Development of the former Loblaw lands on the east end has begun working its way through the approvals process, with a slightly downsized proposal submitted to the city for consideration.
The plan for 115 Watson Pkwy. N. – located north of York Road and across from Starwood Drive – calls for four apartment buildings ranging between nine and 14 storeys tall, with 928 collective units, along with 31 on-street townhouses, 170 back-to-back townhouses and 2,818 square metres of commercial space, show documents posted on the city’s website.
A neighbourhood park and trails are also proposed.
“The proposed development is an efficient use of the land, meeting the relevant intensification minimums,” states the planning justification report.
City council will host a public meeting to hear community feedback on the proposal during its session on Jan. 21, which begins at 6 p.m. inside council chambers at city hall. The meeting will also be available for online viewing at guelph.ca/live.
In order for the development to go ahead as-is, numerous zoning and official plan amendments are needed regarding density, maximum building height (to 14 from 10 storeys), setbacks, common amenity spaces, open landscape areas and more.
The proposal calls for 1,394 parking spaces, including 468 to be built underground and primarily used by residents. An additional 503 surface-level spots are planned for visitors and commercial uses.
Townhouse parking is to be provided via driveways and private carports.
Development of the site has been talked about in the community many years, with interest focused on seeing a grocery store built there.
In the early 2000s, then-owner Loblaw planned to build a supercentre on the lot, but backed off after Walmart, originally intended for the same area, opened on Woodlawn.
When the owner, Guelph Watson Holdings Inc., hosted a community meeting last June, the plan called for 747 overall units – 582 apartment units and 192 townhouses – along with 1,486 sq. m. of commercial space.
There were to be two apartment buildings between six and 10 storeys tall.
That plan was revised last December to include 1,267 units – 1,070 apartment units and 197 townhouses – and 2,818 sq. m. of commercial space. The proposal included four buildings between 10 and 14 storeys tall.
