The Tweedale Block has been a fixture on East Hastings Street since 1910.

But a city inspection this summer found parts of the four-storey building were in poor condition from water damage.

After a fire in one of its 34 Single Room Occupancy (SRO) rooms Oct. 17, the building at 341 East Hastings St. was evacuated. Subsequently, it was declared unsafe to occupy on Oct. 22.

On Wednesday, council held a special meeting over a staff recommendation to declare it a “dangerous building” and tear it down.

But the property owner’s lawyer, David Volk, objected, saying an engineering report commissioned by the owner said it could be repaired.

Earlier in the meeting, the city’s chief building official, Saul Schwebs, had said preparing the building for demolition would take five weeks, or 35 days,

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