The federal government announced Friday it will spend $6 million to repair the exterior facade of the Paul Martin Building in downtown Windsor.
An engineering review of repair options estimated the cost for the building at 185 Ouellette Avenue.
Originally officials estimated repair costs of $19 million for the facade, but they apparently developed an equally effective methodology with a reduced cost.
“I am proud to announce this investment, which recognizes the building’s historical significance within the community,” said Public Works and Government Services Minister Diane Finley, in a news release.
The government says they plan on replacing spackled stone panels in situ and resealing the stone joints with a flexible synthetic compound. This method will reduce the total rehabilitation cost by 70 per cent.
The project will replace mortar between facade blocks, repair the spalled limestone facade and addressing the steel brackets that support the stone facade.
The tender for the project is expected to be posted in September 2015, with construction completed in the summer of 2016.
When construction is finished, the existing hoarding and protective mesh are expected to be removed.
