Site works underway for new tower project across from downtown library (5 photos)

Change has begun to a downtown Barrie neighbourhood.

A 20-storey tower is to be built at Owen and Worsley streets, along with an eight-storey tower at the corner of Owen and McDonald streets, and a six-storey mixed-use podium and amenity building connecting them, for a total of 307 units. There will also be ground-floor commercial space, along with underground and structured parking.

The land has been rezoned to allow the development to move forward, and site-plan control of the property, received by the city in July 2021, is under review by city planning staff for 55-57 McDonald St., 61-67 Owen St. and 70-78 Worsley St., right across from Barrie Public Library’s downtown branch.

“More people living downtown Barrie is a good thing. It will mean a more vibrant downtown community with safer streets and more amenities,” said Coun. Keenan Aylwin, who represents downtown Barrie.

And this development, which is being called The Residences, has company nearby.

At 79 Collier St., 17 storeys and 136 units are proposed by a site plan that’s under review, while at Owen and Collier streets a 16-storey retirement residence is proposed, with 314 units and ground-floor commercial, by developer Revera.