City To Buy Art Gallery Of Windsor, Lease Space Back To Them

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The City of Windsor has worked out a deal with the Art Gallery of Windsor to purchase their building and lease space back to them on the second and third floors.

The deal, subject to council approval on December 3rd, will see the city pay up to 2.5 million for the Riverside Drive West property. The Art Gallery of Windsor would then enter into a lease with the city for $1.00 per year for the second and third floor space, and the mezzanine area. The city will also cut off its annual grant of $450,000 to the gallery.

The city will invest up to $551,000 in immediate capital improvements such as an updated security system, fiber optic networking, new signage and moveable walls which will give the gallery more flexibility on the uses of their floors. The city will take over all cleaning of the building, maintenance, outside landscaping and snow removal.

The city will retain the first floor space for a future tenant use. It was at first anticipated that the Windsor Public Library’s downtown branch would take over this space, but the library board thinks the space may be to small for their needs. The city is also exploring the use of the space for a new museum.

A tentative date for the city to take over ownership is January 4th 2013 should approval be given on December 3rd.