Save the Red Antiquities Building
Save the Red Antiquities Building
c/o Heritage London Foundation, 101 Windermere Rd. West, London, ON N6G 2J4
519-432-7961 www.heritagelondonfoundation.org
December 1, 2010
Dear Friend of the Red Antiquities Building
Thank you for your interest and support of the Red Antiquities project. The excitement around this unique project continues to build. As you may know, we completed Phase 1 in June with the signing of the Joint Venture Agreement between Heritage London Foundation and Pathways Skill Development and the closing of the purchase of the property. June 23, 2010 was a momentous date in the new life of the building, as the first day that the property was not owned by the Winder family in 138 years!
Phase 2 is well underway. We are laying the foundation for the next 138 years of the Red Antiquities Building. We are pleased to provide you with an update on our progress to date:
Environmental assessments have been completed.
Architectural and engineering drawings for the basement are complete.
Building documentation has been completed by Willowbank School for the Restoration Arts in Queenston.
A Job Creation Partnership application has been submitted with favourable reviews. We will have the funding for 11 construction workers and a supervisor/ instructor for heritage skill enhancement.
Tenders were prepared and sent.
Building permits were granted by the City of London (November 8th).
Tender by MD Construction accepted for the building’s foundation.
Community Outreach and Fundraising Plan has been developed.
Next Steps: Laying the Foundation
The chimneys on the building are brick and framed into place with wood. They weigh a whopping two tonnes each! They present a danger and will have to be removed prior to lifting the building and will be replaced next year.
On March 1st, the contractor will begin excavating and lifting the building in order to pour the new foundation. The joists will be twinned and the outer wall refaced with original brick. This process will involve approximately 60 days of construction.
To date, the “Save the Red Antiquities Building” Committee has raised about 30% ($44,000) of the funds for the building’s foundation and basement. This includes a generous grant and contributions from about 200 Londoners who were willing to back a long shot to help save this threatened piece of London’s heritage.
We still need your help to complete the project. The SRAB Committee (made up of heritage and other community group representatives) needs to raise an additional $56,000 to complete its commitment to the joint venture, and more will be needed to fully fund the exterior restoration of the building.
Would you consider making a contribution to this important project? A pledge form is attached, or is available on-line at www.acolondon.ca or www.heritagelondonfoundation.org.
For more information check out the Red Antiquities Building website at www.redantiquitiesbuilding.com
Thank you again for your interest and support. 
John Manness, President, Heritage London Foundation
Paul Hubert, Pathways Skill Development and Placement Centre
Marlyn Loft, President, Architectural Conservancy of Ontario,
London Region Branch
Steven Liggett, President, London and Middlesex Historical Society
Alice Gibb, Heritage Representative, SoHo Community Association
Committee Members: Julia Beck, Genet Hodder, Janet Hunten,
John Manness, Kelley McKeating, Anne McKillop, Greg Yarker
srab vision document - updated April 29th 2011