By Katie Strachan and Lindsey Cole
The Oshawa Express
Changing the face of Oshawa’s downtown one building at a time.
The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) signed a 30-year lease agreement for the use of the Alger Press Building Monday, adding a chapter to the legacy of another Oshawa historical building.
The university announced in November it had purchased the Regent Theatre, another prominent historical building in downtown Oshawa.
Now, the institution has purchased the Alger Press Building, on Charles Street. It will be completely renovated and refurbished by the property owner, LPF Realty Inc.
The university, which has expanded significantly since its first class in 2003, will use the building for the Faculty of Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies, says a release from the university.
With UOIT already committed to leasing classroom, student, office and lab space in a 30,000-suqare-foot, five-storey building being built at 55 Bond Street, the two sites will ensure the university will be able to provide all the services, space and other staff and student needs.
“It is our desire that we deliver what the city wants,” says Matt Milovick of UOIT, who recently announced the school’s plan to the Development Services Committee.
The Faculty of Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies currently has more than 1,000 participating students and is quickly growing, the university says.
“We are very excited about the opportunity for our students to move into a newly renovated Alger building and that it will partner with the Bond Street facility to provide the services and supports that are essential to preparing the dynamic leaders with the skills to make a difference in the workforce of tomorrow,” says Dr. Ronald Bordessa, president of UOIT.
“Because of the many advantages it offers, establishing a strong university presence in the downtown core is becoming increasingly common across Canada and the U.S. For the Faculty of Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies that means our students will have state-of-the-art media and psychology labs, convenient access to professional and social service providers and be near the new consolidated courthouse, all of which will enhance their program and studies.”
Once renovated, the Alger Press Building will include both classrooms and lecture halls, office space, study areas for students, student services, a café, a library dedicated to the faculty’s diverse programs and common areas for both staff and students.
It is located directly to the north of the Regent Theatre, which is currently undergoing renovations and refurbishments to better suit the university’s needs.
The theatre’s renovation will be completed and reopen near the end of the year as a large lecture theatre, the university says. It will also be rented out to the community for events and other activities.
Recently, the Ontario Philharmonic, formally known as the Oshawa-Durham Symphony Orchestra, announced it will be conducting their 2010 concert series at the theatre, bringing performances back to Oshawa from Scarborough.
“The facility is not in a way that we’d like to publicly present it,” Milovick says about the theatre’s current state.
There will also be an urban park on Victoria Street next to the Regent where students can study or shop at a farmer’s market. There may even be space for a performance stage, Milovick says, adding it will be like “Regent Square.”
The retrofit to the Alger Press Building will be carried out over 87,000 square feet and will include upgrades to mechanical systems to ensure energy efficiency, electrical work, accessibility and a number of other modifications. It will be ready for occupancy by September 2010, the release says. |
