Another One Bites The Dust: Alma College Burns Down
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 05.28.08
Images from St. Thomas Times Journal
I sometimes wonder how people like Catherine Nasmith keep going. She is the President of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, fighting to preserve buildings around the province. Next week she is holding a conference on Heritage Preservation and Environmental Sustainability;(which we will be covering) on the agenda was the fight to save Alma Ladies College. Owners wanted to knock it down, the City was spineless, the Ontario Municipal Board approved its demolition, but Catherine kept fighting, writing articles, going after the Minister of Culture to intervene, getting Members to speak in the House, getting petitions signed to save one of the most important historic buildings in Ontario. As NDP Culture Critic Peter Tabuns said in the House, "if this building is not worth preserving, which building in Ontario is worth preserving?
Today, in one of those great coincidences that happen so often to buildings that people are trying to save, it burned to the ground.
I serve on the Board of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, and recently wrote the article copied below for its magazine, The Acorn, on why old buildings are green, and why it is so important to save them. I never realized until joining the ACO what a lost cause it was, fighting rapacious developers and stupid politicians.
Heritage is the New Green
Everything new is old again. The greenest buildings are designed to use a lot less energy; in a world where we are running out of oil and where burning fuel creates greenhouse gas, architects are looking at thicker walls for thermal mass, opening windows for fresh air, high ceilings to let light deeper into buildings, and attractive stairways to minimize elevator use. Coincidentally, those are the attributes of so many heritage buildings, which were designed when lighting and heat was very expensive, and air conditioning did not exist.
Green buildings are also healthy buildings; designers try to eliminate formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, suspended ceilings and carpet, often using terrazzo floors and plaster ceilings, all naturally ventilated. They use simple, healthy, natural materials rather than caulks, resins and glues. Again, typical attributes of heritage buildings.
Even better than designing new buildings to work like old ones is to keep the ones we have.
It takes a lot of energy to make things, so the greenest clothing is the stuff you already wear, the greenest car is the one that you already drive (as long as it isn't a Hummer or an Escalade) and the greenest building is the one that is already standing. The cement industry alone contributes 5% of greenhouse gases, the production of vinyl is a big consumer of fossil fuels and demolition is a major filler of landfills, so every new building has a huge carbon footprint before its doors are even opened.
Old buildings do not only embody history; they embody energy and carbon. The most boring old background brick box with no architectural interest has a component of carbon in the firing of its bricks and the wood is sequestering greenhouse gases as long as it is in the building. There are very few that cannot be restored and reused, and in this era of green consciousness, often are in greater demand than newer buildings.
A good example is the Joseph Vance Building in Seattle. The Jonathan Rose Corporation paid 23 million for it and renovated it to LEED standards, restoring double hung windows, removing dropped ceilings and carpeting to reveal terrazzo floors and bright new high ceilings. They installed fans and cooler lighting to eliminate the need for air conditioning. Tenants are lining up for its green features and lower operating costs. Imagine if someone had the vision to do this to the Lister Block in Hamilton, a structure with the same bones in a city with a very different attitude.
The horror stinker Silent Hill was filmed in Alma College; see production stills here.
UPDATE: Press Release from the Architectural Conservancy
Alma College Fire a Preventable Tragedy
Catherine Nasmith, President of the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario is outraged at today’s loss of Alma College.
“Today’s tragic fire at Alma College was preventable. The foot-dragging by the Minister of Culture and Ministry staff with regard to protection for this magnificent building led directly to its loss. This was one of the province’s most important buildings and could and should have been preserved.”
The owners the Zubick family of London left the building inadequately secured. The owners have been trying to get permission to demolish the building for several years. The building had been stripped of windows and eavestroughs. Security on the property was completely inadequate. Vandals were frequently in the building. It was a matter of time before disaster struck.
“I have never seen such a case of willful demolition by neglect” said Catherine Nasmith. “This case is so much more tragic because Alma College was irreplaceable.”
The Architectural Conservancy of Ontario has written three times in the last four years to Ontario Ministers of Culture asking for protection for Alma College. We met recently with the Minister to ask her to designate the property. The property is on both the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario and Heritage Canada’s most endangered lists. There have been petitions in the legislature asking the Minister to protect Alma College. Both Culture Critics have asked her to protect the building.
