Former strip mall in Faro, Yukon, being put up for sale

A once-vibrant but now largely vacant mall in Faro, Yukon, will be going up for sale sometime this year, according to the town's mayor. 

The future of the Solar Complex has been a controversial topic in Faro for some time. Mayor Jack Bowers says it's hoped that the building still has some life in it.

"Council made the decision to put it up for sale sometime in 2023, but whether or not we can sell it is a whole other question itself," he said.

Built in 1971, over the years the complex located at the heart of the community has been home to a substantial general store, bank, post office, liquor store, multiple retail shops, a café, and both public- and private-sector office space.

It has been mostly empty since 2013 and is now used only for cold storage, a maintenance workshop, and as the community morgue.

Bowers said the town conducted a plebiscite about what to do with the building. Residents were asked if they wanted to see it demolished, renovated, left alone, or fixed up and sold.

Of those who voted, 40 people wanted to see it demolished, 32 wanted to see it sold as is, 28 wanted it renovated, and only 14 voted for the status quo.

"In a sense, we really did feel we had a clear mandate from the folks that took time to vote to do something with it," Bowers said.

A study done in 2018 found that the 24,451-square-foot building was in poor condition.

"Due to the high cost of the hazardous waste material removal and demolition, the building should be viewed as part of the extended environmental liability from mining in the Faro district, rather than as a building asset," the study report reads.

But Bowers said he just wants to see a historic building in his community live on.

"In my opinion I would sell it for a dollar to someone who is prepared to fix it up," he said. "That may not be council's wish but obviously it's not worth a lot and will cost a fair bit to redevelop."

Bowers said there is a major shortage of retail and office space available in Faro and he thinks that could change with the proper investor. 

He also said there would be some guidelines for any potential investor to follow.

"Whether that's performance bonds or some form of guarantee that the new owner is going to in fact proceed with the redevelopment of it, and we're going to do everything we can to see that happens."

Nathaniel Yee lives in Faro and said he doesn't understand how the town decided to sell the building, when a plurality of people who voted in the plebiscite said they wanted to see it demolished. 

Yee said there is some confusion among residents.

He said last year the municipality hired a consultant to review the town's official community plan. He wants to know what happened with that, and some of the ideas for the property that's now occupied by the complex.

"There was talk about building a little town square and something more appropriate than a strip mall," he told CBC News.

"We're paying money to come up with ideas and plan what to do with that space, and at the same time we're already saying, 'Oh no, we're already doing something with this space'."

Yee said he doesn't think selling the building is the right move. 

"There are trees growing on top of it. Yeah, it's not in good shape, and built before people put much insulation and that sort of thing in all of it," he said.