Memorial Market Place is a 20-30,000 sqft. redevelopment of the historic Memorial Arena on Market Street built in 1929.
In 2014, Mayor Ellis had a firm prediction: build something on the Memorial Arena property as an anchor for the Build Belleville initiative.
If a supermarket were to take over the Memorial, there’s no parking
So that would make the Legion a shipping and receiving area and that building would have to come down.
Mayor Ellis, 2014
In 2020, local design-build company TaskForce Engineering along with partners Pace Design and Osprey/Real Capital Partners was one of 4 developers to submit redevelopment proposals for the former Memorial Arena. TaskForce is co-owned (50%) by brother and sister team of Ian Wilson and Hilary Murph who were born and raised in Belleville.
Their proposal, called “Memorial Market Place”, included a retail concourse on the ground floor of the Memorial Arena and a second floor that would house small businesses and office space. The legion building would be converted into 20 to 24 affordable housing units:
Memorial Market Place is a new lifestyle hub in Belleville, transforming the historic Memorial Arena into a creative space for local artisans, makers, and entrepreneurs. The revitalized building features stylish, welcoming interiors and preserves its historic charm, creating an ideal backdrop for the city’s emerging creative community. Developed by TaskForce Engineering Inc., a company specializing in construction management and design-build projects since 1994, the project aims to enhance Belleville’s creative scene. Ian Wilson, Director of Construction, and Hilary Murphy, Director of Engineering & Business Development, are key leaders bringing this vision to life.
Memorial Market Place website
TaskForce’s proposal was selected by Council in 2020 and the properties at 132 Pinnacle Street (Legion 99) and 15 Market Square (Memorial Arena) were sold to them for $900,000. TaskForce Engineering Director of Engineering Hilary Murphy told Quinte News both buildings would be maintained.
Work on the project was delayed until 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On August 11, 2023, the real estate broker for Memorial Marketplace suggested that the Legion building would be turned into a parking lot:
I’m not privy to a lot of those discussions but from what I understand, the building is not really conducive to (residences). It’s a real costly piece,
I think ultimately that site will serve as parking and commercial delivery which will feed the 20,000 square foot commercial development
Joe Shunock of Ekort Realty
