exclusive: source reveals downtown property eyed for new windsor library
with a deadline approaching for the windsor public libr...
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with a deadline approaching for the windsor public library to vacate its current downtown location, the star has learned that the city is in talks with the province to potentially purchase the ontario travel information centre located next to city hall.
“that building footprint represents an opportunity to do something pretty special,” the city hall source told the star, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“this entire area’s been targeted by council for development, community engagement, more people, more bodies in the downtown core,” the source added of the potential to build a new central library branch at that location.
during his state of the city address on wednesday, mayor drew dilkens said windsor public library has been asked to vacate the paul martin building — the central library branch’s temporary home — “as soon as practically possible” to make way for the construction of a previously announced boutique hotel. the building’s new owners, he said, “want to accelerate development.”
after his speech, dilkens told reporters the city is “coalescing around one spot pretty close to city hall” for a permanent downtown library branch. the city doesn’t own the land and would have to demolish an existing building to build the branch, he said.
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the star’s source said the mayor was speaking about the travel centre property just west of city hall.
windsor mayor drew dilkens makes a light-heartened comment about his photo on the program of the windsor-essex chamber of commerce 2025 mayor’s luncheon on wednesday, feb. 12, 2025, at the st. clair centre for the arts.
dan janisse
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windsor star
the city, the source said, has advised the province about the request to “expedite” the central library branch move. the city has also explained its efforts to rejuvenate downtown, including the new public ice rink under construction immediately north of city hall and next to the travel centre, which is currently closed.
in december 2023, dilkens announced that the mostly vacant paul martin building at 185 ouellette ave. would be transformed into a boutique hotel by rm holdings, the company behind chatham’s popular retro suites.
the city transferred the 1934 building it bought from the federal government for $1 to the company for the same amount on the condition that the company follows through with its $30-million investment plans. the company has also been granted tax incremental financing through the city’s community improvement plan program.
the city has a four-year lease agreement with rm holdings. the company originally planned to construct the boutique hotel in phases and even open for business while the library continued to operate inside. but, according to dilkens, the company now believes it will be “more economically efficient” to do all of the work at once, which the mayor said is “good news.”
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to accommodate the accelerated hotel construction timeline, dilkens said the library will likely move into another temporary location before it enters its permanent home.
library board chair mark mckenzie, councillor for ward 4, told the star the board won’t “rush” into a new space.
“we want to make sure that it makes sense for the windsor public library and the central branch and for all users,” mckenzie said.
the province’s ontario tourism information centre in downtown windsor is shown on thursday, feb. 13, 2025.
dan janisse
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windsor star
mckenzie doesn’t believe building a new library from the ground up — a project that would likely cost tens of millions of dollars — is necessary. instead, he thinks the board could find an existing downtown building and use the approximately $3 million the library has in reserves to renovate the space.
mckenzie said he also thinks the permanent central library branch could be between 15,000 and 20,000 square feet, much smaller than the branch’s last permanent location at 850 ouellette ave., which was more than 100,000 square feet on three floors.
“let’s be realistic,” mckenzie said. “the city doesn’t have forty or fifty million dollars to build this new 50,000-square-foot library, and i don’t think we need a 50,000-square-foot library in 2025.”
the existing downtown travel information centre building covers an estimated 5,000 square feet. the entire property, including the parking lot, covers an estimated 25,000 square feet.
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“there are many buildings downtown already that are available, and maybe we could throw the central library in there,” mckenzie said.
the current ‘temporary’ windsor public library central branch at the rear of the paul martin building in downtown windsor is shown on thursday, feb. 13, 2025.
dan janisse
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windsor star
the library board is also in talks with “stakeholders” downtown about collaborating, he said, suggesting the board could team up with a post-secondary institution and operate a “joint space” that includes a permanent central library.
next week, the library board will discuss moving windsor public library’s administrative offices out of the paul martin building and into a different downtown space, mckenzie said. that discussion will happen behind closed doors.
the city’s 2025 capital budget commits $7,140,000 to the central library over the next five years.
the front entrance of the paul martin building at 185 ouellette ave. in downtown windsor is shown on thursday, feb. 13, 2025.
dan janisse
/
windsor star
the city bought the paul martin building from the federal government in april 2019 as a temporary home for windsor public library’s central branch.
over the years, the paul martin building has housed canada post, the canada revenue agency, and the canada border services agency.
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