A trio of wooden, two and a half story pre-Confederation buildings in uptown Saint John that are next the patch of land where the Jelly Bean buildings once stood, will meet the wrecking ball as early as next week.
That’s according to Narinder Singh, the general manager of Saint John Non-Profit Housing, which owns the homes on Union Street which, according to the N.B. Historical Society were inhabitated as early as 1863.
“In the 1860s and 1870s all three were associated with the family of English-born merchant William G. Lawton,” a post on the historical society’s Facebook page reads.
“The 1881 census indicates that merchant Herbert C. Lawton lived in the area with his wife, his daughter Blanch and his son Walker.”
The buildings at 115, 117 and 119 Union Street are being torn down to make way for a mixed-income housing complex, which is also why the Jelly Bean buildings were demolished back in April.
Singh tells CHSJ News Habitat for Humanity has been on site all week salvaging from the buildings.
There is concern from the New Brunswick Historical Society about what impact the dust and debris from the demolition will have on Loyalist House, which sits right across the street from the three buildings, and recently underwent a $600,000 restoration.
