Back in March in this post I wondered if the Bali-Hi was a chain with the twin in Detroit as seen in that post.
From the Windsor Star – August 1956
FIRST IN CHAIN – Windsor’s newest hotel will be ready early in 1957, with construction starting next month. The Bali-Hi Hotel (shown in a sketch by J.P. Thompson, architect) will be erected on the east side of Ouellette Ave., south of Gilles Blvd. It will have 52 rooms, including suites and kitchenette units; a restaurant, barbershop and sundeck.
New Hotel Goes Ahead
Construction of Windsor’s newest hotel will start next month, city officials today issuing a building permit for the Bali-Hi Hotel.
Plans have been distributed among contractors for tender, and it is expected the hotel will be completed early next year.
The Bali-Hi will be built on the east side of Ouellette Ave. south of Giles Blvd., and will extend through to Dufferin Pl.
The hotel will have 52 rooms, including suites and kitchenette units, and will be of fireproof construction. Each room will be aircondittioned and supplied with a television set and piped in music. Parking facilities will be provided.
There will also be a modern restaurant, a barber shop and a sundeck.
Plans for the new hotel were prepared by J.P. Thompson, architect , and Gerald Simrod, designer.
The owners (headed by Jack Epps, prominent Detroit hotel owner and businessman) have selected Windsor as the site of the first of a proposed chain of similar establishments across the country.
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I don’t think the chain ever took off, as I came across this article from the Windsor Star – July 7, 1970:
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City Businessmen Buy Bali-Hi
The Bali-Hi Hotel, 1280 Ouellette Ave., has been sold to a local group of businessmen, it was announced today by Charles Drakich, Windsor real estate broker.
Mr. Drakich would no disclose names of the new owners or the purchase price but he said the property is valued near the $500,000 mark.
The property has been bought firm Trior Investment Co., Toronto.
The 52-unit motor hotel was built and opened by Detroiter Jack Epps in 1957 and in 1963 a addition provided a swimming pool, more parking, and a large banquet room.
For several years the property has faced financial difficulties and on two occasions a professional hotel management group has been called in to operate the facilities.
Trior Investment held title to the property in 1965, when a Kitchener firm, Nuvic Investments, Ltd., took over control. Trior Investment assumed control again in 1968.
The new owners plan renovation of the motel rooms and new food services.
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Hey Andrew,
I heard the people who currently own the old Nesbit Inn (behind the long gone Jokers building) want to tear it down and convert to a paid parking lot.
Yup, that has been talked about for a bit. Didn't you now that Windsor needs more parking lots as there certainly isn't enough.
Yup. The owner lives in Germany and sent representatives from his property management co. to inquire about demolition.
The figure they can add 26 spots to the lot beside the house if they can get rid of it... I bet those residents on Victoria will be happy, they'll have a clear view all the way to Ouellette :)
Hmmm.... Unobstructed Parking lot views.... I think in Windsor there must be a premium in real estate value for such views ! ;-)
Well Fausto, there are some devellopers that think so! :)
Perhaps there should be something to prevent absentee (ie: foreign) landlords from owning property here. There are laws in Mexico to this effect. I know people get around them in various ways but it prevents irresponsible usage to an extent.
Won't make a difference if they live in Windsor or not; they're still gonna demo buildings if their adjacent properties need parking.
The other issue in Windsor is that property taxes are a lot lower for land without a building on them. Maybe if they raised those rates significantly we wouldn't have to deal with this issue on what is becoming an almost weekly basis.
But nah! The city will just raise rates on mixed use zoning, commercial and eventually residential (but a lower rate for the suburvs as usual) to further increase the decay that is becoming more and more prevelant in the interior of this city.