The Turner building — which for decades was a beloved spot to have coffee, scrambled eggs and a chat with the jovial man behind the counter — has fallen into such disrepair that it must be immediately demolished, says a report for Victoria city council.

City hall staff are recommending that the elderly owner, Catherine Turner, be given 14 days to comply with a demolition order, not the usual 30 days, because the landmark building, on Richmond Road near Fort Street, is in danger of collapsing.

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The long and narrow two-storey building, distinguished by rounded walls at one end, was built in the 1940s and for decades was home to Ian’s Jubilee Coffee Shop. It has been vacant for years, and has been eyed for restoration by various people, including a group on Facebook that calls itself Ian’s Jubilee Coffee Shop Fan Club.

The Victoria staff report, being presented to council tonight, says a shortened demolition notice is necessary “due to the likelihood of further building collapse as a result of both the condition of the building and the impending winter weather and the significant risk to the public safety if action is not taken.”

The report is the result of an Oct. 8 health and safety inspection prompted by damage to the building during a late September wind storm, when a 3.7-metre section of wall fell off the second storey.

“The inspection revealed that the building has extensive water damage to the interior structure, contains black mould, and due to the age of the building, asbestos is also assumed to be present.”

Barricades have been erected by city staff to keep people away from the sidewalk and bicycle lane adjacent to the building.

City staff have been seeking repairs to the building, located at Richmond Road and Birch Street, since 2008.

The art-moderne style structure is known for its clean lines, lack of ornamentation, simple construction and light-coloured exterior.

As well as the coffee shop, it housed businesses such as a convenience store and a flower shop on its ground floor, with four apartments above.

A recommendation to demolish the building is not a surprise, said Ken Johnson, president of the Hallmark Society.

The building does not have a heritage designation, which means that the owners could not be compelled to maintain it, Johnson said.

Ian Turner, the personable and popular operator of the café, retired in 2001 and the building was shut down, ending an era that dated to 1917, when Turner’s mother opened a store on Birch Street near a streetcar stop.

The coffee shop was a gathering place for the community, Johnson said. “Now there’s nothing left to save but the stories.

“There was a time when you could not buy a cup of coffee at the Royal Jubilee Hospital. … So, if you were there waiting for your dad to have an operation or for your mother to pass away, you tended to wander over for a couple of hours at Ian’s coffee shop. It was the one place you could get a sense of solace you couldn’t get in the hospital back in those days.”