Paul Martin building hotel touted as a 'catalyst project for downtown'

Investment in downtown Windsor will result in more investment, says the chair of the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association.

Chris MacLeod says Thursday's development announcement of the Paul Martin building will "be a catalyst project for downtown."

Windsor mayor Drew Dilkens announced on Thursday that of the proposals that the city received for the building, which currently houses the Central branch of the Windsor Public Library, the plan to convert it into a luxury hotel was the most appealing.

"When we explored the different opportunities and the impact that they would have downtown, this one we felt would have the highest impact in terms of the return on the investment," he said.

Once home to various government agencies, the federal government sold the building to the City of Windsor in 2015 for a dollar. The city will transfer the building to the developers, RM Group of Companies, for the same price. Dilkens says the transfer is conditional on the holding group following through with its $30-million investment plan.

RM Group of Companies also runs the Retro Suites Hotel in Chatham and the hotel manager, Jessica Myers, says the first guests are expected to stay in the Paul Martin Building in 2026.

MacLeod says the demand for a hotel room downtown is high.

"I had the opportunity to meet with one of our hoteliers a couple of weeks ago and it can be hard to get a room downtown," he says.

Chris MacLeod is the chair of the Downtown Windsor BIA. He said the BIA does not condone graffiti, but does support street art like the work done by Bombardier. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

MacLeod says the fact that a building like this is still standing is significant.

"You would never build a building like this today," he said. "The exterior facade, the interior lobby, the use of marble, the ceilings and the light fixtures. It would be cost-prohibitive to build new this way.

"What's wonderful about the Retro Suites group and what they're going to do with this building is really preserving that history."

But there are other places to stay already downtown.

Michelle Falconio, the general manager of the Quality Inn & Suites, says the future hotel will draw a specific type of clientele, but admitted that any new investment made in the downtown core will help with the issues facing the neighbourhood.

RM Group of Companies plans to turn the Paul Martin Building on Ouellette Avenue into a luxury boutique hotel. (TJ Dhir/CBC)

The future hotel in the Paul Martin Building won't be the first luxury boutique hotel in Windsor-Essex.

Jennifer Flynn owns The Grove Hotel and The Grove Motel in Kingsville and Colchester respectively. Even she is excited.

"We know the Myers family; we're huge supporters of each other," she said of the developers of the Paul Martin building. "I think it's a fantastic opportunity and they're certainly the family to do that.

"It's much needed in the area, so we're thrilled for them and for the city of Windsor."

Jennifer Flynn is the owner of the Grove Hotel in Kingsville and the Grove Motel in Colchester. She says the opening of a luxury boutique hotel in downtown Windsor's Paul Martin Building is needed. (Jacob Barker/CBC)

Flynn doesn't believe that the future hotel will take away from her business. Because she says southwestern Ontario doesn't have the same pull as other regions that tout themselves as tourist and/or wine hotspots, Flynn believes the hotel will help fix that.

"I think that it's going to only help create southwestern Ontario as a destination, giving people more reasons to come to our area; it's fabulous," she said.