City concerned over slow construction progress at Summit

Although the project has been ongoing for more than a year, there appears to have been relatively little recent activity on the hulking concrete superstructure, located at 20 Summit Circle on a rocky slope.

Building materials lay scattered about the surrounding terrain. Only a few construction workers were on the job earlier this week, said urban planning department director Joanne Poirier.

According to Director General Bruce St. Louis, the builders encountered problems with the roof after completing the walls and main structure. "There was a significant delay in getting the roof supports and the trusses," he said.

"That project is taking a very long time — more than what I'd say that we would be comfortable with," St. Louis added. "There have been some problems with it, but our inspections division is tracking it and they (the owners) have been apprised of the schedule that they were supposed to be meeting.

"Obviously we want to work with them to get this thing completed as quickly as possible and this can only go on so long. But, from what I gather, things are starting to move again on the site and let's hope that the thing gets finished."

"I have to say that I find that the progress is very slow," said Poirier, adding that the owner's building permit was rescinded in December, a year after it was issued, because the work was not progressing to urban planning's satisfaction. Since then, the department has issued a new permit with a revised schedule of work.

"I was up there on Monday," Poirier said. "I have to say that I was disappointed to see so few workers on the site and I intend to phone the owner and try to find out what's happening again." Although workers have been working on the roof, Poirier said nothing else is happening on the site.

The lot on which the mansion is being built was the result of an out-of-court settlement reached during the 1990s between the City of Westmount and the lot's owner. Two separate lots were consolidated to form a large L-shaped property.

"The shell is up, now it's a matter of getting them to put the veneer on and finish the interior," Poirier said about the work that remains to be done. "The stud walls are starting to be erected inside and I don't know when the windows will be delivered.

"But I'll be happy when the envelope is enclosed. We're working on that. I'll be in touch again with the owner this week and see what are his plans."