Comment 538

By fastcars (registered) | Posted May 29, 2006 at 20:16:33

LIUNA inherited a building that had been left to rot for many years. When Metrus bought the building, it's upper floors were no longer in use--but some it's lower floors and it's arcade level had tenants--in fact it's street front retail space on James and King William was pretty much full (as evidenced by the many signs visible above the current hoarding wall). Metrus kicked everyone out if you'll recall, and then allowed the building to sink into disrepair. Aside from more missing windows, things have not substantially deteriorated since LIUNA has had the building. LIUNA actually sealed up the street level ingress points to the building and there has been less transient/fire activity there since. I find it ironic that the switch from demolition of the building and reassembly of the facade to an outright demolition with a remanufactured facade has caused this consternation. A true preservationist would want total preservation, which was never proposed. As for Bratina and his boutique hotel--sounds like a rehash of Kittling Ridge. With the revived Connaught, new Staybridge Suites and proposed Hilton Homewood Suites--I just don't see the logic or business case in dumping anymore hotel capacity into downtown until things stablize and the new capacity is fully utilized. They may think more hotel rooms will boost business at the HCC--but the HCC is quickly becoming small and outdated compared to facilities in competing cities. Come 2007 Windsor will have a Convention facility about 3X the size.

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