By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Don’t confuse the Downtown Chatham Centre with one hundred KING.
That’s the temporary name a group of private developers have chosen for a multi-million-dollar initiative designed to rejuvenate Chatham’s downtown mall.
The group, represented by Ron Nydam and Jessica Myers, unveiled the official renderings of the project July 15, aiming to transform the 220,000-square-foot space into a bustling hub of shopping, dining, entertainment and living.
Ground breaking will take place this fall, Nydam said, in what is expected to be an 18-to-24-month build.
“We’ve spent the last few years, listening, planning and putting the right pieces together, and now, the time has come to make it happen,” Nydam told the gathering.
While the project will modernize the structure, including a complete redo of the parking garage, a new elevator and escalators, the look of the interior and exterior will pay homage to block’s historic past.
The site is the former home of Harrison Hall – Chatham’s historic city hall that was razed to build the current mall.
“I love history,” Nydam added. “Going back and looking at some of the pictures has given some of the creative juices to attempt to bring back some of Chatham’s lost history.
“We need to do something with it which is why we bought it,” he said. “We’ve been working on the look of King Street for a long time. We’re really, really excited to introduce the project and what it will do for Chatham-Kent.”
He noted it will have the “same kind of detail” that went into developing the renowned Retro Suites boutique hotel complex directly east of the mall.
According to Nydam, 10 new apartments are incorporated in the build, and dilapidated brick on the 42-year-old structure is also being redone. Established mall tenants will remain, he added, and new tenants have already expressed interest in setting up shop.
Partners in the endeavour include Rob Myers, Jessica Myers, Don Tetrault of the Tatro Group and Nydam of J.P. Holdings, as well as J.P. Contractors.
The partners have built a website so the public can see for themselves what the future holds. People can access onehundredking.com to see how the project unfolds.
Regardless of whether the municipality moves ahead to create a new city hall, library and museum in the former Sears building, Nydam stressed the one hundred KING project is a definite go.
Jessica Myers said the group is really excited about the prospects of one hundred KING.
“I think it will be beautiful for downtown Chatham,” she said. “It makes it more attractive. It’s great for our community and we’re really excited to invest in Chatham.”
Building a new municipal hub in the downtown has been in the works since the middle of the pandemic. Dubbed Imagine Chatham-Kent, the original initiative included a private-public partnership plan to create a large-scale arena, as well as a municipal hub, including a new public library and museum.
However, that idea was scrapped. Instead, the developers put forward a proposal to sell the Sears building to Chatham-Kent for $2.95 million, with council opting to purchase the structure earlier this year. The project has not yet been finalized as further public engagement is still taking place with a public stakeholder session scheduled for Wednesday at the Bradley Centre.
The developers are looking for further public engagement on the private development of one hundred KING. They are holding a naming contest, asking Chatham-Kent residents to come up with a moniker for the facility.
The winner will receive an all-expenses paid trip for two on a private jet. Citizens can put a name forward by accessing the QR code on the one hundred KING website.
