Perhaps better known in recent times as the former home of The Edge lounge, the building was completed in 1950. Mayor Sandra Snow said that although the building has incurred a lot of superficial damages and may not appear aesthetically pleasing on the surface, it remains a great example of period architecture and is part of the town’s built heritage.
“If you look at the building from an architectural perspective, you have to look at the curves and the beauty of the 1950’s architecture,” Snow said. “It doesn’t look like much from down here but once you’re upstairs and you’re looking out those windows, the view that you see really is quite lovely.”
The town purchased the building on Aug. 15 with the intent to put the property up for sale once structural and environmental assessments are completed. The property cost $170,000 and the assessments, costing $30,000, have been contracted to CDCL. The purchase was originally paid for from the town’s capital bank account, to be replaced through a temporary borrowing resolution for $200,000.
The storefront windows on street level are boarded over but have been painted to beautify the façade as much as possible. The building is made mainly from steel and brick.
“In reality, steel and brick can withstand the test of time,” Snow said.
There used to be black glass tile that went all the way around the structure’s exterior. It’s still evident on the east side.
“It just had a really nice cosmopolitan look to this building,” Snow said. “It would have really been a showpiece for this corner of town.”
She said, “Everybody has their story about the building” and it still holds great potential. They’ve had five interested parties come in and look at it to date. However, the fate of the F.W. Robinson building will depend largely on the outcome of the assessments, which are nearing completion.
If it’s structurally sound, Snow said it’s just a matter of repurposing it. Once the site is cleaned up a bit, expressions of interest will be sought.
With the town purchasing the building prior to Snow being elected mayor, she couldn’t comment on the thought process of the previous council. However, many people feel the building has become “an eyesore” and that something must be done with it.
Snow points out that the town got the building for a great price and it’s important to Kentville to have a hand in what happens to it, considering it’s in the centre of town.
“We’re hoping for that young entrepreneur to come in and say ‘what if’,” Snow said.
She said the building has “quite a footprint” with three usable floors. Chief administrative officer Mark Phillips said the building is 26,000 square feet, with 10,000 in the basement, 10,000 on the main street level and 6,000 on the upper level.
Did you know?
- The F.W. Robinson building was a car dealership when first built. Snow said there used to be a lift that moved cars from street level down to the basement. The lift is still in town, in the Workplace Essentials building.
- More recently, The Edge lounge was located in the basement. There was a pizza parlour on street level.
- Other uses over the years included a Sears store, a print shop and a karate dojo.
- Phillips said the process had begun to renovate the building into a boarding facility but the plan wasn’t carried through to fruition.
- The town has been using part of the building for storage and for building Pumpkin People displays.
