Visitors to the Richmond Maritime Festival this weekend might wonder why one building is wrapped in plastic and another empty lot has a development sign in front of it.
The Richmond Boat Builders building, constructed by Saeji Kishi in 1932, is undergoing envelope work, hence, the plastic wrap. The cost for the envelope repairs is $370,000 and it’s being done by Scott Construction.
Meanwhile, the Steveston community is still waiting for word about when the Phoenix Net Loft, demolished two years ago, will be rebuilt.
Richmond city council approved $19.4 million to rebuild it already three years ago, after which it was torn down and some material was salvaged for the rebuild. The original price tag was about $11 million.
Its sister building, the Seine Net Loft was restored a decade ago and hosts various historic exhibits about the fishing industry.
The Phoenix Net Loft was used to repair and store gillnets for the Steveston fishing industry.
The building, however, was abandoned for several decades and started to deteriorate.
It was finally deemed unsalvageable, but city council wanted to build a replica of the building, thought to have been built in 1954.
According to the city, after it’s determined what it will be used for, the redevelopment will begin.
As for the Richmond Boat Builders building, it was built by Saeji Kishi in 1932 on the site of the abandoned Tamoto Boatworks, according to Nauticapedia.
Kishi along with five carpenters set about building fishing boats, largely 24 to 26-foot gillnetters. They built up to 25 boats a year.
In 1942, however, Kishi was interned to Christina Lake where he continued to build fishing boats. These were transported to the coast by train.
The Richmond Boat Builders building was leased out after 1942 but eventually closed in 1969.
The last boat that was built at Richmond Boat Builders was the Silver Ann.
