Old File Factory Becoming A Concern For Municipality of Port Hope

Pete Fisher
9 months ago
• Categories: Editor Choice, Local

(apologizes for audio)

Officials in Port Hope are working with the property owner of the former Globe File Manufacturing Company on Cavan Street after part of the roof caved-in recently.

Director of Protective Services, Jason Williams said town officials were notified by a citizen that there appeared to be “structural integrity issues” with the west side of the large two-storey building facing Cavan Street.

“The parapet had actually failed towards the inside of the structure,” said Williams.

Officials blocked off the area on Cavan Street and the Building Department have issued a order to the property owners to make the building safe.

“They’re coming up with a plan with their engineers and their construction consultants of how to deal with this matter.”

Over the years, areas of the roof have collapsed inward, but it wasn’t affecting the safety of citizens.

Williams said he’s scene videos of the inside posted on the Internet where people have trespassed inside the building.

As it stands right now, the building is a “no-go zone” for firefighters.

“Because of the structural integrity issues if we ever were responding to a fire, we wouldn’t be performing any interior firefighting suppression.”

With the building being over 100-years old and open to the elements for a decades it has been, “compromised due to nature.”

As it stands right now, officials are waiting for the plan from the owners and then the Chief Building Official and building department will review it and decide what the next step will be.

The building was used to manufacture files as early as 1853.

The property is listed for $2,488,000 and says it is 565′ x 114 ‘.

Listing Description
Located centrally in the Municipality of Port Hope on the Ganaraska River highly visible from Cavan Street, a main artery running through the municipality and contains an existing industrial building that was home to the Globe File Factory. Being adjacent to the Ganaraska, it is uniquely located for a variety of uses. The conceptual plan is to develop an appro 19,000 sf cold storage building, 2,900 sf Golf Simulator, 3,200 sf Cafe and 3,080 sf retail establishment. The concept has space for 141 cars, loading area, multiple access points and possible future pedestrian connection to the serene park and river walk South. The site is designated Service Employment in the OP including a variety of uses permitted including assembling, warehousing and wholesaling, service commercial uses, business offices, hotel/motel, private schools and private clubs (33771818)