The former Army & Navy department store in Old Strathcona will soon have new life as a new owner takes over the building.
Leder Investments purchased the property on 104 Street and Whyte Avenue last summer for $2 million and plans to split up the large space for multiple smaller businesses.
VP of real estate Kevin Petterson says the main objective of the project is to maintain the heritage of the building while also accommodating smaller tenants.
“We’re exposing some of the character brick, we’re trying to maintain the exterior look as well like with the large cladding above and the original brick up top,” Petterson told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday.
“We’re going to be adding some new brick columns to sort of accentuate it to feel more charming.”
The building has been closed for four years, aside from the occasional winter market. The new name of the space, “A & N Exchange,” pays homage to its former tenant of nearly a century.
“I hope it becomes something that Edmontonians can be proud of.”
Petterson says old signs that hung inside and outside the building will have a new home somewhere in the renovations.
As for the tenants that will make the building home, Petterson says some food groups have already shown interest and is excited to see what other businesses put their names forward.
“We want it to be a social hub for the community so food is typically a part of that, entertainment is a part of that so those are the sort of things we’re looking for,” Petterson added.
Plans for the basement have yet to be decided, but with 15,000 square feet to work with, there’s plenty of room for creative ideas. The idea of a rooftop patio is also in the works.
The entire project is expected to be completed within a year.
With files from CTV Edmonton’s Nav Sangha and Connor Hogg