Since 2005 the Minister of Culture has had the power to designate provincially significant property but it has never been exercised. During that time Alma College went from being possible to repair to a state of extreme dereliction. But even in that state it could have been saved.
Follow @TreeHugger on Twitter & get our headlines with @TH_rss!
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Manage Ticks Without Environmental Toxins
- Shocking Report Reveals Marine Litter Madness (Plus 10 Easy Ways to Help Save Our Oceans!)
- What to Do If Your Tree is Struck By Lightning
- Convenient, Tasty, Healthy Water is Only a Tap Away
- 14 Top Green Facebook Profiles to Fan
- Preserving the Harvest: Strawberry Balsamic Jam
I was there to watch this burn down and I'm quite ticked about it. I can't believe someone would do this. This was a lovely building and truly was a great historical mark in St Thomas. As I watched it burn the only thing I could think about was "How could someone do such a thing". It's disgusting, I know it was struggling to be saved as is, but I had hope that it would one day be saved. Now that it's gone, there is nothing to save. And some greedy idiot got his way and now the building is gone, out of the way for him or her to do whatever with the land.
Personally, I hope they put some kind of monument in it's place. I don't care who wants that land or how much they are willing to pay for it. This building deserves to be remembered and it shouldn't have to be remembered as that building that was torched down. It should be remembered as it was, an all girls college that was a truly marvelous sight to behold and have its mark on the land remain for future generations.
Not to mention it's quite ignorant how people are spreading rumours about it already, trying to put the blame on students in the area, trying to bring false justice to make themselves feel better. I'd prefer to wait for those who did it to be caught and be judged in court and hope they get put away for a long time. Acts such as these are ignorant and show just how little anyone of the newer generation, or even older generation cares about their history.
Arson? Accident?
That's a shame...beautiful building.
Ontario could learn much from the historical preservation here in Savannah, GA
There are some of the oldest buildings in America here.
Like William, I too was there to watch Alma College burn, admittedly out of both despair and curiosity. As expected, much of the conversations I overheard shared a similar tone- "it's a shame- it's unbelievable- who could allow such a thing to happen, what's next, the court house," etc., etc. This is indeed what surely was an avoidable tragedy and fate to a landmark of significant heritage and historical merit and an utter shame, but it is believable nonetheless. How many times must such recurrance happen before we, the citizens, politicains, and stakeholders/taxpayers are willing to anti-up to save, restore and give priority to such structures? Ultimately, like so many things in society today, it all comes down to money. Whether it be private donation, taxes, development, infrastructure and/or the tough decisions of funding allocation. However, until such time as all of us become more pro-active and endeavor to step up, volunteer our time/funds and take action, atrosities such as Alma College burning to the ground will continue.
Having signed several petitions and attended rallies, a number of which "at two minutes to midnight" I'd like to thank all of those who tried.
I went to school at Philadelphia University which had several buildings on the campus deemed "Historicallly Significant" buildings. One such building, the student center, was one of the oldest. Admitedly, it was not a great building and needed a lot of work, but it had a lot of history associated with the school and past alumni. Protests and petitions were held, but instead the school knocked the building down unanounced in the middle of summer when no-one was around. We were infuriated when we came back in the fall. This is a great tragedy to beautiful old building.
I do agree this was a beautiful building, and I also beleive in preserving our past but I also beleive in property rights.
If you or a group that you represent wants to preserve the building, buy it. I don't beleive in government funds for preservation, but if privately you can raise the money and there is enough interest than go ahead and purchase the property, the building and restore it. If it is not for sale, or if the owner doesn't want to preserve the building than there is nothing you can do about it.
It is a real shame to see this great building burn. I am outragged that it had to end like this! Just shows how low people can go...
Strange the building didn´t collaps into a pile of concrete like the twin towers!!!
Alma College was also the setting for the 1998 Disney movie Mr. Headmistress starring Katey Sagal. For those who are no where near St.Thomas you can go to my Facebook and view the pictures of the remains after the fire. You may also be able to access pictures taken by some of my friends that where in the area. Sorry to see the building go.
I can't believe someone burnt it down. It was such a beautiful building, and should not of even been thought of tearing it down; let alone BURNING it down. I hope whoever did this goes to court and gets what they diserve.
