Tara Jeffrey
Rakesh Gupta says Sarnia’s historic SCITS site is exactly what he’s been looking for.
“When we identified Sarnia as a potential location to focus our latest project, this property came up for sale,” the Toronto-area developer told The Journal. “It just so happens that the timing was right for us.
“The building itself is magnificent.”
Gupta announced last week that he’d entered an agreement with the Lambton Kent District School Board to purchase the former Sarnia Collegiate Institute and Technical School (SCITS) property at 275 Wellington St., noting plans to seek approval for commercial, daycare, and residential uses.
“With prices in the GTA so high, and more people being able to work from home — or anywhere — we’re shifting our focus to Sarnia,” Gupta said. “It’s an economically active place with the refineries, it’s close to the border, and a beautiful city near Lake Huron.
He pointed to the need for more health-related services in the central-Sarnia neighbourhood, and hopes to fill that void, along with childcare services, and potentially job training facilities.
“We’re looking at groups like medical offices, walk-in-clinics, physiotherapy, pharmacies — things like that. We’re also looking to start a childcare centre for the community kids to play and grow and learn with their friends; and this is a wonderful property, I think, for that.”
The project team, which includes Monteith Brown Planning Consultants, Nicholson Sheffield Architects and Bayview Design Group, says its initial focus is on “facilitating the adaptive re-use of the existing school building in a manner that is sensitive to its history on the site, its important role in the community and the surrounding neighbourhood context.”
Sarnia councillor and Mitton Village advisory committee member Brian White says the news is a big boost for the area.
“The impending closure of this building was one of the prime reasons our committee was formed,” he said. “It put Mitton Village in a situation where there was no choice but to organize and push for re-visioning.
“Addressing critical needs, such as housing and community services would be major wins.”
The area has seen ‘fantastic growth’ over the past two years, said business owner and committee member Chrissy McRoberts, co-owner of Dog Eat Dog.
“Our residents are seeing new businesses and events popping up which is creating a healthy community of friends and families.”
The school board received multiple offers for the 100-year-old school building and 9.2 acres it occupies. The City of Sarnia and the County of Lambton discussed the possibility of developing the building for multiple uses but did not submit an offer, said Sarnia CAO Chris Carter.
Vision Nursing & Rest Home, located across the street from the vacant school, also made an offer that wasn’t accepted.
“These things take time but we want to get moving as fast as we can so the building isn’t sitting vacant,” said Gupta.
“I think people are happy we are here, and that we’re going to help revitalize the area.
“We recognize how important the SCITS building has been to the fabric of your community, and we want to make sure that it continues to make positive contributions in a meaningful way over the long-term."