A tender notice for the demolition of the Number One Shed is not an indication that the Corporation of Hamilton is proceeding with a multi-million dollar redevelopment of the waterfront in Hamilton, according to the Mayor.

In March 2006 former Mayor Lawson Mapp unveiled $639 million blueprints that would see Front Street completely redeveloped.

It included plans to fill in part of the harbour to create new land for a hotel and housing, plus moving the container docks away from the city and creating new underground parking.

Demolishing Number One Shed was one of the first phases in the redevelopment.

Yesterday a tender notice was placed in The Royal Gazette asking companies to put bids in for the demolition of the Front Street building, which houses a parking lot, Visitor Information Centre, cruise ship arrival lounge and meeting hall.

But Mayor Sutherland Madeiros said it did not mean the Corporation was going full steam ahead with the redevelopment.

"We have had a survey done on the building because we believe the electricals need rewiring," he said.

"The cost was so significant we had to consider whether it was worth rewiring the building or knocking it down. The demolition is not disconnected from the redevelopment but it has more to do with the current state of the building." The Corporation of Hamilton's assistant engineer George Peck said: "We want to know how much it would cost to take it down. We are looking at what we would need to do for the waterfront development project, the first phase would be demolishing the building."

Contractors interested in bidding for the project can collect the tender documents from the Corporations office in City Hall during regular business hours. The closing date is October 19.

The notice added that the Corporation is not bound to accept the lowest tender.