Major renovations are underway at a property on the corner of a busy intersection in hopes of bringing it back to life.
The boarded-up building on the southeast corner of Edinburgh Road and Speedvale Avenue West, officially known as 146 Speedvale Ave. W., will soon be home to a gas station and possibly more.
Attempts to reach the property owner for details about its plan for the site were unsuccessful. However, a construction supervisor at the location confirmed a gas station is in the works.
The property, which has sat vacant for many years, was previously home to a bank, a dentist office and a convenience store.
In April of 2016, the city’s committee of adjustment approved a reduction in the number of parking spaces needed at the site, to 14 from 22. At the time, documents submitted to the city indicate the owner planned to build a gas station with up to eight pumps, along with a convenience store and office space.
A spokesperson for D.G. Biddle & Associates, which represented the then-owner during the committee process, noted its client sold the property “a few years ago.”
City officials issued a pair of building permits for the site last fall – one for interior and exterior renovations and one for the construction of a gas bar canopy.
A rear wall of the building has been opened, with brickwork removed, and what appears to be demolition efforts inside.
Under current zoning, the property can be used for a gas bar, artisan studio, convenience store, day care centre, food vehicle, personal service establishment, a take-out restaurant and residential units.
