This Past Weekend (THE DOWNTOWN FACTOR)

This Past Weekend (THE DOWNTOWN FACTOR) By Theresa Grant Real Estate Columnist This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the new food hall on King Street here in Oshawa. Market at 70 king is what it’s called. They were advertising a few weeks back for vendors for their Christmas on King Street event and I decided to rent a table. What a great decision that was. At the time, I knew very little about the venue other than it had once been home to the Genosha Hotel. What a grand spectacle it was when it opened its doors on December 5th, 1929. Soon to be overshadowed by the great depression, the Genosha went on to host dignitaries and celebrities from around the world and take its rightful place in history. Over the years the Genosha changed ownership a few times and eventually fell into disrepair. In 2003 with all the glitter that once was completely gone, the hotel closed its doors for good. The structure sat empty and declining for 14 years until it was purchased by a group of people with a vision. Strategically and methodically the vision came to life. First up was the complete renovation of what used to be the hotel rooms which have been transformed into luxury apartments. Then the complete restoration of the main floor which is now the food hall. The food hall is quite something. It is a smattering of unique owner run restaurants with the exception of Church’s Chicken. They offer a variety of food from Sushi to Greek, Italian and Filipino. There is a sweet shop serving coffee and ice cream along with a few other gems. The absolute stand out for me was the Lobby Bar. The lobby bar faces King Street and is done up in a style and theme that evokes memories of the roaring 20’s through the fabulous forties. They offer a high tea service, which is a very popular thing in Durham Region. They also have happy hour, lunch, and some wonderful specialties. The entire building is steeped in history and pays homage to that. It was a real treat to spend the weekend so close to home yet feel as though I could be in old Montreal or Ney York City back in the day. I am grateful for this brilliant team of people who have come together with such an amazing vision. Downtown Oshawa certainly deserves it! I, along with many others, look forward to seeing what will take place next at this grand old building. There is parking behind the building itself along with street parking on King and Bond and Mary. When you drive by the building you will see it all lit up with beautiful lights. Take that as your personal invitation to take a moment to step through the doors and back in time to a glamorous world of art and entertainment. Soak it in and enjoy a drink or a fabulous meal. You won’t be disappointed.