Fusioncorp to transform Owen Sound’s heritage jail, courthouse

The former Grey County judicial precinct, comprised of a former courthouse, jail and governor’s residence, remains a striking landmark in Owen Sound, Ont. despite its abandonment years ago.

Enter Nick Ainis, founder of Toronto-based , who will breathe new life into the iconic buildings with a plan for a mixed-used entertainment and hospitality venue.

Fusioncorp, operating as the newly formed FC Entertainment and Hospitality on this project, aims to launch a two-year revitalization of the facilities early next year.

Ainis is working with his wife Jenny Albelo Infante as co-developers and the project is named Royal Rose Court, in honour of his late mother. He admits it will be a project unlike any other that his boutique construction firm, a specialist in small to medium-density residential condos and historic building conversions, has undertaken.

“This is going to be a big project for us, for me,” he said recently. “It is something that we are going to be very passionate about.

“This is a very unique place…this is going to be a defining moment, a make or break moment, so I am very excited about it.”

BOLDERA — Renovation plans for the Royal Rose Court project include reconstruction of a front portico to the courthouse building and a 405-square-metre glass-enclosed pavilion within the northern jail yard.

When Ainis and Albelo Infante got married a few years ago, the marriage was so memorable, he recounted, that his new wife changed her career and became a special event planner and venue manager.

They soon realized they wanted their own facility. Ainis had proposed condos for the Owen Sound judicial precinct site to city council in 2015 but was turned down, with the council indicating it wanted a higher purpose for the unique property.

So in 2022 Ainis returned to Owen Sound with the special event facility proposal and was able to purchase the property, located between Third and Fourth Avenues, for $50,000.

Working with on the redevelopment plans, FC Entertainment and Hospitality has obtained rezoning approvals and upon final permitting and securing additional financing will soon kick off the project. Ainis said he is not yet ready to reveal the project cost.

FUSIONCORP — The former Grey County Courthouse in Owen Sound will be converted into an event space.

, a frequent partner of Fusioncorp on adaptive reuse residential projects across the GTA, has been commissioned to participate in the Royal Rose Court job.

The buildings are Confederation-era, including the former 1853 Grey County courthouse, 1854 jail, an 1869 addition, jail walls and the governor’s residence.

The stonework was done with locally sourced limestone, Ainis said, and it remains solid with some areas that need repairs and some repointing.

He anticipates demolition work will unveil mould and asbestos, and the team will mitigate those problems following typical professional standards.

“One thing I learned about conversion projects is that you want to keep as much of the existing structure as possible,” said Ainis. “The more you touch, the more you disturb, the more costly it becomes. So we are leaving 90 to 95 per cent of the buildings in their current form.”

Jailhouse will rock

The renovation includes modifications to the existing buildings and structures to allow for access, such as elevators, reconstruction of a front portico to the courthouse building, new vehicular accessways, a parking lot with additional parking obtained at an offsite lot, a loading dock to the north of the governor’s residence, and a 405-square-metre glass-enclosed pavilion within the northern jail yard.

Ainis said the concept uses he and his wife came up with amounted to using “every square footage of this building” to create “multiple revenue streams.” They visited speakeasys, tea houses and a major Toronto business club to come up with their plan.

FUSIONCORP — The buildings are Confederation-era, including the former 1853 Grey County courthouse, 1854 jail, an 1869 addition, jail walls, and the governor’s residence.

The event venue is intended to accommodate gatherings and will be supported by onsite restaurants, drinking establishments, indoor and outdoor entertainment facilities, including an outdoor patio, catering facilities, business incubator, and an interactive museum that memorializes the history of the three facilities — including the hangings that used to take place onsite.

One bar will have a jailhouse theme.

Ainis also foresees a private business and social club with wine and spirit storage and a cigar lounge.

“The jail cells are pretty cool,” he said. “They’re all arched masonry cells. So it’s a great place to store wine, to store whiskeys.”

Meanwhile, there will be high tea service and the third floor of the courthouse will offer live music.

“We looked at this building inside and out,” said Ainis. “We have multiple solutions, we are very comfortable with our vision.”

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