ELORA – Don Kogen and Kristy Hillis have a $30-million plan for downtown Elora and it involves retaining and restoring heritage buildings and features.
The couple has purchased several properties over the last two years and has already begun restoration of a few – 61 Metcalfe St., the building at the corner of Mill and Metcalfe streets, where the Wild Tart is located, for example, and their home on Geddes Street with an extensive garden and historic work shed Hillis uses as her studio.
They’ve also purchased 69, 73, and 75 Metcalfe Street, where Gents and Kings, Elora Bread and Lemon Tree are located. The rear of these shops connect to their Geddes Street home.
In January they purchased 43 Mill St. W. – home of the Gorge Cinema – and announced the cinema will be restored and a small boutique hotel will be constructed in the part of the building that was originally the Commercial Hotel.
Kogen said there will be five units, not five storeys, as a previous owner had proposed.
Last month they purchased the Elora Mews at 45 Mill St. W., next door to the cinema, and most recently added 54 Metcalfe Street, home of Mrs. Greenway, to their portfolio.
They plan on removing stucco to reveal the historic stone and adding stone to the exterior of 54 Metcalfe, which is a concrete block building.
When the work is complete, they’ll be able to stand at the corner of Mill and Metcalfe and see only beautifully restored stone buildings.
“As a business plan, it’s not a good one,” Kogen said in an interview.
“The return on investment is 80 years. This is strictly a passion project for Kristy.”
Hillis is the owner of Kat Florence, an international custom-design jewelry business. Kogan is a gem hunter and they met through the course of their work.
Although they live primarily in Thailand, the couple, along with their two children, came to Elora to ride out the pandemic.
And while looking for creative inspiration during a dark time in history, Hillis was struck by the juxtaposition of the Elora Mill – beautifully restored – and these buildings that were looking the worse for wear.
And knowing developers were keen to get their hands on these prime locations and possibly develop the charm right out of the village centre, Hillis decided to buy and restore them, hoping to make Elora an even better place to live and visit.
“We’re not developers in any way, but we’ve certainly learned a lot about it,” Kogen said. “[Kristy] really just wants to restore the buildings.”
Hillis grew up in the area and her family tree is deeply rooted in Wellington County. She’s the fifth generation – her ancestors were among the original settlers in the area circa 1860.
So she feels connected to Elora and Kogan said they’d walk around town and wonder why these treasured building had been allowed to become so run down.
“A lot of things were in bad shape here,” he said, adding he could stand in the doorway of the cinema building and see straight up to the roof due to holes in the floors and ceilings above.
Different route
As well as retaining the stone, they plan to remove a fence behind the cinema and add a cobblestone path, to add a different route to Mill Street from Metcalfe.
They also plan on restoring the historic wall that runs between their home on Geddes Street and the Karger Gallery on Mill Street East.
Kogen said if all goes well, the work will be complete in 2024.
They’ve had discussions with the township already and will meet with the heritage advisory committee when architect drawings are ready, he said.
While it’s taking the couple out of their comfort zone, Kogen said it’s not that much of a stretch.
He finds precious stones and Hillis sets them – it’s just the stones you find in Elora are different.
“It will be top-notch. You’re talking Kat Florence – only the best,” he said.
