Councillors approved construction of a twin-tower project in downtown Barrie Monday night amid some concerns raised by residents over the project.
At last night's council meeting, the developer was granted an exception to the city's maximum building height rules, paving the way for a pair of 32-storey residential towers in the so-called Theatre Block on Dunlop Street West.
Barrie Waterfront Developments was seeking a zoning-bylaw amendment for properties located at 39-67 Dunlop St. W. and 35-37 Mary St., which comprise the majority of the south side of Dunlop Street West, east of Mary Street and west of Maple Avenue. The developer's plan was outlined during a presentation in June.
The zoning-bylaw amendment includes an increase to maximum building height, reduction to minimum required parking, an increase to the maximum permitted gross floor area, and reduction to the minimum required commercial coverage.
The proposal includes a phased, mixed-use, highrise development consisting of two 32-storey residential towers atop a seven-storey podium, with ground floor retail/commercial uses and 495 parking spaces. The project includes more than 500 residential units.
Local resident Melissa Peyton spoke out against the proposal in a letter to council outlining how she believes the project will affect the downtown, particularly rental costs and a lack of affordable housing.
"Many of those currently residing in this area cannot sustain an increase in their rent," Peyton said. "In turn, this causes more housing insecurity."
Peyton said the project will also lead to further demolition of heritage buildings downtown.
"A downtown should be lined with old buildings and charcter, the backs of which this city was built on," Peyton said, adding she's also worried about the precedent being set by allowing structures to be built which exceed the city's height restrictions. "If I wanted to live in a sea of glass condos, I would live in Toronto."
The project's residential units are to be comprised of one-bedroom (98), one-bedroom plus den (95), two-bedroom (244), two-bedroom plus den (2), and three-bedroom (56) models. It would also include 12 live/work units, which "are intended to provide flexible living and/or working spaces for their occupants and to provide incubator space for small businesses."
Around a dozen businesses would be affected by the project, including the Uptown Theater, the History Barbershop, The Market, Grand Theatre/Barrie Film Festival, One Love Island Cuisine, Mike's Barber Shop, Easy Livin', Pay Day Loans, and Avail Cannabis Clinics. At the end of the block is a vacant lot, while around the corner on Mary Street are The Sewing House and Mea's Place restaurant.
Cathy Colebatch, a longtime supporter of the city's heritage buildings, called it "overwhelming" to demolish an entire block to make way for such large structures.
"The massing and height of this building will dwarf everything in the surrounding area and across the bay," she said, adding she believes the project is "out of character" with the downtown.
Colebatch said she also fears that the project won't get built as planned, or will only include the initial phase, meanwhile leaving another large chunk of land vacant in the city's core while the developers sell the units.
"Risk is huge for us in this city. Are we being realistic, or is this a pipe dream?" she asked. "We have so many vacant properties in and around downtown that are scheduled to be built out, but nothing has happened yet."
The tower project will also have a 'holding' provision to address items such as phasing and site-plan control.
"There are some things that can be absolutely addressed through the hold," said Michelle Banfield, the city's director of planning and building services.
Andrea Miller, the city's general manager of infrastructure and growth, added the provisions can also address the timing of demolition with when construction begins.
Colebatch said the project will also affect the city's culture, lamenting the loss of the Uptown Theater, which runs the Barrie Film Festival. "Does this landmark building and business not deserve to keep its home?"
Mayor Jeff Lehman said there are efforts underway to move the festival into the Fisher Auditorium project down the street, once complete, to make it its "longtime and permanent home."
"It's a huge piece of the cultural calendar," he said.
City of Barrie CAO Michael Prowse said it would be "premature" to confirm whether that will be the solution or not, but confirmed discussions are ongoing.
