Denny Plowright is betting his latest project will succeed and be a boost to downtown London.
He's not boastful, but believes his latest project has a very good chance to succeed. And if it does, not only will he profit so will the downtown, the part of London he cares most about, where he spent his career working and investing.
Plowright co-founded the original Anden Holdings with his brother-in-law Andy Spriet. Together and separately, the two men have held and developed many downtown properties in the last four decades.
One such property is Talbot Court, which Plowright bought in the 1970s. It has been used for a variety of purposes since. It was home to the Common Market furniture store. The second floor was home to a law firm for many years. Most recently, the ground floor was occupied by Dance London.
Eight years ago, Plowright remodeled the 7,600-square-foot second floor turning it into one of the city's first executive suite offices. Small businesses could lease space for between $400 and $900/month all costs included. Tenants could use the boardroom, meeting rooms and telephone/reception services. The 26 suites filled up fairly quickly; the project was a success.
This year, when Dance London moved on, Plowright decided to convert the 4,600-square-foot ground level into more office suites. This time, he added a workout area and showers, along with a centrally located sunken boardroom. The design of the new space is contemporary and stylish, if anything highlighting the dated style of the upstairs spaces.
"We wanted to take the concept that worked so well upstairs and expand it to the main floor," says Plowright. "We've been about 90% full upstairs for several years, so it seems reasonable to think it can work downstairs as well."
As part of the renovation, he reactivated an elevator that had been mothballed for decades. That gives the upstairs tenants and their clients much easier access to their offices.
"Over the years, we lost a few potential tenants because it was a second-floor space with no elevator," says Laurie Fitzpatrick, executive manager of the building and of all of Plowright's London holdings. She plays the role of superintendant, receptionist, secretary and den mother to the building's diverse collection of tenants.
All tenants now have access to both boardrooms, one on each level, as well as kitchens and washrooms on both floors. The renovated ground floor includes fitness and shower facilities. "The showers are something tenants wanted," Plowright says. "They might workout at lunch or during a break, and the shower makes that possible."
The gym is not going to put the Athletic Club out of business, but it rivals the average hotel gym, with plenty of equipment and the requisite TVs hanging from the walls.
Parking for tenants is not included, although there is a lot across Talbot Street with monthly rates. There are, however, a dozen spots for customers, another feature that has attracted tenants over the years.
"I'm a downtown person, always have been," Plowright says. "So I wanted to do something interesting with this building. Since the offices worked once before, I said let's do it again downstairs."
Rates continue in the $425-$900 range, depending on size and location.
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Talbot Court
341 Talbot St.
519-685-2377
www.talbotcourt.com