Former Genosha could be up for national heritage award

By Dave Flaherty/The Oshawa Express

A recently transformed historic building in Oshawa could be nominated for a National Trust Heritage Award.

Heritage Oshawa has recommended the former Genosha Hotel, known now as 70 King, a development of 86 luxury apartments and 11,000 sq. ft. of commercial ground space, for the award.

Before the redevelopment, the former hotel was designated under the Ontario Heritage Act in 2005.

According to a report from Heritage Oshawa given to the development services committee, the building is architecturally notable for its Chicago Style design.

This design is articulated with Art Deco influences on the commercial street-level section outlined with concrete and limestone cladding, an intermediate section with buff brick-clad walls with grid-like windows, and the roof-level section capped with cornices and parapets.

Built in 1929, the Genosha Hotel was a popular destination for travelers as Oshawa’s retail and commercial downtown was emerging.

Over the years, the building went through several different owners, eventually becoming an entertainment hub which drew performers such as Rush and Burton Cummings.

By the 1980s, the hotel was placed in receivership and stood vacant for almost two decades.

Throughout the late 2000s and 2010s, there were several attempts to revitalize the building, but they all fell by the wayside for a variety of reasons.

The National Trust of Canada is a national charitable not-for-profit heritage organization.

Its annual awards recognize projects, organizations, historic sites, and communities.

Heritage Oshawa suggested the former hotel be nominated under the “Transformative Project” category.

This category includes projects completed between 2016 and 2019 that have creatively renewed or transformed historic places or landscapes for new or traditional uses.

The nomination still requires approval from city council.