Lisa Vezeau-Allen is planning new stuff that’s Good4Gore

A vacant lot that taxpayers paid an arm and a leg to clear three years ago is to be sold to host garden beds and a patio for Coun. Lisa Vezeau-Allen's Grocer 4 Good Ability Development Program. 

149 Gore St. is the former address of T&T Pawnbrokers.

A century-old building there was demolished by the city in 2021 after it was declared dangerous in April of that year.

Both the roof and floor had collapsed, a situation aggravated by the fact that 149 Gore was physically attached to neighbouring buildings on either side.

A structural engineer determined it was unsafe for anyone to enter the building and the city reluctantly agreed to pay as much as $400,000 to demolish it for safety and liability reasons.

The city has tried twice to unload the property by tax sale, without success.

Marc Muto and Carmen Muto Plumbing & Heating Inc. have now convinced the city to allow them to purchase the now-vacant lot for a so-far undisclosed price.

Muto, who owns the former Club Princess at 163 Gore, is planning to allow Grocer 4 Good use the vacant lot "to install garden beds to provide food security and support their Monday Meals and other programs with a patio and green space," a city lawyer said.

When the sale of the lot to Muto was approved by city council two weeks ago, Ward 2 Coun. Vezeau-Allen didn't vote or discuss the matter because she is board president and founder of Grocer 4 Good.

She tells SooToday she will disclose further details "as soon as we have a plan with the Mutos and a deal is complete."