Windsor's Downtown Mission has set a closing date for the sale of it's location at 664 Victoria Ave.
On Friday, Executive Director Ron Dunn says the mission will need to vacate the first and second floor of the building by July 30 after completing the $900,000 sale.
Dunn says administrative staff will move to the former Central Branch of the Windsor Public Library — the mission's services will continue at its remaining buildings in the city's core.
He says the focus will now turn to a new $7.2-million facility on McDougall Street and Shepherd Street if the city approves a zoning change for the property.
"Some city councillors have indicated they will support it once it gets to them, but we're just not there yet," he says. "Our first choice is McDougall Street and Shepherd Street, then we obviously have to fundraise and get through the city administrative part, but there are a number of people who have indicated they're interested in helping us."
The property already owned by the mission on Ouellette Avenue and Elliott Street won't need zoning changes, but Dunn says residents have made it clear they want the new mission elsewhere.
He says residents have expressed support for the McDougall Street location as surrounding properties are predominantly a commercial-industrial mix with less residential.
Ouellette Avenue may be the only option if a zoning change falls through on McDougall Street.
"Having learned that lesson, we are working hard to get to McDougall and Shepherd Street. Failing that, our fall back plan is Ouellette Avenue and Elliott Street," he says. "We will do that if in the next three months or so we can't finalize the process and get through the fundraising, then we'll have to make other decisions."
Dunn says the mission will consolidate existing services and add transitional housing once the new location is settled.
He says the sale of the mission's existing properties will raise a total of $2.5-million. The remaining cash for the new building will need to be raised.
Dunn says the cost of building materials has skyrocketed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and could change the fundraising goal.