The sale of the Bell Mansion is now complete, with the new owner having taken possession of the historic Sudbury property on November 1st.
President and Vice-Chancellor of Laurentian University, Lynn Wells, says multiple offers were received by Laurentian University, and the property at 251 John Street was sold for $1.25M.
She adds the proceeds will be solely used to support the ongoing renewal of Laurentian University’s facilities.
Wells says the purchaser is Devla Properties Inc, is owned and operated by long-time local developer Peter Nault.
She says it was important to find the right buyer who will carry the legacy of the mansion forward, engage with local cultural groups and honour the history of what is considered a Sudbury landmark.
The university has owned the heritage building, which was built in 1907, since 1968.
After the university filed for insolvency in 2021, it listed several properties it would sell to repay its creditors.
Officials say the Bell Mansion, built in 1907 by lumber baron William Joseph Bell and his wife Katherine, is a significant historical landmark in Sudbury known for its architectural beauty and community contributions.
The Bells are best known for donating the nearby land that now makes up Bell Park.
Following the death of the Bells, the house and most of its contents were left to the Memorial Hospital and housed staff until a fire damaged it on December 3rd, 1955.
The Nickel Lodge of the Masonic Order undertook its preliminary renovations as a site for their headquarters but were blocked by zoning problems and sold it to the Centennial Committee of the Chamber of Commerce in 1966.
The property was then transferred to Laurentian University in 1968 and served as a museum and art gallery and later an art gallery.
For more than 50 years, the mansion was home to the Art Gallery of Sudbury, but the repair issues forced the gallery to move its operations elsewhere in 2023.
