The property that was the site of a huge explosion and fire in downtown Prince George last month will not be up for auction later this month, despite being listed in the City of Prince George’s tax sale notice for $64,326.22 owed in taxes.
Documents provided by Dan McLaren of Commonwealth Campus Corp, the owners of the former Achillion restaurant destroyed in the blast, show the company paid the City of Prince George $19,000 on Sept. 7 to cover the delinquent portion of its outstanding taxes.
The City of Prince George has confirmed the property will not be up for auction on Sept. 25 and that fact will be reflected in an updated tax sale notice the city will release on Sept. 20.
The building and property at 1189 Fourth Avenue, next to the Wood Innovation Research Lab and home of the former Achillion Restaurant, is valued at $638,000, according to BC Assessment. Prince George RCMP said last week the fire was caused by copper theft that damaged a natural gas line.
Properties listed in the tax sale notice go up for public auction at 10 a.m. on Sept. 25 at Prince George City Hall “unless full payment of the outstanding delinquent taxes, plus the necessary interest to date of payment is received prior to the aforementioned time and date,” the tax sale notice states. The amount of outstanding taxes owed is the starting price at auction.
Other downtown properties of note that could be up for auction later this month include 1665 Third Avenue, the home of Nechako Bowling Lanes. The building, assessed at $489,000, has $49,721.88 in outstanding taxes, according to the tax sale notice.
Also on the notice is 1157 Fifth Avenue, home to the Twisted Cork restaurant. The building’s value is assessed at $1,188,000 but has $124,161.87 in outstanding taxes due.
The current owners of properties that will be auctioned off on Sept. 25 still have one year from the date of the auction to pay the outstanding taxes to retain ownership. If they fail to meet that deadline, the auction winner takes ownership of the property.
