Former Windsor school site listed for $4M draws city hall interest

A decrepit old elementary school now up for sale, should Windsor buy it?

A large west-end property listed for $4 million is drawing interest at city hall as officials consider whether it could play a role in addressing local housing needs.

The former Benson Public School site at 1542–1556 Wyandotte St. W. in Windsor is currently up for sale as a vacant development parcel, located less than a kilometre from the University of Windsor.

Councillor Frazier Fathers says he has asked city administration to report back on the feasibility of purchasing the property and adding it to the municipality’s “Housing Solutions Made for Windsor” portfolio.

In a post on social media, Fathers said council supported the request, calling the site a “strategic property on an important corridor in West Windsor.”

“This does not mean we will buy it,” Fathers wrote. “There are lots of things that could happen, but it does mean that there is movement … This is a start of a conversation about this building and neighbourhood.”

The listing describes the property as a large, institutionally zoned parcel with frontage on multiple streets, offering significant redevelopment potential in a residential area near the university.

The city has been working to expand its housing supply through a mix of partnerships and land acquisitions under its Housing Solutions strategy, aimed at increasing the availability of affordable and attainable units.

No timeline has been given for when administration will report back to council.