From the “Woulda-Shoulda-Coulda” department. The historic Dalby house was sold recently to a real estate developer set on remodeling (a great idea) and turning it into a medical office (a not so good idea).
When we moved to Elora last fall we were psyched to have what we though a cool local bar to stumble to on occasion. Of course, on our first attempt to stumble to it we were pretty underwhelmed by the stench and shocking lack of ambiance of the place. A 143 year old building that looks like the “Times Square of Elora” (hold you snicker) should be a focal point of the downtown core not the blight that it has become.
I gave some serious consideration to offering to buy the place and turning it around. I walked the building, spoke to some of the tenants and schemed for several nights on if an upscale brew pub might work there, with function rooms and more community connection then the current format. I think less small town hotel and more gentrified might have worked.
I figured it would go for the high 6 figures and the repairs would be steep too - especially to bring it back to what it could be. Given those numbers I sat on the idea, not knowing if it warranted a $1M investment to go into the drunk-fight-refereeing business. $525 is a decent price, I think.
The Guelph Mercury has some coverage of the sale and future plans.
Aparently its going to become…wait for it: a medical practice. Crap. I love the idea that somebody is taking it on to clean the place up, restore it - the town will be better for that. But for me a medical practice office is a place you drive to. It has no soul. It does not belong at the nexxus of a community like Elora. Elora is quirky and vibrant and hip. In any other storefront I think a medical practice would be fine but there is so much potential for this location I’m saddened - mostly on my own lack pulling the trigger.
…Elora has a recent history of doing stupid things that seem to not benefit anyone. That footbridge issue was hilarious… putting a fence around the conversation area so people can’t go for a walk from the core, equally dumb. That isn’t to say I wouldn’t like to find a place out that way… but I think I would spend a lot time being annoyed if I tried to participate in the community.
You got that right! Luckily for me I have an innate ability to be more annoying than others! I noticed the foot bridge fence thing. That’s definitely on the list.