
While the decision to revise the plan comes as a relief to some – people currently in the building are not so happy.
The tenants were served with an eviction notice on Friday, July 29.
Although demolition plans have been put on hold, it is not yet known what will eventually happen to 110 Westmorland.
“We are currently evaluating other options and will come back with a new proposal that takes into account community feedback,” the developers wrote in the letter to those who offered feedback on the project.
“We envision development that adds value to the city and helps the local economy while preserving the history of St. John.
Stay tuned for more updates on the project website.”
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