A Windsor city councillor is thrilled the city purchased a former school in Sandwich Town.
Speaking on AM800's Mornings with Mike & Meg, ward 2 city councillor Fabio Costante says the city recently bought the former St. Michael's Adult Catholic High School on Detroit Street from the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board.
He says the intent of the purchase is to build much needed housing including affordable housing.
Costante says the former school is in a wonderful spot.
"Procedurally when school boards dispose of property they have to by law offer it to the local municipality at fair market value and so that's what happened and I'm grateful that city council and the mayor agreed to acquire the property," says Costante.
He says the property is now in the queue for housing developments.
Costante says the city will eventually accept proposals from private sector developers.
"I hope that we see it out to the public this year and we see some really good proposals to build more housing," says Costante.
He says there are many schools in his ward that closed and have been purchased by the private sector.
Costante says many have been left largely vacant contributing to urban blight and nuisance.
He says the purchase now gives the city control of the parcel and ensures it goes to a 'public good' which is housing.
The city bought the school for roughly $1.5-million.