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Proud to be part of your community! Thursday, February 4, 2016 | 40 pages
High rise apartments on lower Queen Street focus of public meeting
Keeping warm in Odessa
By Bill Hutchins
Sisters Cassandra Ferguson-Thompson, 9, and Charlotte Gover, 5, enjoy some hot chocolate while warming by the giant Christmas tree bonfire at the Odessa Fairgrounds on Jan. 27. Hundreds enjoyed mild winter temperatures to take in the annual event, hosted by the Loyalist Township Recreation Department and the Odessa Firefighters Association. The bonfire is a highlight of the Odessa Winter Carnival. Photo/Rob Mooy
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News – A local developer’s plan to build two 20-storey apartments and a multi-level public parking garage on lower Queen Street is about to face its first public test. The planning committee has scheduled a public meeting Feb. 4 at City Hall to gather feedback on the proposed development by Homestead Land Holdings. But Mayor Bryan Paterson says he doesn’t expect any quick decisions to be made on the development application. “This is still going to be a number of months in the making. This will go back to staff. There’s going to be negotiations, studies and analysis long before we can get to the point where we’re ready to make a decision.” The mayor has voiced tentative support for the residential high rises, noting the downtown needs more intensification. However, some councillors are not yet convinced the 20-storey height is right. “I think there’s some good things about it, but the big issue is the height and that’s what is bothering people,” said Coun. Rob Hutchison.
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Homestead unveiled plans late last year to construct two high density apartments on lots that are currently used for municipal parking. The rental apartments, each very similar in design, are to be located on surface lots at 51-57 Queen Street and 18 Queen Street/282 Ontario Street. The proposed 180-unit apartment building at 51-57 Queen Street, between King and Wellington Streets, will also include a stand-alone public parking garage with 280 spaces. The city ultimately stands to lose 270 surface parking spaces if the Homestead buildings proceed. Council recently decided to partner with Homestead to build a multi-level garage to replace the lost surface parking spaces. Under the agreement, Homestead will build the structure and the city will purchase it for up to $18 million. However, officials insist the conditional partnership does not bind the city to rubber-stamping Homestead’s high rise proposals. The other big development is planned across the street on another Homestead-owned, but municipally leased parking lot.
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