Ontario Construction News staff writer
Montreal-headquartered contractor and developer Broccolini says it has purchased of 622 acres of land, previously home to the Ford Saint Thomas Assembly Plant, in the southwestern Ontario community of Southwold. The plant closed in 2011. Broccolini said in a statement last Thursday that the vast tract of industrial land sits in an important transportation corridor for southern Ontario.
There is speculation that the site will be developed for an Amazon distribution centre.
“We are honoured and excited to take stewardship of this iconic industrial land, which for many decades was home to one of the largest automotive assembly plants in the country,” James Beach, Broccolini’s vice-president of real estate development, said in a statement.
“Broccolini intends to renew the area’s legacy by redeveloping these lands and introducing new uses that reflect the modern industrial real estate landscape. This will bring significant and sustained employment opportunities back to the Township of Southwold and Elgin County.”
The former auto plant was torn down in the middle part of the last decade and the site was listed for sale in 2015-6 for $22.75 million.
While specific uses have yet to be confirmed, Broccolini has begun preparatory work, including grading and soil decontamination, to ensure the land is prepared for immediate redevelopment.
“The Township of Southwold is pleased to welcome Broccolini to our community and is excited by the many opportunities they bring to the site. The sale of the property is the culmination of tireless work by our dedicated team, in particular our Chief Administrative Officer and Chief Building Official, and was only possible thanks to the incredible support of our partners at Elgin County and MPP Yurek’s office,” said Grant Jones, Mayor of the Township of Southwold.
“Broccolini’s purchase of the Ford property is exciting news,” Thomas said in a statement. “Their innovative reputation and wealth of experience in the development of large industrial sites is the perfect fit for Talbotville, and their approach to construction is well supported by our outstanding staff.”
The London Free Press on July 2 speculated the land may be redeveloped to become an Amazon distribution centre. Broccolini has worked with Amazon on other projects in Ontario.
The newspaper quoted Amazon Canada spokesperson Vanessa Pontes as saying she couldn’t yet comment on “any specific operation plans in Talbotville.”
“Stay tuned,” she said in an emailed statement, declining to provide further details about whether Amazon had been involved in the site purchase.
“I think you’re going to see a real boost to the regional economy because of this,” said former London city controller Gord Hume. “And it’s going to come in a variety of different ways. It will come in housing, it will come in spinoff businesses, it’ll come in little mom and pop operations. Coffee shops, restaurants, and everything else. So, I think we should be very welcoming of Amazon in this case.”