Three Abandoned Homes in Downtown-East To Be Demolished

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The owner of three vacant buildings in the Glengarry-Marentette area east of Downtown is planning to demolish his three structures located on Chatham Street, pending approval from the City’s Planning Standing Committee.

532, 515-523, and 527-533 Chatham Street are abandoned homes in the shadow of Caesars Windsor and part of an area where house vacancy is high and fires have gutted several structures.

Back in 2003, the City of Windsor completed a study with the intent to improve the area EAST of Caesars Windsor, which had become a parking wasteland, full of burned out houses that have caught on fire.

Last year, City Council voted to demolish a number of derelict houses in the area, but many buildings still stand pending the review of “site plans” to bring various properties up to city standards.

Additionally, a number of parking lots in the area do not meet city standards with regard to paving, landscaping and access. This past spring, City Council set a deadline of September 30th, 2013 for parking lots in the area to be brought up to standards, which include surrounding brick walls, iron fencing, decorative stone pillars and pavement instead of gravel and dirt. Designs for the lots will fit into the theme of Caesars Windsor.

The Glengarry-Marentette project, part of a larger initiative to theme the area east of the casino, includes several ideas, proposing initiatives to:

• create a “Waterfront Village” area with streetscaping down Louis Avenue
• re-establish linkages to the riverfront, Wyandotte commercial area and the City Centre to counteract the imposing separation and isolation by the casino complex
• create an area that should have a good mix of residential, commercial, and recreational uses to facilitate pedestrian traffic
• create visually appealing street facades along Theme Streets – Glengarry & Aylmer (Civic Ways), Riverside Drive (Scenic Drive), Louis Ave. & Chatham E.
• use Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program funds to help property owners redevelop the area
• create streetscaping with coloured concrete with pattern, decorative lights and banners, optional benches and shade trees
• encourage shops and services at street level, promoting a lively street life

You can read more about the Glengarry-Marentette project on the City of Windsor’s website.