Another downtown area building will be coming down, this one to be replaced by a fresh commercial/ residential structure.
City council has approved a development permit for applicant Timberline Solutions Ltd. to tear down the structure 160 Hudson Ave. (with the red brick facade), and construct a two storey, mixed use building with commercial uses on the ground floor and four residential dwelling units above.
The permit relates only to 160 Hudson, and not 170, where a framing business is currently located. Both buildings, however, are owned by the same numbered company and city staff states the owner has indicated they will consider minor facade improvements at 170 to provide consistency.
“The existing building on the previous mentioned property (160 Hudson) is an unsafe, unusable eyesore in our town,” writes Timberline president Jordan Baer in a letter to the city. “We believe the proposed development will increase the appeal of the downtown as well as provide much-needed new living accommodations in the downtown core.”
At the development and planning meeting, council listened to staff’s concerns about the proposal relating to parking for the residential units. The development permit includes a parking variance that allows the provision of only three stalls for the four units. Engineering and public works director Dale McTaggart said there’s worry about where vehicles will be parked, and being parked on the street overnight, impeding snow-clearing operations. Otherwise, staff was supportive of the permit.
“I don’t see saying ‘no, we’re not going to give the variance,’ necessarily improving the parking situation,” said development and planning director Corey Paiement. “ I think this is the kind of development we want in downtown.”
