Downtown gets all gussied up (5 photos)

SooToday/Village Media is one of five downtown businesses undertaking facade work and other exterior improvements with financial help from the City of Sault Ste. Marie.

Last week, City Council approved a total of $60,000 in grants to the five firms, supporting a total of $136,500 in exterior improvements.

SooToday/Village Media will commence the transfer to our newly renovated, 4,600-square-foot, two-storey building at 298 Queen St. E. following the Oct. 21 election.

The move will be completed the first week of November.

Originally built by the Royal Bank in 1967 at the bustling Queen-Bruce intersection, the handsome edifice was most recently occupied by Credit Counselling Service of Sault Ste. Marie & District.

Inside the building, we are spending an additional $130,000 to remove non-load-bearing walls and perform interior renovations.

Included in the furnishings is an exceptionally cool video arcade game.

The old Royal Bank vault will be used by the news department for sensitive discussions with news sources and other meetings.

The city's contribution, financed with help from Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp., Ontario Main Street Revitalization and the Downtown Association, will help us install $17,000 worth of new exterior signage and lighting, and to replace the front entrance doorway and vestibule.

The work is designed to complement the building's classic appearance and the downtown's character.

Other downtown improvements approved last week by City Council:

• 505 Albert St. E. (Thomas Walls) - various exterior upgrades for this 1890s building, including new shingles, updated paint trim and cornices, upgraded side entrance and a new peaked canopy over the business's main entry. This work will enhance the visual environment at a prominent downtown corner (Spring & Albert) and complements the area's heritage character
• 765 Queen St. E. (Superior Health Centre) - construction of new patio space in an underused portion of the building's front yard  long Queen Street,to be used in conjunction with a recently opened restaurant. This work includes a snow-melt system inside the concrete floor to enable year-round use of the patio
• 659 Queen St. E. (Pita Pit) - renovation to facilitate complete conversion of two former office spaces into residential units. This work will help in attracting new residents to the downtown
• 754 Queen St. E. (The Gallery) - renovation of the building's front entrance including replacement of exterior doors and installation of enhanced accessibility features including a concrete ramp for the front step with contrasting textured edge, an electric door opener and hand railing

Senior city planner Steve Turco described the projects as "a positive indication of the determination of downtown property owners to reinvest in their buildings to support businesses and to attract people to this important area of the community."