What's next for Fredericton's Lemont House? Heritage advocates want to know

Heritage advocates in Fredericton say concern for a historically significant building in the downtown is growing.

Lemont House, built in the 1880s, has been boarded up for months. Signs of decline have started to show -- a hole in the roof, a few in the eaves, one is a home to pigeons.

"If you look at it from the outside, you can see that it's starting to be badly in need of repair," said Richard Bird, president of the Fredericton Heritage Trust.

Of course the building wasn't always in such a state.

"It's certainly up there with the buildings that helped define what Fredericton was," said Bird.

It sits across from Officers' Square, adjacent to the Lighthouse.

Local architectural historian John Leroux points to a time when the riverfront was a hub, when, instead of a highway, a residential street ran betweenOfficer's Square and the river.

"There were wharves and there was all kind of activity here with the riverboats and unloading of goods, manufacturing and so on."

Lemont House was lived in by the Lemont family, who were furniture dealers and owned a store on Queen Street.

Leroux called it one of the most historically important buildings in the city.

"In a social and urban aspect, it's really significant. It's the last remnants of what was here."

The building is owned by Aquilini Properties, which also owns the Crowne Plaza. For many years the hotel used the building for longer term residences.

Bird said the Heritage Trust has made several attempts to contact the owner over the past months to find out what it plans to do with the building.

But Bird said, there has never been a reply.

"No communication at all."

The City of Fredericton said it has not received any permit requests regarding the building in the past year.