A residential development planned for Collingwood’s downtown core is one step closer to building with a site plan on the table for council’s approval.
The Regent is a 12-unit residential building with ground-floor retail space proposed on Hurontario Street between First and Second Street – adjacent to the CIBC – at 84 Hurontario Street.
The plans for the building also include 13 underground parking spots and an interior courtyard. The building is three storeys fronting on Hurontario Street and four storeys at the back of the building fronting on the Pine Street parking lot and laneway.
The plans were before the development and operations committee on Oct. 22 for site plan approval, which is required before a building permit can be issued.
The current building plans conform to the town’s official plan and zoning bylaw.
Collingwood director of planning, Adam Farr, told the committee the building plans had also been reviewed by the town’s heritage committee since the development falls within the town’s heritage district. He said there has been some redesigning so the building fits in with the surrounding heritage.
There will still be an alley or walkway to the south of the building between the Regent and the CIBC. That property is owned by the same group that owns the CIBC building, and could potentially be developed one day with its own building.
The development and operations committee approved the site plan and council will also vote on the matter this Monday, Oct. 28.
At the end of the committee meeting, Mayor Brian Saunderson introduced an idea to have staff look at ways of incentivizing downtown business owners to make upper floor residential space available.
Saunderson said the issue of infill development has been a big one in town lately.
“This is a way to activate our downtown and provide some apartments to increase our housing inventory,” said Saunderson.
The rest of the committee supported his idea. His motion to have staff report back to council on using incentives and partnerships to fill apartments and vacant spaces downtown received unanimous support and will go to council for a vote on Oct. 28.
