The old CIBC branch at 180 Laird Dr. and McRae Dr. has been purchased by First Capital Realty, the owners of Leaside Village, The purchase of the two-storey commercial building, which dates from the 1930s, gives First Capital an outpost right across the street from one of its competitors, SmartCentres Inc. at Laird and Wicksteed Ave. The property sits in a somewhat awkward location in a 21st century sense. Its removal would permit a much easier flow of traffic through the intersection and especially southbound onto Laird. Still, as a place of business it has a lot of appeal. There are some 18 parking spots in the attached lot behind the building with access off McRae Drive. First Capital has placed a Leasing Opportunities sign on a number of windows. As we posted previously, the building was listed for $1.9 million and sold for $2.5 million. Although a modest structure by the standard of 1930s bank buildings, 180 Laird does have a well-preserved coat of arms of the bank’s builder, the Imperial Bank of Canada, over the front door The building stayed in the bank’s family until this year’s sale even after the Imperial merged with the Bank of Commerce in 1960 to create the CIBC.
