A new commercial development is on the drawing board in Point Edward.
Life-long village resident and businessman Stephen Jay, who along with his wife Heather operated Wilson's Hardware for 35 years, has begun construction on a 2,700 sq ft single-story building just west of Monk St.
He hopes to attract retail and commercial stores to the Michigan Ave. location.
"The proposed development I've seen south and under the bridge and what the Casino is proposing, I think the timing is right," says Jay. "It's going to be a little time in coming but if we don't start now we won't draw people from outside the area into the area. I think there's long term potential."
He hopes to have phase one completed by years end and begin work on an adjoining 3,700 sq ft building on empty land west of Monk St. sometime next year.
Jay says he's already had inquiries on leasing the new space in the one-storey building that will be fully accessible.
The municipality hopes to put the property formerly occupied by the Bridge Tavern up for sale in early 2018.
It was torn down last year with the village owed at least three years back taxes.
As of yet, there are no plans for the privately owned former Balmoral Hotel which closed in 2010.
