Quote:
Originally Posted by FenderStrat
Couple of projects that I heard about a few years ago, but I haven't heard about in a long time.
What ever happened to the idea to convert the old SW&A car barns on University to a new Penalty Box restaurant? I remember a plan that they would grow all of their own produce on site, but I haven't heard about this in ages.
What ever happened to the plan to construct a new high end night club with rooftop patio on Ouellette in the empty hole where the Drunken Burrito/Cleopatra's Rub N Tug once stood?
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Hey! I'll try to answer some of your questions as I've tried to keep up in the media on some of this stuff over the last half year.
The old SW&A building on University first:
So, first when the reno of the building was in it's infancy the city shut down the project due to some red tape, probably because it's on the heritage list, see link here
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/pe...-then-resolved
Then, the posh Windsor Club which has resided in the top floor of the CIBC tower for over a decade decided it wanted to look for a new space. They were being courted by the Mikhails (their current landlords at the time in the CIBC building) who didn't want to see the club leave the space. At the same time Van Niforos owner of The Penalty Box halted his reno project on the SW&A building and had plans redrawn for the space to try to lure The Windsor Club into the SW$A building for a combined Windsor Club/Penalty Box probably so he could be the exclusive caterer. See the article and plans here
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/wi...d-by-landlords
Now, remember there was news that Hiram Walker was thinking of disposing of their reception centre located on Hiram Walker property adjacent the river?
There was some concern over the loss of the building, some even said it had heritage value. (I'd argue that, the building is mundane on the outside, but does have a nicely done, although imo dated interior). So Eddie Francis was adamant about saving the building and so he helped The Windsor Club and Hiram Walker's get together and they hammered out an agreement where The Windsor Club would move into the Hiram Walker Reception Centre, saving the building, and giving The Windsor club some new digs.
See here
http://windsorite.ca/2015/01/hiram-w...m-partnership/
So, to recap. The Mikhails in their CIBC building lost a long time tennant. The SW&A project was put on hold and redesigned to try to lure The Windsor Club into that location with a combined Penalty Box. Instead they moved into the old Hiram Walker's reception building thereby saving that building from demo and since then we have heard nothing about the conversion of the SW&A building into a new Penalty Box, it's just been sitting there half redone.
In regards to the high end club that was going to plug the hole on Ouellette where the Drunken Burrito etc was, well, we've heard nothing about that in months. I know they had ambitions of linking the building directly to the parking garage located behind it along Pelissier. Maybe they're working all that out?
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/pl...to-parking-lot
I have a feeling the Windsor Star likes to jump all over stories wayyyyy too premature.
I know that doesn't answer all your questions, but I hope it helps.