I'm really going to miss that building. I always wondered what it would have been like to go there when it was at it's prime. It's horrifying that something so old and so beautiful could practically dissapear in a matter of minutes to an hour. I bet you could see the smoke from just about everywhere in St.Thomas, and I visited the remains of the structure after school, along with half the town. I'm still slightly in shock, and I so wish that we had the money to rebuild it, even if it were only the tower that used to be at the front of the building. I guess we really don't know how much we love something until it's gone.
I personally agree with the planned demolition of the alma college building, not for it's heritage status however. Too many people put blind value on the sentimentality of the property and not enough knew exactly what it would have cost in it's continual degrading state. It posed a hazard to anyone who chose to trespass (a common thing for teenage ruffians around here to do actually), or to construction crews in an eventual restoration project. Money to restore the building was not the biggest issue, but rather the overall feasibility of undertaking the task of restructuring, restoring and rebuilding it. The building was literally crumbling and failing from the inside out, and if it had not caught fire it would have likely collapsed into itself in a few short months, the structure was just not there.
While the events of today were tragic, should it have collapsed during restoration or when trespassers were on the property, it would likely have been a larger tragedy.
The building was scheduled to be demolished because of these safety reasons, not for developmental concerns. Even with a proposed demolition, the front facade was planned to be preserved as much as possible.
I personally know from the engineer's reports that this structure would not last much longer, fire or no fire. I also know personally that the owner did everything possible to preserve the integrity of the building. Staff at the engineer's office have training in historic preservation, and the front facade was measured brick by brick, down to the last detail not long ago. There are current blueprints of the facade that were prepared should in the course of demolition the worse happened, such as the facade could not be preserved.
I am confident that the process of rebuilding Alma college will still happen, but all authorities and the public must work together to make it happen in a positive manner, or it will likely not happen at all. We can mourn the loss of a truly historic and architecturally marvelous building, but to tarnish the image of the building by spreading rumours and accusations will only delay any possible future restorative action.
Alma college will now likely stand as a monument to the need for more pressing historic preservation. There are other community projects that need pressing attention for positive support now, such as the Old Courthouse, the Train Station and the Sutherland Press Building, which may likely see the wrecking ball withing a few short weeks due to its rapidly degrading state (which is why talbot street is blocked off completely in front of it)
Don't let Alma college's demise destroy all hope of saving other buildings of historic value. Let lessons be learned from it, and may it's demise save more of what is left of our history.
Hmm, a little TOO coincidental? About to be protected perhaps, so it just 'happens' to burn to the ground. If I were a cop I know where I would begin my investigations!
I know im only 10 but alma was fasinating.
There is more to this then meets the eye. It was and is a political and commerce issue. I was at the fire and watched it entirely burn down. I saw tens of thousands of photos from thousands of individual website posters searching images for Alma College. There wasn't a photo that wasn't on fire.. I was there for the demolition and within 29 hours Alma College lay flat on the ground.
The tens of thousands of photos from thousands of individual website posters by searching images for Alma College had vanished. There wasn't a photo that wasn't on fire.
Two teens were arrested in record time yet Alma College had no cameras as did other locations where deaths occurred and yet with video tape the suspects were never found.
I invite everyone to view www.woodsmansinternational.com and click on the red flashing link at the top left entitled, "Canada Failing - St. Thomas Falling" There some of the politics of commerce are visible the way government should be.
Thanks for writing this article as the is currently a new movement to rebuild Alma College.
To those of you who thought that demolition was the only option for Alma College, shame on you!
The only reason the building had deteriorated to the condition where demolition was the only option is because the current owners dismantled her to the point where she was open to all of the elements and refused to do any upkeep on her at all.
If they did not want to work to preserve the building, they should have sold her... even if selling her meant they lost some money... better to loose a bit of cash than to loose a portion of the heritage of this country to the all mighty dollar... haven't we lost enough already thanks to greed and money?
Perhaps if they had put 'public interest' first.. instead of their checkbooks... we'd still have Alma... If they had stopped thinking about money... and started thinking 'best interest' we'd still have Alma...
And seriously... where did all of their 'must put money first' thoughts get them... did it get them any closer to the golden horseshoe that they were holding out for??? No, instead their greed lost us another historic landmark that we can NEVER replace.
OMG I cant belive someone spray painted DIE inside alma I belive it could have possibly been the same ppl who burned it down how sad. I also find histarical bulidings very interesting.