Sandwich shoreline lot sold with option to erect highrise
Waterfront area once subject of city fight for expropriation sold to ‘local’ buyer
A large waterfront property in west Windsor once targeted for expropriation by the city has been sold by its private owner and could become home to a residential highrise, the Star has learned.
The $2.3-million sale of the 33acre (13.4-hectare) piece of land south of Mill Street and west of Russell Street was finalized last week.
“I understand they want to develop it for residential,” said realtor Mike Brogan of Buckingham Realty, who acted for seller Mike Dorian. The sale closed Jan. 21. Brogan would only say it was a “local” purchaser.
While zoned for commercial and marine industrial use, Brogan said there's a provision attached to the property allowing for residential highrise development of up to 15 storeys. That provision was added years ago, he said, with one of the restrictions being no development permitted inside an 80-foot (24-metre) ribbon of green along Mill Street to provide a Detroit River view from historic Duff-baby House.
Mike Dorian, who owns a Ford dealership in Michigan, said after several years of fighting against City of Windsor attempts to purchase or expropriate the land, he wanted to unload a Canadian asset his father gained through foreclosure about 30 years ago.
“You guys roughed us up, but you're still our neighbours, you're still our friends,” he told the Star Friday.
The city spent three years trying to acquire the property, which it hoped to transfer to the Windsor Port Authority in exchange for the federal agency's Ojibway Shores and preserve it as part of the adjacent Ojibway nature complex.
The city walked away from its effort to acquire the Dorian property at the foot of Mill Street after the local port authority said it wasn't interested. The WPA has valued the similarly sized Ojibway Shores (33.6 acres or 13.5 ha) at $3.6 million.
Port authority president and CEO Steve Salmons said his board has stated its support for Ojibway Shores being made part of the Ojibway nature complex but that it does not have the authority to simply transfer the land to the municipality.
In what local (L — Windsor-tecumseh) called a “huge step” forward on the issue, Ottawa announced a $131-million national urban parks program in August, with Windsor among the first targeted cities.
Parks Canada and the city have signed a “statement of collaboration” to work toward creation of a Windsor national urban park. Mayor Drew Dilkens recently wrote Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault, urging him to have Ojibway Shores included in that proposal.
Given the current high demand for housing in Windsor, Ward 2 Coun. Fabio Costante said a potential waterfront development could be welcome in Olde Sandwich.
“I'd strongly encourage the developers to consult and engage with the community.”