For the last decade, a group of colourful Saint John homes, known as the jellybean houses, have sat empty. Now, there's a renewed effort to save them from the wrecking ball.
Built in the 1860s, the homes are a rare piece of the city before the great fire of 1877. Sometime over the next month they're slated to come down.
"I think they really represent a time in history,” says Janelle Russell. “If they're gone, what are we going to look for, for that heritage and that history?"
The City of Saint John purchased the homes in 2008 and one is now owned by a private property owner.
According to Deputy Mayor Shirley McAlary, the Saint John non-profit housing group wants to take them down to build a mixed multi-unit apartment building.
The group opposed to the houses' demolition is trying to find another way to save them.
“If the buildings really cannot be saved, which is not what we've heard, really just to at least save the facades,” says Russell.
Saving the facades is not off the table yet, according to the deputy mayor, who says the housing group is looking into at least saving the façade, which would mean removing the trim and preserving some of the pieces. However, the housing group says it can't promise it, because it doesn't know how much that will cost.
While a few developers have come forward, they didn't have the money or ability to save the homes. The group rallying for them to be saved says it knows of other developers who are interested.
“We have now about 1,000 signatures on paper and online of other folks who live here who are very upset about this. This property needs to be saved, and whether you can save the entire building or just the facade it doesn't matter,” says Christopher Osborne. “They deserve more respect than being splinters in a landfill.”
Demolition could happen anytime until May 1.
The group says it will be presenting its petition to the City of Saint John sometime soon.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Laura Brown
