Sandwich Town 'business district' now has no vacancies as city announces major sewer project

Sandwiched between two major bridge projects, the city's west-end has seen an abundance of boarded-up homes and businesses while politicians grappled over the fate of the area.

But recently, the opening of a small sandwich shop on Sandwich Street has become somewhat of a crowning jewel for the area. 

That's because Sandwich Town now has no business vacancies on its main road. 

"[The shop] occupied the last vacant storefront on our main street in our business district," said Ward 2 Coun. Fabio Costante, explaining that district is the slice of Sandwich Street between Detroit Street and Brock Avenue. 

"And so what we've seen over the last few years — a few businesses change hands, and we've seen a few businesses occupy vacant storefront spaces, which is wonderful to see."

The newest addition is S&K Sandwich & Kabsa hub, owned by Abdul Ahad, who moved to the Sandwich area when he first arrived in Canada five years ago. He attended the University of Windsor and works as an engineer. 

"It's a family business," said Ahad, who opened the shop in late September. 

"We are not like too busy, but we are getting busier ... we are getting a good response. If you consider the pandemic and everything, so I'll say it's not bad. It's good."

What's worth noting, says Costante, is the variety of business establishments in that area — like a brewery, skate shop, and construction office which is currently under construction. A new Dollarama also took the spot of a long-empty grocery store.

Costante credits the hard work of business owners for their resiliency in the area, especially during COVID-19. 

"I think about those entrepreneurs and those small business owners who really believed in the vision of Sandwich through thick and thin," he said. "To me, those are folks who have been catalysts for realizing the growth in the business community on Sandwich. And then, of course, others who thought this is a good opportunity to put out there a business that maybe is needed right now. "

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The visibility of being on that main street is a plus for entrepreneurs, says Costante, who also noted the low rental costs as being an incentive for new businesses. 

But, a few major projects that the councillor was looking forward to are now on shaky ground possibly due to the pandemic, including a planned residential-commercial building which the city has not received an application for yet. 

Costante said that unit would bring more residents to the neighbourhood, potentially attracting a grocery store or financial institution he thinks the area needs. 

Major construction on its way

On Thursday, the City of Windsor announced a multi-million dollar infrastructure project in Sandwich Town which will see sewer improvements and major road work in that area Costante calls the "business district."

"It's going to be a transformational project because it's not just a road replacement or a sewer replacement, we're going to change the way the road is designed to better active transportation standards," Costante told CBC News.  

"And so that that should encourage much more activity on the street than we currently have now, which is going to be a boon for our businesses.

Though optimistic, Costante said key partners are planning ahead for what this may mean for businesses. 

"As part of the Business Improvement Association, we're working diligently to not just focus on our business community, but to actually double down and make sizeable investments in marketing Sandwich Town, in bringing along a staff co-ordinator to really pump up and boost up the area to to the surrounding neighbourhoods, but also to the region as a whole." 

For Ahad, he sees the project as both good and bad for his business. 

"It's a mixed feelings. If they rip up this street and other things that's kind of a downside," he said. "There is an upside because if there is a lot of construction going on, there should be a lot of people coming around. It means a lot of other business."

Construction is expected to take about two years, but work will be done in phases said Costante. The city said it will not be as disruptive, using new methods to not disturb the roadways. That work begins this month. 

"If anyone knows anything about the West End and its people, they know that they're resilient, that they're fighters, that they're that it's a community that has long known its challenges and has overcome them year over year, time over time," said Costante.