Friday, September 11, 2009

New plans on Booth Street




Shown is the old Desjardins IGA/Loeb Booth Street, located just a few metres south of where Booth crosses Somerset.
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The building has been vacant for several years. Attempts to find a new grocer have failed. A government funded study on installing a food coop floundered. The building has a typical industrial facade, but behind the facade I hear there are several old houses joined together. The result is uneven and shifting floors bridging stone foundations.
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Thirty years ago Desjardins had the current Loblaws marketing plan in place. There were grocieries, and furniture, a hardware aisle, and upstairs a baby furniture department (remember when this Dalhousie neighborhood had kids? they are pretty scarce now...).
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While the "for sale" signs are posted outside, I hear that it will shortly be demolished to permit the construction of a 40 unit apartment building for seniors. This is good news. It removes one of the uglier underused parts of the street and replaces it with something new and vital.
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The Z6 condo building now under construction a few blocks south will add a jolt of fashion and style to the streetscape. Now, if only Domicile or someone would replace Chado's/Cousin Eddey's garage, the biggest eyesore of all, just a few blocks further south, then Booth could resume its role as a respectable street in our Dalhousie neighborhood.

3 comments:

  1. stay tuned - the garage will be redeveloped soon.

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  2. Ohh ... tell me more !
    Hints, even!
    -Eric

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  3. I'm sorry to hear that won't be a new supermarket there. It's a pity none of the supermarket chains was prepared to redevelop that location. I generally drive over to Loblaws on Isabella or the Loeb in the Glebe, but it was convenient having a supermarket within walking distance. One could walk up Booth to buy Indian groceries at Nasa and then buy a few essentials from the Loeb, rather than going to a convenience store. Of course this will be even worse for people in the neighbourhood who don't drive. It's terrible to have a neighbourhood without a supermarket! I must say I too would be pleased if Booth could be rid of Cousin Edy's....

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