Condo development proposed for Northern Breweries site

Another development project is being proposed for the Brewery Block, the former home of Northern Breweries near the Bay Street side of the proposed downtown plaza.

This time, local developer Albert Giommi wants to put a 60-unit condominium building on the old brewery property, but his design requires 70 feet of city property immediately east of Brewery Block.

That's currently the north parking lot of the Civic Centre property, where city employees are allowed to park free.

Giommi's design also includes an unspecified commercial development.

The city has obtained a valuation that says the 70-foot by 584-foot parcel is worth $400,000 for a residential use like Giommi is proposing, says Tom Vair, the city's deputy chief administrative officer for community development and
enterprise services.

City Council will be asked tonight to declare the land surplus and initiate sale negotiations with Giommi.

"One of the key drivers for further downtown revitalization is the development of new, market-rate residential properties," Vair says.

"Greater residential density in the downtown is also important to the revitalization effort. The proposed development by Mr. Giommi would provide a visually appealing addition to the downtown and aligns perfectly with the city’s downtown revitalization goals."

One wrinkle in that plan is that the city would have to find new parking spots to replace the ones that would be removed.

"There is room to further expand parking on the land remaining for the north parking lot," Vair says in a report prepared for tonight's council meeting.

"Staff did obtain a preliminary, internal estimate for the expansion of the north parking lot and the cost is estimated to be in the range of $245,000. More work will be done to finalize the requirements and optimal design but this provides a rough figure for council consideration," Vair says.

"Staff will work to retain the tree and planting beds that currently exist in area of the north parking lot."

"It is anticipated that the same number of parking spots can be accommodated with the reconfigured design and the city will also be able to maintain commitments with third parties with agreements in place for parking spaces in the north lot."

Vair figures the new parking spaces will cost $245,000, leaving the city $155,000 thousand ahead from the transaction, less legal fees.

"More importantly, significant additional tax revenue would be generated from the construction of a new, 60-unit condominium building," he says.

Tonight's City Council meeting will be livestreamed on SooToday starting at 4:30 p.m.