The Pearl Company is on its last legs

The Pearl Company is on its last legs, says co-owner Gary Santucci, blaming what he calls a dysfunctional city bureaucracy and council that penalize those who try to restore derelict buildings rather than let them rot.

He says he and partner Barbara Milne will put the popular community arts/performance facility up for sale.

"We're already accepting offers," Santucci says.

On Thursday, he learned The Pearl Company is being charged with violating the zoning bylaw for the property at 16 Steven St. in Hamilton's Landsdale area. As owners, Santucci and Milne face a possible fine of $50,000 and ongoing fines of $10,000 a day for every day the non-compliance continues.

The use in question was an art show and Art Bus in March 2010. The Pearl Company is not technically permitted to stage any such entertainment or shows, even though Santucci and Milne set it up for that express purpose.

They put on more than 100 shows a year. The building is now zoned residential even though no one has ever used it that way, and at various times the building has housed a cosmetic jewellery factory, hence the name, and a nightclub.

Comments

[Michael Baldasaro]

Unbelieveable!
Council attacking the cities helpers making something out of an otherwise derelect abondoned building.
How crass!