A break for Bud's building?

 

Cento Commercial Inc. has purchased what some of us old-timers still call the "Bud Gowan building" at 387 Clarence Street. Starting in November 2026, they say they'll convert the structure into 12 apartments upstairs with a commercial space on the main floor. The renovation will cost about $2 million, but Cento has apparently completed many projects around Ontario. There's a good chance they'll get it done.  

It's about time this building was fixed up. Way back in 2012, I reported on John Fyfe-Millar's attempt at rejuvenating the structure. In 2017, lawyer Ian Jonstone purchased the building, hoping to turn it into a boutique hotel. Neither project gathered steam. 

Built in 1892 as the Featherbone Corset Company, this yellow-brick Victorian once had a theatre next to it, which became an Arcade, which was torn down to become a parking lot. The result is a gaunt, free-standing tower that looks a bit lost without neighbours.

In the 1970s, the old factory was taken over by Bud Gowan, who operated one of London's premier antique stores there until 2012. Mr. Gowan added ornamental wooden spindles and a stained-glass church window to add a touch of class. Not to mention his iconic mural on the south side, which Cento plans to preserve:

Bud Gowan's iconic mural at 387 Clarence Street.

I wouldn't mind if they also preserved the "ghost sign" on the north side: 

The battle-scarred north side.

This is great stuff. Not only do we need housing, but, as I've said before, it makes perfect sense to recycle vacant buildings into residential units. If this works out, maybe Cento will renovate a few more! Let's keep our fingers crossed. Downtown could use a break.