A plan to construct what could have been the city’s tallest building has been withdrawn, just ahead of a meeting that would have seen city council decide the project’s fate.
Fusion Home’s application for permission to construct a 23-storey mixed use building on the outskirts of downtown, at 58 Wellington St. E. across from the main fire hall, has been pulled from the agenda for next month’s city council planning meeting.
The withdrawal is noted in a letter to the city, posted online as part of council’s May 9 meeting agenda.
Ryan Scott, vice-president for Fusion, said the project is being put on pause as a result of recent changes made by the provincial government to the city's official plan.
"We feel that it's really important to take time to understand what the new information means and ultimately ensure that we get the best outcome for this housing project," he said. "We are committed to building in that location."
Earlier this month the provincial government made changes to the city's official plan which allow 23-storey buildings throughout much of the downtown core, but not the site at 58 Wellington St. E. which sits within the floodplain.
The plan was to build a 23-storey mixed use apartment building at the corner of Wyndham Street South and Wellington Street East, across from Guelph Fire Department headquarters on property previously home to a gas station.
If approved, it was to include 250 one and two-bedroom condominium units and 714 square metres of retail commercial space, along with up to five commercial/residential units intended with the dual use.
In order for the project to go ahead as-is, several zoning bylaw and official plan amendments had been requested, including an increase to the maximum allowable height to 23 storeys from 18 storeys.
Other requests included a reduction in the number of required parking spaces, to 224 from 263, increased floor plate sizes, reduced setbacks and permission to have residential units on the ground floor.