City’s vacant commercial buildings need revival

That didn’t take too long. As reported, the former Sears building in Charlottetown is being bought and plans are in place to turn it into more retail. This is good news since the city needs more retail options, whatever they may be.

But the really good news is that Charlottetown doesn’t have another vacant commercial building that was once home to a well-known business.

Now, it’s time to turn our attention to other high-profile vacant properties, including the former Peter Pan restaurant on the corner of University Avenue and Capital Drive and the former Irving Oil “Tower” gas station on the corner of Euston and Queen streets.

The Peter Pan restaurant has been closed since 2013. At that time, there was speculation that the building was going to be torn down and a strip mall built in its place. But the strip mall never materialized, and the building has been vacant ever since.

The owners didn’t remove the restaurant’s sign, so it doesn’t look as vacant or abandoned as it might otherwise. But leaving the sign up could confuse tourists with outdated information trying to pull into the parking lot looking to buy a burger basket. Who knows? It might have happened.

This summer, The Guardian contacted Peter Pan’s Yellowknife-based owner – T.E. Holdings Ltd. In a very short phone call, a spokesperson said there were no plans for redevelopment, but they’re keeping their options open.

Really? It’s been five years. What are they waiting for?

At least Myron’s has found a new lease on life with the recent acquisition by Richard Homburg. It’s nice to see renovations underway as the former nightclub, which itself sat vacant for 12 years, is converted into a 105-room discount hotel.

The Irving tower or castle, which has also been a car rental place, likely has fewer options for redevelopment because of its heritage value. But it is still something that people walk by and wonder what the heck is the plan. Is it going to sit there vacant until it deteriorates to the point that it has to be torn down anyway?

What a waste.

As with the Peter Pan restaurant, it doesn’t seem like anyone really cares to the point of doing something.

What’s sad is that people usually only start to care after a property is vandalized or beyond repair. Then everyone is up in arms about doing something and preserving the history of these once admired structures.

Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Maybe it’s time for a local developer or government to acquire Peter Pan from its Yellowknife owners and stop it from wasting away and continuing as a “remember when” place.