Belle Vue Manor redevelopment proposal shelved by Amherstburg council

Officials in Amherstburg are looking for a visionary developer to breathe new life into the Belle Vue National Historic Site. Pictured in Amherstburg, Ont. on Thursday, June 15, 2023. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

Amherstburg council has decided not to move forward with a proposal to redevelop the historic Belle Vue Manor.

The town acquired the manor and 16-acre property about a decade ago but were been unable to secure grants needed to restore it.

Council approved in fall 2024 to proceed with negotiations with Amico Properties and the Loop family on a redevelopment plan, but those talks have now ended.

The proposal would have seen the manor restored and converted into a hotel and event space, alongside about 52 semi-detached homes on the property.

The matter was decided in closed session.

Speaking on AM800’s The Kyle Horner Show, deputy mayor Chris Gibb said rising costs and changing market conditions caused the proposal to stall.

“The whole deal hinged on Amico-Loop being able to generate enough profit to also cover the cost of renovations of the historic Belle Vue Manor,” he said.

“With the housing market that has changed substantially since that deal was struck, the questions around our local economy, tariffs and all those things, in my opinion, the deal just stalled.”

He said he strongly supported the plan and saw it as the best reuse option for the heritage property.

“I loved the proposal. I thought it was a great reuse. I am a big fan of adaptive reuse of heritage buildings,” said Gibb.

“Amherstburg is a heritage town. We work very hard to maintain that heritage, and I think this was the best option so far in restoring that building. It’s unfortunate that it didn’t happen. I’m proud that we got it as far as we did.”

Gibb rejected claims council was simply deferring the issue and said this term of council got closer than any before it.

“I don’t see it that way. I think this council showed great leadership in actually developing a plan,” he said.

“Since the town bought that property there’s really been no action, and we got closer than any other council. It’s unfortunate that market conditions and timing have derailed it.”

AM800 News has reached out to Amico Properties for comment.