The Chocolats Favoris company wants to demolish the current historic building that houses its first branch in Old Lévis in order to build a new one on the same site.
“Unfortunately, to our great regret, the only thing left on the table is demolition,” said Charles Auger, vice president of development for the Lévis-based company.
After obtaining several reports from architects, engineers and construction companies specializing in heritage homes, Mr Auger confirms that the building at 32 Avenue Bégin has reached the end of its useful life.
Water intrusion and risk of collapse
In particular, analysis has shown that the historic masonry is vulnerable to water infiltration, while significant deterioration of the walls could lead to collapse.
Chocolats Favouris even had to move its operations and its thirty employees to the Miscéo district in September 2022 for security reasons. “A report showed that the building was classified as dangerous and that there could be quite high risks in the event of an earthquake,” says Mr. Auger.
On Thursday morning, a demolition application was also formally submitted to the city of Lévis.
Protect buildings
For his part, Serge Bonin, president of the demolition committee of the city of Lévis and leader of the opposition, would like to point out that we are still far from seeing the building among the summit of demolition supporters.
“Our mission is not to demolish buildings, but to protect them as best as possible. We are trying to work in that direction,” he mentions, adding that Chocolats Favouris managers must prove that no other option than demolition is possible.
According to him, many citizens could oppose this demolition request. “It’s obviously a sensitive sector, a very busy heritage area […] A lot of people are attached to their heritage and that’s natural,” he says.
After a thorough analysis of the dossier, a public consultation is planned in the coming months, he emphasizes.
Against expertise
In this case, a second opinion may even be required, which would extend the deadlines, which usually vary between three and six months in such cases, he says.
The decision could then be appealed, Mr. Bonin recalls.
A meaningful gesture
For his part, the mayor of Lévis, Gilles Lehouiller, welcomes the approach of Chocolats Favoris.
“The company is making a significant gesture by wanting to locate the parent company permanently in Vieux-Lévis,” he announced through the company through his press spokesman Alexandre Boudreau-Forgues.
The story of Chocolats Favouris
The vice president of Chocolats Favoris affirms that “the spirit of the origins” of the company and the building will be expressed in the construction of a possible new building at the same address.
Particular attention will also be paid to respect for the current character, he said.
Green spaces and access for people with limited mobility would be part of the improvements to the new building.
The “parent company” represents the “roots” of the chocolatier, as it opened in 1979. Chocolats Favoris was then located in the Lauzon sector and moved to Bégin Street in 1996 before being purchased by the current managers of Chocolats Favoris in 2012.