Another try at reviving the old ‘Tech’ building (9 photos)

What is being described as a ‘Toronto-based ownership group’ has purchased and re-opened the old Technical School building at 130 Wellington St. E.

Throughout the years, the Technical School was transformed many times, serving as home to Lakeway Collegiate, St. Mary’s College and The TECH (a multi-purpose facility).

Now, the presence of Franzisi’s Restaurant, it is hoped, will convince other tenants to move into another multi-purpose facility at the old Tech, now known as the Sault Activities Centre.

“The building’s rock solid. We’ve been trying to drill holes into cement trying to get decor up,” chuckled Maria Moro-Franzisi, who along with husband/chef Sal Franzisi, co-owns Franzisi’s Restaurant.

Franzisi’s started up on Goulais Avenue as a pizzeria in the mid-1990s, then moved to Bruce Street as a fine dining establishment before relocating to St. Joseph Island as La Terrazza Franzisi in 2015, serving a mixture of gourmet food and traditional food for tourists.

“It all went down with COVID...we kind of thought that was going to be the end. We thought this was our way to say goodbye after 25 years, but they contacted us. They heard about our reputation, and they thought we would be a good drawing card to the whole building. There are so many offices and rooms in here that they want to capitalize on filling them up with all kinds of businesses and programs,” Maria said, speaking to SooToday.

Franzisi’s Restaurant had a soft launch beginning at 4 p.m. Friday, continuing this weekend as a pizza takeout.

“Probably starting next week, when we get the rest of our equipment, we’ll do take out features, one of them being the spinach gnocchi with gorgonzola along with frozen food, like Sal’s lasagna, cannelloni and gnocchi,” Maria said.

“We’ve got a good client base. The customers are all excited. I think this is something we need in this city.”

Jeff Giovanatti and Jim Shook of Steel City Sports, which includes Steel City Slam (basketball) and Steel City Ignite (volleyball), are renting space in the building.

“We’ve been looking for a place, a home, so to speak. We’ve rented space throughout the community but we did a lot of homework and reached out to the ownership group when we heard the building was purchased and provided them a vision in terms of an activity centre,” Giovanatti said, stating sports have started up in the building this past week.

The building has three gym spaces, one being a multi-purpose room with artificial turf which can be used for soccer or cricket, along with two other larger gyms for basketball or volleyball.

“It’s a blessing for youth in the community, especially right now with mental health for youth. Kids don’t really have access to a space to be active,” said Giovannati of the three-storey, 160,000 square foot former high school.

There are separate entrances and exits to each gym space to cut down on the risk of COVID-19 transmission, Giovanatti said.

There are also plans to open a golf simulator room in the building soon.

Giovanatti said there is office space available, suggesting any company’s staff would enjoy a day’s work, lunch at Franzisi’s and enjoy the group’s gyms for a workout, all under one roof, all in one day.  

The building was purchased by the Toronto-based owners in August 2019, the team then starting a long, painstaking restoration process before opening Aug. 1, 2020, Shook said.

“It could be a one stop shop for the community in terms of activity. There could be dancing, yoga classes, art sessions, music lessons, theatre groups,” Giovanatti said.

“When COVID ends that theatre will definitely be rolling...if COVID wasn’t here right now, there would be dance, karate, wrestling (in the building). Everybody wants to meld to a community centre and the City really likes the idea, to develop the downtown core,” Shook said.    

“We’re in the infancy stages, and can’t wait for COVID to be over (in order to fill up the building with tenants),” Giovanatti said.

In the meantime, Giovanatti said any individual or group wanting more information or who has an initiative or idea which might fit in with the activity centre plan is welcome to contact the ownership group at (705) 910-1407.

Ownership officials were not available for comment through their website, Facebook, email or phone Friday.