From The Windsor Star – October 20, 1972:
Rezoning for a major “health centre” including offices for doctors and dentists in a four-building complex, was approves by the Windsor Planning Board Thursday on the property formerly occupied by Auto Specialites Manufacturing Ltd. The project, proposed by a group of local doctors and dentists who will make their offices in the complex, was outlined to the planning board by solicitor Clifford Suts.
Mr. Suts said the group of medical practitioners would purchase the entire 10.7 acre site if the rezomng is approved. It is now held by Mushroom Investments Inc., a subsidiary of Marentette Brothers Ltd.
The proposals outlined Thursday are for four buildings ranging from one to three stories in height that would utilize about 5.4 acres in the site, fronting on Tecumseh Road, east of Howard Avenue.
In addition to offices for physicians, specialists, dentists, dental specialists and “social services”, the complex would also provide tor a restaurant or tavern, a bank, a pharmacy and other professional offices such as quarters for an accountant. The sile had been proposed for a shopping centre earlier this year but Mushroom withdrew that proposal in the face of considerable opposition from city officials.
The scheme proposed by Mr. Suts would have a two and a three storey building in the southeast corner of the property with a smaller building in the southeast corner of the property with a smaller building housing the restaurant-tavern and bank in a mall styled complex.
Immediately behind that would be parking for 217 cars and in front of it, parking for 30 cars.
Further back in the site, on the west side of the property, a two-storey office building would be constructed, with parking for 75 cars alongside and Behind it.
The remainder of the property. Mr. Suits told the board, would be reioned and developed lor “compatible uses” in the future. There is also provision in the long-range plan for an access lo the site from Howard Avenue, he said.
The lawyer said the developers were “extremely conscious of the aesthetic effect” of the health centre and would landscape it throughout, especially along the eastern limits of the land which abut residences on Marentette Avenue.
A five-foot earth berrn is proposed along that side and the present fence will be maintaired or replaced Mr. Suts assured.
Lawyer Hush Geddes also appeared on the rezoning application on behalf of River Mill Steel Ltd. 1730 Howard.
Mr. Geddes told the board that River Mill’s operation was “a noisy, dirty business” and the company wanted to be sure the board and the developers were aware of that in advance.
Mr. Geddes noted the entire area had been a manufacturing island and suggested that such land was not available in the city.
River Mill Steel was not objecting to the rezoning application the lawyer stressed, but he said they were concerned “that by continuing our present operation, we would become bad neighbors”
Planning Director Raymond Skelly admitted the property involved for the health centre was “a tricky site to deal with” since there was industry on one side of it and residences on the other.
He said he felt the proposal was “as good an idea as we can get” for the property.
Auto Specialties shut down, its Windsor plant earlier this year and the building was later purchased by Marentette Brothers and demolished.
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And the rip off of patients began, Parking the new avenue for an extra billing charge. You can't visit this facility anymore without having to shell out 3 bucks for 2 hours of parking even if you only need 20 minutes.
What did Auto Specialities do? Was it producing aftermarket parts, or OEM accessories?
At least the building was repurposed, rather than demolished like the plant, right?
Mike, there is always parking available on the residential streets east of it. I usually park a block or so up on Marentette. For $3+ I'll take the 2-3 minute walk.
JB, if I remember right AS made jacks for cars and trucks. Do
A search on here for it, Andrew covered it before.
This is where I spent alot of my youth. My pediatricion dr galawango
Was in the 700 building, and later I spent time running around the place
After school since my friends mother worked in the dentist office and my parents
Were at work. We practically had full run of the place. I specifically remember
The free plates of fries and gravy we'd get in the resturant in the basement......mmmn
I grew up in the 2200 block of Howard and I took wagonfuls of newspapers that I collected door to door to River Mill Steel fot pocket change. Beside them was the Coca-Cola plant which used to give tours and a film bio ending with free coke. The front of the Coke plant is still there as a church. At the very n/e corner of Howard and Tecumseh was the public works dept. which was surrounded by gorgeous rose gardens. This building became the AMC delership befote demolition for the 700 building. This also was the original site of the Windsor airport before Hiram Walkers donated the current land.