[markbarbera]

Actually, if memory serves, this site was planned for police office use when it was first handed over from the Ontario AG office to this city back in 2006. Then this HRCC rendering was done up as an alternative a couple years later which included residential and commercial as well as office space, but a firm commitment for private sector involvement in those aspects never gelled, even with the promise of Public Health as anchor tenants. Given the tepid results of other neighbouring mixed used developments (Terraces on King, The Gore Building) along with the onset of the credit crunch, it isn't a big surprise that people shied away from commitment to the concept.

The pragmatic side of me is glad that there will be a significant owner making an adaptive reuse of the existing building. The streetwall is preserved and there is an influx of professionals who will be injecting fresh business to the BIA. And there is nothing to prevent a future intensification project in the area when market forces are more favourable to that idea.