True Fitness owner Luis Mendez wants another shot at setting up a second location of his fitness club at the downtown Pelissier St. parking garage.
Mendez submitted an offer on September 2 to use the commercial space on the ground floor of the parking garage, but says he didn't hear back from the city until council made a decision to convert the space into more parking spaces.
"I was just feeling a little disappointed that I didn't hear anything back. In fact, the day that they announced they were doing the parking garage was actually the day I received a letter," says Mendez. "It was just an initial offer and I was hoping that there would be some dialogue, counter-offers."
True Fitness owner Luis Mendez (right) alongside chair of the Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association Larry Horwitz seen together on November 25, 2016. (Photo by Ricardo Veneza)
As part of council's decision, current tenants of the commercial space will have to leave before the $500,000 conversion takes place.
The Downtown Windsor Business Improvement Association is contesting council's decision, arguing the vote, done in closed session, should have been carried out in public.
DWBIA Chair Larry Horwitz feels the fitness club would be a perfect fit for the downtown.
"People are not coming downtown to look for parking spots. They're coming downtown for interests, for great services that can take care of them; that's why they live downtown and that's why the move downtown," says Horwitz.
Mendez feels his business — currently with one location on Tecumseh Rd. E near Pillette Rd. — can be a force in the downtown revitalization movement. He has a new offer ready for the city.
According to Horwitz, there are more prospective tenants ready to submit proposals to use the commercial space at the downtown parking garage.
There's a special meeting set up for Monday at City Hall starting at 6pm to review the Pelissier St. parking garage situation.