Costly Pelissier parking bids give city a second chance to revive downtown, says business owner
A former tenant of the Pelissier Street parking garage says the ballooning cost of converting retail space into parking spots at the downtown structure offers city staff an opportunity to reconsider their decision.
"I hope city hall realizes it was a mistake and keeps it as retail because it will be a dead zone," said Youssef Gereige, who owned a hair salon in the building until the city forced him out to make way for more cars.
Gereige's comments come after council received four bids for the conversion contract with the lowest coming in at $888,000 and the highest at $1,114,750 — well above the estimated price tag of $507,000.
The figures drew concerned comments from Coun. Chris Holt who said his colleagues should be "shocked."
Holt was one of five councillors who voted against the construction, an effort that was defeated by a single vote last year.
Ward 3 councillor Rino Bortolin also voted against the project and described the bids as a "complete game changer."
"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."
The parking garage is at the centre of an ongoing downtown showdown that saw Gereige and Windsor Pride evicted from the property to make way for parking many argue isn't needed.
Even if council reverses its decision, Gereige — who has moved his business one street over — said it's too late for him to come back.
"They evicted us," he said. "Listen to the citizens of Windsor. Keep it retail. We don't need any more parking."
But that doesn't mean downtown is beyond saving, he quickly added.
"I've seen Pelissier at its best and its worst. They could bring it back to its best," he explained. "This is the heart of our city and we should have it revived."
