CORNWALL – The City of Cornwall has issued an unsafe building order against the real estate company which owns Cornwall Square.
This follows a Dec. 11 inspection of the parking garage adjacent and partially connected to the mall at 1 Water Street, according to the order posted in a door on the building.
In the order to Charter Acquisition Corporation by building official Matthew Testa, the city says the parking structure serving the mall “is in an unsafe condition” and “vital structural elements are structurally inadequate or faulty for the purpose for which it is used.”
The city says the mall owners have to deliver an engineering report, outlining steps to remedy the problems and to “temporarily support the structure”. Repairs have to be made by Jan. 11, 2018.
In an interview with Cornwall Newswatch, Cornwall Chief Building Official Chris Rogers says their investigation was triggered after they saw work being performed on the garage, some of which did not have proper permits pulled with the city.
There was also evidence of concrete shoring (supporting portions of the concrete structure) which intensified their concern.
But Rogers says the mall owners have already supplied them with an engineer’s report and they are satisfied with the work that is taking place. The orders have since come down.
He commends Charter Acquisition Group and the mall managers with their quick response.
The parking garage went through significant renovations in 2013 and 2014, including replacing the boardwalks between the second floor of the mall and the upper levels of the parking garage.
Cornwall Newswatch has contacted retail manager Karen Burns, requesting a statement. We will be updating this story later today.