Windsor west MP Brian Masse says something needs to be done to get the University of Windsor into the Paul Martin Building.
AM800 News has learned the university has notified the city, federal and provincial governments that it will no longer pursue the downtown building as a potential new location for its law school.
The university cites a lack of financial support from the province and the uncertainty of repairs done to the exterior of the building.
Colonial Building Restoration, out of Scarborough, began the work to restore the facade back in April 2016 and finished the work earlier this year.
Masse says the $3-million worth of repairs clearly weren't enough to make the project viable for the university.
"The building fix that they had was basically putting lipstick on a pig and in the short term requiring far more extensive work. It's something that's really going to make it a difficult thing to rehabilitate."
He says the current government should have a vested interest in continuing Paul Martin Sr.'s legacy through the historic building.
"The reality of the building challenges are substantial because of the derelict condition that it's in and the lack of partnership for investment. Ironically, it actually should qualify for support and assistance that's fairly robust given that we're doing infrastructure program building."
The Paul Martin Building on the corner of Ouellette Ave. and Pitt St. in downtown Windsor on Tuesday Jan. 24 2017. (Photo by AM800's Gord Bacon)
Masse adds, the university has to do what makes sense financially, but he's still hopeful all parties can work something out to keep the project alive.
"I would suggest that of the signal from University of Windsor is indicative of, not the value of what it could be, but challenges of how to get there and hopefully the province, the city, and the federal government will find a way to do so because I think it's in their best interest at the end of the day as opposed to a boarded up building."
In 2014, safety concerns were raised by Revenue Canada workers about exterior pieces of the building falling down.
The federal government sold the building to the city for one dollar.