Offering a nudge in what they believe to be the right direction, the Downtown Sudbury Business Improvement Area issued a media release advocating in favour of a $1.7-million grant for developer Panoramic Properties.
Greater Sudbury city council will vote on the municipal grant request on Wednesday, which, if approved, would go toward redeveloping much of the downtown Scotia Tower building’s office space to accommodate 83 residential units.
This, a Downtown Sudbury BIA media release notes, “represents a significant investment in our community and addresses a critical need for increased housing options in the downtown core.”
In conversation with Sudbury.com, Downtown Sudbury BIA executive director Jeff MacIntyre expanded on this idea, noting that city cores need a greater mix of building use, and that residential should be a key part of it.
“Downtowns are really becoming 24/7 areas, with people living, working, shopping, partying — right across the board,” he said. “Residential is an element within that, so encouraging that residential component helps us attract the retailers.”
It helps build a “critical mass” of people downtown, which he said “adds to the ecosystem.”
“When you see a critical mass of residential in downtown, you’ll start seeing key retail, so grocery, bakery, tea shops, delis and that type of thing begin locating in downtown,” he said. “People want that kind of lifestyle downtown.”
Further, he noted that with the building already integrated into the city’s network of infrastructure, it’s a one-time investment yielding a long-term revenue source by way of property taxes.
The Scotia Tower building’s redevelopment to accommodate residential use is part of a broader trend to come out of the pandemic, wherein people vacated office space to work from home. It has also come within an economic climate where the city’s dealing with a well-established housing shortfall.
Although some people are returning to the office, MacIntyre said they still expect a certain lifestyle in both the place they work and live, with certain amenities within walking distance. These pieces tend to fall into play when a critical mass of people is created.
There’s also a growing interest in the city’s downtown core, he said. Although some investors shifted their interests away from Downtown Sudbury when city council was working toward building an arena/events centre on The Kingsway, now that the city’s focus has turned toward constructing the $225-million piece of municipal infrastructure in the downtown, investors have returned.
In addition to whether they approve a $1.7-million Community Improvement Plan grant to help Panoramic Properties to proceed with their $19.8-million work on the Scotia Tower project, called Cedar Apartments, city council members will vote on a related amendment by Mayor Paul Lefebvre.
The mayor’s amendment will ask that the $1.7-million contribution be contingent on Panoramic Properties tearing down the old hospital building in Paris Street, which the company also owns.
The company’s current plans for the old hospital property includes a 530-unit residential development, which would necessitate tearing down the property’s existing structures.
With the old hospital property right on Downtown Sudbury’s doorstep, MacIntyre said he’s eager to see both projects move forward.
The Oct. 16 finance and administration committee meeting of city council is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. It can be viewed in-person at Tom Davies Square or livestreamed by clicking here.
Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com.