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The owner of a historic mansion on Albert Street argues it cannot be saved without spending $2.5 million to fix major structural problems.

The city has received a demolition permit application for the Cook Residence, a home built in 1929 in the Tudor Revival style. Carmen Lien, one of two people who bought the property in November, wants to tear it down and redevelop it into a new residential property.

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Photo by BRANDON HARDER / Regina Leader-Post

But Coun. Bob Hawkins said Wednesday that demolishing the house would be “nothing less than the wanton disregard of our city’s past and an offence to our city’s future.”

“If this isn’t a heritage building, then there’s not a heritage building in our city,” said Hawkins, who represents the Lakeview neighbourhood where house is located.

Lien previously ran for city council to represent the very same area. He was not at Wednesday’s Regina Planning Commission meeting, where commissioners unanimously voted to move toward heritage designation, which would protect the building.