Cost to convert Pelissier parking garage skyrockets to $888K

The cost of converting retail space in the PelissierStreet parking garage could be much higher than expected, with the latest bids for the project coming in as high as $1.1 million.

City council decided last year to boot tenants from the garage's retail space, based on the assumption it would cost an estimated $507,000 to gut the sidewalk storefronts and build 43 new parking stalls.

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With the tenants now gone, the city received four bids on the contract with the lowest bid sitting at$888,000. Eventhat figure alarmedCoun. Chris Holt, who saidhe and his colleagues were given a "bum number" when they made their decision in November.

"Council should be shocked by this," he said. "Maybe we should have found out exactly how much it was going to cost us ... before we kicked out paying tenants."

Holt voted against the conversion in the narrowly successful 6-5 vote last year. Another opponent to the plan, Coun. Rino Bortolin,called the new cost structure a "complete game changer" and suggests council reconsider the project altogether.

"It definitely puts the brakes on it immediately," he said. "We need to realize that $888,000 is a ridiculous amount to create parking for something where we don't need the parking."

Unofficial bid results:

• Elmara Construction Co. Limited $888,000
• TCI Titan Group $1,035,000
• Vince Ferro Construction $1,120,604
• Pupatello & Sons Ltd. $1,114,750

But not everyone is ready to pull the plug on the conversion. Coun. Paul Borrelli, who supported creating the additional parking stalls, said the city still may want to pursue the project.

"There has to be an assessment in view of the higher offer, but the higher offer might be OK, depending on the need (for parking)," he said. "Right now, I have to sit back and re-evaluate."

City staff say approval for the parking conversion will likely go back to council because all the bids came in above the estimated cost agreed to at the time the decision was made.

Parking vs storefront

The parking garage had become the focus of a downtown battle with one side waging the argument that eliminating sidewalk retail space flies in the face of modern urban planning and contradicts the city's plans to revitalize the core shopping area.

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Borrellisides with the camp that has repeatedly statedthe bulk of retail space in the garage had sat empty for far too long. Instead of being the landlords of empty storefront, they opted for more places to park.

"Those spaces sat empty for 11 years," Borrelli said. "We couldn't get anyone to rent them."

In addition to Youssef Hair Boutiqueoperating on Pelissier for 17yearsand Windsor Pride, the garage had other commercial units available to rent. A report from the city manager estimated it would cost $480,000 to restore the spaceto a "base level."

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Considering the latest estimates for the conversion is nearly double that cost,Bortolinis adamant council reconsider its original decision.

"This is an absolute game changer," he said.

The Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association had lobbied council to park its conversion plan and move ahead with the retail renovations, saying the condition of the vacant storefronts was likely a significant reason for the lack of interest from possible tenants.

LuisMendez, theowner ofTrue Fitness Windsor, tried to open a second location for his popular gym in the garage, but his proposal to the city was deniedjust before council gave the OK for moreparking stalls.

A frustrated Bortolinwants council to take a serious look at what is best for the downtown when it comes to the PelissierStreet parkade.

"We've made a lot of mistakes with that garage," he said. "We need to rethink this and set things right."

Holt echoed Bortolin's comments, saying he hopes council can learn from this and make sure they know all the details before making a decision like this one, which resulted in the eviction of downtown tenants.