Photo from 2002 when the Nisbet was still open
One of the most frequent questions I’ve had lately has been the status of the former Nisbet Inn at 131 Elliot St. West.
Here’s the scoop.
The property owner is an out of country investor. Apparently he owned the building a long time ago, and sold it to the proprietors who ran the Nisbet Inn. When she sold the building, he bought it back.
On the east half of the lot there is a parking lot that has 26 spaces. The lot was originally the side yard of the Nisbet Inn property. The plan was to knock down the house and make 26 more.
The Heritage Committee informed the representatives that the building was listed, and an application for a demolition permit would trigger a move to designate the building.
A Bit of History on the place…
The house was originally built in 1915 for A.E. Bowman, and when completed its address was known as 5 Ann St. at the time. He’s listed in the 1919 City Directory as living in the house, his occupation is listed as “City Veterinarian”. The 1923 Directory lists Mr. Bowman as Chief Analyst of the Board of Health, but shows his residence as 828 Ouellette Ave.
What seems interesting is that was appears to be the second owner, Dr. J Wilbert Brien, Physician & Surgeon, converted 5 Ann St. into his office by 1922. Despite being built in 1915 as a residence, the building quickly became converted to commercial use.