Developer in crosshairs after tearing down one of Queen West's oldest heritage buildings

One of Queen Street West's oldest shops has been demolished despite its designation in 2007 as a protected heritage building.

On Monday, the City of Toronto slapped a stop-work order on construction at the building at 520 Queen St. W., built in the 1850s. But it's unclear what the city intends to do next about the unauthorized demolition.

And history buffs worry it's too little, too late.

The original structure was substantially demolished during the May 24 long weekend, according to local historian Adam Wynne, who's been following the situation on behalf of the volunteer group Friends of Alexandra Park. Already, it's been replaced with a new brick-and-steel building that appears to be about two storeys tall so far.

"It's very frustrating" Wynne said. "This is part of the Queen Street West heritage conservation district. We have so few of these early, pre-Confederation buildings in this area that have survived.

"It is a bit heartbreaking to see it lost."

The two storey, wood plank building pre-dated even some of brick Victorian era buildings that line the iconic Queen West neighbourhood. 

City staff and historians say it's quite rare for a developer to demolish a heritage building. And while it's not yet clear what the city's next steps could be, the Ontario Heritage Act allows for million-dollar fines, according to city staff.

The owner of the property, Mike Ahmadi, who bought the property two years ago for more than $6 million, denies the building has heritage designation, which would protect it  from demolition and even major renovation without permission from the city's heritage planners.

"It was built with wood over top of dirt," he told CBC Toronto. "I can show you how, over the... years (since) it was built, everything's rotten."

"It's a heritage district," he said, "but the building's not designated....the structure was very dangerous."

He said his own engineer and heritage consultant advised him it was okay to tear down the original walls.

But according to city records, council voted to designate 520 Queen St. W. a heritage site in July, 2007.

The Heritage Act is a provincial statute but it's enforced by municipalities, according to Will Coukell, of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario. It will be up to local officials to decide whether to charge Ahmadi with violating the Heritage Act, and so far, city staff say, no decision has been made.