Visitors GuideSt. John's City Hall is expanding and the city has bought a row of buildings on New Gower Street to accommodate it. The City recently purchased the properties between Adelaide and Queen streets, including the former Conway Computers, Gosse's Tavern and the Dogs Rugby Club sites.
An agreement to purchase the former Newfoundland Stamps, Coins, Documents shop has also been reached. The small patch of open space on the corner of New Gower and Queen streets already belong to the city.
Assessments moving to former computer store.
While the old tavern and coin shop will be torn down and the lots turned into green space, the computer store will be renovated to make room for the city's assessments department, currently located in the city's annex building on Adelaide Street.
The Traffic Enforcement division, which is on the first floor of the same building but cramped for space, will expand to the second floor. The rugby club building will remain empty for now.
"We believe that has the potential for future office space, but we don't have any particular city offices going there at the present," said city solicitor Ron Penney. "The main reason is to have that land banked for future possible expansion."
Coun. Art Puddister said the idea to purchase the properties came from city staff. "It made a lot of sense," he said. "They're on New Gower Street and close to City Hall, so it's an ideal fit."
The city already had the funds available to buy the buildings, thanks to a stand-alone fund established for that purpose. "We have a special fund at city hall, when we buy property and sell property, and it kind of stands alone," Puddister explained. "If we have a piece of land and we decide to sell it to a developer, we sell it at fair market value and (the money) goes into a self-supporting fund."
Excerpt The Telegram, Thursday, February 7, 2008 by Tara Mullowney
