City moves to buy former Algoma Steel sales property

City Council will be asked Monday night to pay Algoma Steel $142,222 for a vacant lot at Queen and Hudson Streets where the company's sales building used to be.

Don McConnell, the City's planning director, says the property could provide 88 overflow parking spaces for the Gateway project.

"If the Gateway project does not proceed right away, this acquisition would still increase the transit garage property," City solicitor Lori Bottos says. For an aerial photograph showing the property at 395 Queen Street West, click here.

Listed at $150,000

The 414-by-95-foot lot has an appraised value of $149,000 and is currently listed through Commercial Realty Sault Ltd. at $150,000.

Algoma is prepared to sell it for $142,222, Bottos says.

The sale would be conditional on the site getting a clean environmental report.

14 St. Thomas Street

In an unrelated development, the City will also be asked to approve the purchase of 14 St. Thomas Street from John Buffone of Precision Land Art Ltd.

The City has been buying and demolishing buildings on St. Thomas Street to enhance the Old Stone House, and now owns most of the property there.

The proposed purchase price, $50,000, is higher than the assessed value, but once the City owns the land it will save money because it will no longer have to plow the street. We get very lonesome on weekends

Be sure to check back through the weekend for SooToday's coverage of the Algoma University College graduation and a comprehensive update on new roadwork contracts to be awarded Monday by City Council.