The new owner of Sudbury's historic Bell Mansion, residential homebuilding company Devla Properties Inc., isn’t saying exactly what their plans are for the property just yet.
Sudbury.com reached out to Devla owner and operator Peter Nault through his company Nov. 3 after Laurentian University announced it had sold the Bell Mansion to Devla for $1.25 million.
An employee of Devla Properties Inc. told Sudbury.com Nault was declining media interviews at this time. Instead the developer issued a written statement.
But because the statement did not specifically say what Nault was planning on doing with the Bell Mansion property, Sudbury.com sent a follow-up email on that topic to the employee who sent us the document, asking for clarification.
“Devla Properties Inc. is in preliminary stages of its proposed future use at this time,” the response email read. “We will communicate with media once we compile our full evaluation and feasibility.”
The statement from Nault said that Devla is “pleased to announce the recent acquisition of the historic Bell Mansion, a prominent heritage property that has stood as part of our city’s architectural legacy for more than 118 years.”
Devla said that to honour the building’s history and name, a new corporation — Belrock Mansion Inc. — has been formed to hold title to the property. The Bell Mansion is also known as the Belrock Mansion.
This new corporation has been registered as Belrock Mansion Inc. to maintain its original name.
“Our team is deeply committed to the preservation and respectful restoration of this landmark,” said the release.
“We have engaged experienced heritage consultants from Toronto to provide expert guidance as we develop a comprehensive restoration proposal that reflects both the building’s historical significance and its enduring value to the community.”
The statement said Devla’s “proposal remains in the preliminary stages. Once our restoration plans are finalized, we will be in communication with media outlets to provide updates and further details.
“Our vision is rooted in respect for the building’s legacy and in a long-term commitment to maintaining the Belrock Mansion’s integrity, ensuring that its story continues to stand proudly within our city’s historic landscape.”
The property located at 251 John St, close to Bell Park, was listed by Sutton-Benchmark Realty Inc. in early August for $1 million.
The 8,000-square-foot building was built in 1907 by pioneering couple William and Katherine Bell and sits on 2.1 acres of land north of Bell Park.
The historic building closed as Art Gallery of Sudbury headquarters in 2023 due to repair issues. Laurentian’s board of governors passed a motion to list the building for sale last year.
The building’s sale is controversial and has been subject to petitions, with community members saying it should remain in public hands, as the property was originally transferred to Laurentian in the 1960s for a symbolic $1 to be opened for the people of Sudbury.
Laurentian said it will be using the proceeds from the sale of the Bell Mansion to “support the ongoing renewal of Laurentian University’s facilities.”
In purchasing the Bell Mansion, Devla Properties Inc. also inherits along with it the property’s heritage designation, which affords it certain protections when it comes to development.
The building is also zoned “I,” or institutional, so if the new owner has purchased the property for a use outside of those allowed for in the current zoning, they’d have to go through a rezoning process.
Laurentian also sold its former president’s home, also located on John Street, in 2024 for proceeds of $894,000 (although the sale price was stated to be $925,000).
The university said initially that the proceeds would be going to Laurentian’s creditors from its 2021-2022 insolvency, but LU recently said it would be retaining the president’s house money, as the creditors’ pool had been fully funded from the sale of other university property.
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.