Developer's new plan for old Barrie Central site could put second phase in play (4 photos)

There’s more storeys than meet the eye to HIP’s residential development plans in downtown Barrie.

Tuesday evening’s virtual neighbourhood meeting revealed there could be a second phase to development at the former Barrie Central Collegiate site, along with two towers and a podium totalling 623 apartments facing Bradford Street already planned.

Lynn Thompson, who lives on Eccles Street, heard a second phase mentioned by HIP Developments’ planners during their presentation. 

“I noticed that it was referred to as phase one, so… could we assume or expect that more buildings may be put on the green space in the future?” she asked.

“It will be our hope we can develop the balance of the site at some later date,” said Joel Doherty, HIP’s vice-president of real estate and development.

“The plan… kind of breaks the site into two phases,” said Trevor Hawkins of MHBC Planning. “The intent is that the future phase would be developed, but at this time the application and site plan reflects phase one, which includes the two buildings. The zoning… applies to the whole property.”

An image that was part of Tuesday’s presentation shows 3.346 acres of land labelled as ‘Future Phase’, which takes in part of the former Red Storey Field.

“It’s good to know that we can prepare ourselves for the possibility of more buildings in the future,” Thompson said. “I don’t object to the higher buildings. I’d rather have that and fewer buildings, especially closer to our property.”

Anne Cleaveley, who lives nearby, said she likes the project’s design, too.

“We think it’s a nice addition into the area. We like the layout of it and like how the traffic is all over on Bradford Street,” she said. “I think it’s going to reflect where the neighbourhood can go. The end of Dunlop Street has been kind of abandoned over the years and I think this will be a nice addition to it.”

“This proposal is looking at the Barrie market, and the attraction to the waterfront, the proximity to downtown, GO trains,” Doherty said. “There’s a lot to like about it. It’s a very urban site.

“A 25- and 29-storey proposal is certainly in keeping with what’s happening in Barrie with the overall growth of the neighbourhood. This could bring 900 people to shop and support the area and help with vibrancy in the downtown,” he added.

Just last month, the Waterloo-based HIP substantially altered its project at 34-50 Bradford St., and a portion of 125 Dunlop St. W., making its towers fewer but higher and with more density.

Instead of two, 20-storey residential towers and one, 10-storey tower, now the plan is for a 29-storey tower with 276 units, a 25-storey tower with 228 units and a shared six-storey podium with 119 units. 

No longer building 600 units, HIP’s total would now be 623 residences. Parking would be within the podium and on the surface to the rear and side of the building, for a total of 489 spaces. Its main entrance would be at the corner of Bradford and Simcoe streets.

Plans for this project also include a semi-public urban parkette containing the heritage facade of the old Prince of Wales school on the site’s nearly seven acres. This property was rezoned mid-2019, with site plan control approval pending.

But information for the neighbourhood meeting indicates a bylaw amendment is needed for the height increase of the two towers, from 70 metres to 84 metres or 25 storeys and to 97 metres or 29 storeys.

HIP president Scott Higgins said last summer the possible location of a supervised consumption site (SCS) at 11 Innisfil St., right around the corner from the HIP land, changed its plans — leaving no room for a new YMCA, which is now expected to be built in downtown Barrie. HIP buildings were reconfigured to front Bradford Street, where the Y was to be located. 

The HIP boss said the site plan needed to be reworked because of the potential location of the SCS, which still requires Health Canada and Ontario Health Ministry approval, as well as funding.

An SCS provides a safe space and sterile equipment for individuals to use pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of health care staff; consumption means taking opioids and other drugs by injection, smoking, snorting or orally. The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and the Canadian Mental Health Association Simcoe County Branch are its proponents at 11 Innisfil St.

The new YMCA facility is expected to be built at 50 Worsley St., known as the H-Block, in downtown Barrie — once the Y and city work out  an agreement of purchase and sale.

Now that a neighbourhood meeting has been held on HIP’s plans, a public meeting on the rezoning application will be scheduled, followed by a planning staff report and a decision by Barrie councillors, sitting as planning committee and then city council.