Rosie Howe and realtor Barbara Oczachowski met through a mutual friend early this spring and within weeks RE/MAX Preferred Realty Ltd., Brokerage agent Oczachowski had aggressively advertised the venerable Walker Power Building for sale at $895,000.
In a multiple bid presentation, a conditional offer was accepted and a second offer is in place in case the first falls through. Designed by Albert Kahn, the 106-year-old, four-storey, Walker Power Building at the corner of Devonshire Road and Riverside Drive in Windsor has been vacant for over 10 years. Owned by Rosie’s late husband Phil Howe, since 1975, it has been listed fruitlessly before through other realtors, but the Rosie and Barbara collaboration so far appears to be magic. “I took her for a walk through the building and she was so enthused, I knew she was going to give it her best,” says Rosie. “I can’t believe how strong the building interior is,” says Oczachowski, who marvels at features such as the 300 windows, and a huge open concept with concrete columns supporting concrete floors built like fine European landmarks many centuries ago.
The conditional buyer, a local party not wishing to be identified, was given 75 days to make a final decision, based on engineering and environmental studies, which will provide an estimate for the renovation costs. He has been in touch with the city about leasing 3/4 of an acre of municipal land west of the building for “affordable” parking. The city has designated the land to include a bike trailhead, so agreement is required to accommodate that. The buyer plans to apply for a zoning change from industrial to commercial with intentions of transforming the interior into multiple commercial units to lease for any number of uses.
The Walker Power Building was originally used to power the Hiram Walker distillery, and later housed warehousing services and artist lofts. The building has attracted three other contractors waiting in line to bid. The new fast friends attribute the sudden interest to the proximity to the booming Walkerville business district and word spreading within the investment community about Windsor’s affordable realty prices. “I can’t believe it . . . they’re coming out of the woodwork,” says Oczachowski, who generally deals in residential sales. “This is one of my biggest deals,” enthuses the veteran of 27 years in the realty business.
