Ongoing threats of power being cut, broken HVAC and unclean conditions have led to at least one physician moving out of the Doctor’s Building next to the old hospital
After years of problems, at least one physician at the Doctor’s Building on Queen Street East has had enough and will be moving to a new office next month.
Last month, excessive heat and ongoing HVAC issues caused office closures at the Doctor’s Building near the old hospital. It is a multi-level building that houses a number of physician offices and other health-care services.
For years, tenants have experienced a number of issues with the current owners. They include several threats from PUC to shut the power off due to non-payment of bills.
For at least one physician practicing in the building, enough is enough.
“The building is in shambles,” said Dr. Darren Costain, who has been a tenant in the building since 2008.
He will be moving out next month.
“I love the downtown location, with the beautiful waterfront view. It was previously owned by a group of physicians who took pride in the building, but since the current owners purchased it, no building maintenance or improvements have been made,” Costain said.
He knows at least two other physicians who will vacate the building in the coming months.
The Doctor’s Building is owned by 1667271 Ontario Inc., a numbered company that lists Mike Anobile, a real estate investor based in Vaughan, Ont., as president, secretary and treasurer.
According to documents filed at the provincial land registry office, another numbered company — 2612316 Ontario Ltd., which lists Ferrari as its director — bought the building for $1 in June 2020. It was then sold five months later to 1667271 Ontario Inc. for $2.2 million.
Anobile and Ferrari have not responded to a request for comment on this story.
Costain said the building’s HVAC system went down in May and, after months of no air conditioning, there is now a temporary unit in place that cools the building “somewhat.”
“So instead of our office temperature being 93 degrees like it was for the majority of the month of June, it is now down to 80, which is uncomfortable but better than it was for the two-and-a-half months preceding the temporary unit. As I understand it, there is currently no plan for a permanent fix,” Costain said.
In May, tenants received the fourth notice from PUC that electricity will be cut due to non-payment of utility bills.
“As usual, they pay the day before the power is to be cut, but it is not without some anxiety for the tenants,” Costain said.
He also said non-payment of bills to the cleaners, private garbage collection and snowplowing contractors has resulted in an unclean and unsafe environment for tenants and their clients.
Although the snow melted months ago, the parking lot remains blanketed with a layer of sand, which Costain said is a slipping hazard.
“The company often refuses to remove the sand until their overdue bills are paid. It is somewhat dangerous for the patrons of the building, which often are elderly patients with musculoskeletal problems,” Costain said.
Overflowing garbage was being improperly stored in a vacant office on the basement level until it was eventually picked up last week, he said.
“It remains to be seen whether the garbage will collect again for another month, which is very unsanitary for a building with medical offices in particular,” Costain said.
— with files from James Hopkin