Plans for a city-owned property on Second Line West at Goulais Avenue may not have been finalized, but the demolition of the former pawnbroker and pet shop is underway.
“The building is down now and the contractor will clean it up over the next week or so and landscape the site in the spring," said CAO Tom Vair in an email on Monday.
He added: "The Engineering Division will come to Council at its May 12 meeting with an update and recommendations on the next steps."
Sault-based Rainone Services landed a $124,500 city contract to tear down the commercial building at 628 Second Line West.
Rainone was low bidder on the project, winning the job over Avery Construction Ltd. of Sault Ste. Marie ($133,126) and Green Infrastructure Partners Inc. of Markham, Ont. ($127,000).
The city purchased the building in the fall for $700,000. It was the former home to Paw'n Pet Food & Grooming, and BST Pawnbrokers.
The purchase is part of a planned Goulais Avenue reconfiguration project aimed at addressing long lineups of vehicles at the Goulais and Second Line intersection.
The original idea was to add either a right-turn lane or a roundabout at that corner.
City councillors have so far not approved a design concept for the intersection.
— with files from David Helwig