Western University is taking a big step forward in establishing a new presence in downtown London, Ont., with the $7.3-million purchase of a property on Talbot Street between Queens Avenue and Carling Street.
The Greene-Swift Building, built in 1906, currently houses Harrison Pensa LLP, which will be relocating to the Dufferin Corporate Centre next spring.
In a statement, Western president Alan Shepard expressed excitement about the potential to strengthen the university’s partnership with the City of London through the project, potentially using some of the space for galleries and concerts as well as for courses and lectures.
Officials say that the building was chosen following a three-year search of “multiple properties in the downtown core.”
“Its proximity to local restaurants, the Covent Garden Market, Budweiser Gardens and the main downtown business district, makes the site an ideal location for Western students to experience other parts of the city,” the statement adds.
The purchase aligns with Western’s strategic plan, which includes establishing a new presence in the downtown and working with local leaders to define the space’s purpose.