UPDATE Former Grace Hospital Site Expression of Interested Awarded to Fairmount Properties
By Rob Hindi
Windsor city council has unanimously approved Ohio-based Fairmount Properties as the successful developer to proceed to the next stage of planning and design activity on the site of the former Grace Hospital.
Fairmount Properties and their project team say they aim to transform the six-acre site into a vibrant mixed-use International Village anchored by residential, retail, dining, office and open space.
Randy Ruttenberg founded Fairmount Properties in 1998 and says this is his first Canadian project.
He says he has talked to some area residents and they share a desire to create infrastructure and cultural hubs.
"Essentially the goal of this project is to create a vibrant inter-generational and international village that brings a sense of inclusivity and celebration of diversity by unifying those of all ages and ethnicities," says Ruttenberg.
He says he has spent most of his career looking for development opportunities in places around Canada and the U.S.
"I have spent most of my 35 year career looking at opportunities throughout the country of the hundreds of places I've visited, I will tell you that Windsor for a number of reasons has greater potential for investment in high quality development than most others I've seen," says Ruttenberg.
AM800 news has learned the purchase price for the land at the Grace site.
The price tag is $1.2-million and the project will include approximately 450 units.
Fairmount's consortium also includes Windsor-area firms Architecttura and Oscar Construction Company Limited.
As part of the next stage of this process, Fairmount Properties will be consulting with community stakeholders on specific project design features to ensure that the views of area residents are reflected in the final site plan.
The concept plan, unveiled Thursday, is the current perspective and requires community feedback to inform the final design.
Ruttenberg hopes to have a shovel in the ground by the end of the year.
He says a project of this size can take between 18 months to two years to complete.
The city launched the Expression of Interest (EOI) process in May 2019.
There were six interested parties but four were shortlisted.
- with files from AM800's Kristylee Varley