After sitting empty since 2011, the City of Barrie is looking for tenants to set-up shop in the Allandale Train Station but it could be some time before its open to the public.
It may not look like it from the inside but the Allandale Train Station is now finally ready for tenants.
“It’s pretty raw on the inside. We’ve kept it at base restoration but on the outside it looks exactly like it did when it was built,” says Barrie City Councillor John Brassard.
The city kept the inside of the train station unfinished so when tenants lease the space, they can design and decorate the way they see fit. Now the city just needs to find someone to move in.
“We are starting an RFP process and that process will lead to hiring a professional real estate professional that will guide the city on what we can do in terms of leasing,” added Brassard.
Restoring the train station has been a four year and $10 million process and the city wants to make sure they find the right tenants for the space.
“Part of the development plan is to make this a real gathering place and so the type of tenants we’re looking for will add to that, add to the experience,” says Brassard.
And while council is now moving forward with trying to find someone to move into this space, the city faces a multi-million dollar lawsuit filed in 2011 by Correct Group Inc., a company suing the city for breach of contract and bad faith bargaining after development talks broke down. Despite the lawsuit, the city is moving forward – hoping a real estate broker can help council determine the best use for this space.
The city hopes to hire a real estate broker by June but in terms of when this building will be open to the public that all depends on what tenants move in and how much they need to do to the space.
