As Fanshawe College announced Wednesday its offer to buy the downtown Kingsmill building has officially expired, a city councillor and mayoral hopeful made a last-ditch pitch to politicians to reconsider their opposition to helping fund the deal.

The college had wanted to buy and renovate the just-closed department store for $66.2 million, hoping to bring 1,600 students downtown. A request from Fanshawe for $10 million to fund the school’s expansion plans was rejected in a tight vote by city council.

“I remain outraged that the Fanshawe vote was defeated (and) I urge my colleagues to reopen the debate at the corporate services committee,” said Coun. Matt Brown, one of three frontrunners in the race for mayor.

“I’m hopeful Fanshawe and Kingsmill’s will come back to the table. There’s a chance for councillors to do the right thing.”

Fanshawe faces a space crunch at its main campus on Oxford St. E. It’s already moved about 400 staff and students to a new downtown campus and hoped to relocate programs, like tourism and hospitality and IT downtown.

Its funding request denied by city council after a tie vote — which is considered a rejection — the college must regroup and figure out where it could expand, said Bernice Hull, the school’s vice-president (administration).

“We have to assess what our options are. We looked at 20 different properties before we settled on the Kingsmill building and that took quite some time, so now we have to look at what we can do, and what is in the best interest of Fanshawe College,” Hull said.

The city’s corporate services committee meets Aug. 26.

A councillor who voted against the Fanshawe funding could attend the committee meeting and ask that the issue be sent back to council.

Because the issue is closed, two-thirds of councillors would have to vote to reopen the debate. That means three councillors would have to change their minds about the project.

“Fanshawe and Kingsmill’s have expressed their commitment to downtown. This is such an obvious win for the city. Other cities who have done this have seen their economies thrive,” Brown said.

Although Coun. Joe Swan has publicly said there are two other potential buyers for the Kingsmill building, owner Tim Kingsmill said “I wish he would name them.

“No one is knocking on the door,” he said.

“It’s politics, politics, politics. One person says they’re against it so the other says I’m for it. It’s an election year.”

Kingsmill said he’d be “thrilled” if the issue was reopened and Fanshawe returned to the table.

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THE VOTE

For: Russ Monteith, Nancy Branscombe, Matt Brown, Paul Hubert, Harold Usher, Judy Bryant, Joni Baechler

Against: Bud Polhill, Bill Armstrong, Joe Swan, Stephen Orser, Paul Van Meerbergen, Denise Brown, Sandy White (A tie vote fails)

Absent: Dale Henderson

WHAT HAPPENED