An iconic Galt landmark is getting a facelift in advance of interior renovations that will transform the space to accommodate a mix of commercial units and offices.
Soon to be known as The Classic Shoe Building, the Ray Electric building at 20 Park Hill Road and Water Street North looks a little different these days as white paint now covers the weathered yellow brick of the tower bordered by Ainslie Street North.
It was purchased by Forge & Foster, a Hamilton-based real-estate developer, with plans to restore the building inside and out.
“We aim to preserve its character but also enhance its usability and functionality,” reads a description on the firm’s website.
Plans are also underway to create a “beautiful mural honouring the history of the building.”
Units will range from 750 square feet to 5,000 square feet and welcome a variety of uses.
Originally the Getty and Scott Shoe Co. Ltd. starting in 1904, the building has been home, at one end, to McNeil Auto Supply since the early ’70s with the ibowl.ca Family Fun Centre taking up the middle next to Ray Electric.
Ray Electric Limited moved into the building in the early ‘60s, soon after the province of Ontario approved the use of electrical heating systems in homes.
The black Ray Electric sign, handpainted with chunky white lettering, had been a fixture on the building ever since, even though the tower was occupied by several other businesses over the years, including MAS Academy of Martial Arts, Chung Oh’s Tae Kwon Do, Grand River Shotokan Karate, and Iron Oxide Design.
Ray Electric continues to operate in its first floor space.
