Fully committed

Charlottetown developer says he’s looking forward to showing his plans for new apartment building on Chestnut Street

Charlottetown developer Philip O’Halloran says it is full speed ahead on a new apartment building for Chestnut Street.

City council recently voted to send his request for an amendment to zoning and development bylaw for the purpose of putting up the building to a public meeting.

O’Halloran says he is looking forward to sharing his new vision for the street with area residents.

“I have made a monster commitment. This (new building) is going to be a modern building. I am very much about downtown urban renewal.” Philip O’Halloran

Last month, council gave O’Halloran the green light to have eight homes on Chestnut and Passmore streets, in various stages of disrepair, demolished.

O’Halloran told The Guardian recently that he and his brother, Matthew, found new homes in one of their buildings for the remaining two residents that were still living on Chestnut Street.

“I have made a monster commitment,’’ O’Halloran said, referring to revitalizing the neighbourhood.

“This (new building) is going to be a modern building. I am very much about downtown urban renewal.’’

He’s so committed that he has submitted his plan to the city for a design review.

He is also so determined to share his vision with residents that he has requested his own public meeting, where there won’t be any issues on the floor but this one.

“I want the neighbourhood to see the plans because it will directly affect them. This is too important a piece of property in the downtown.’’

O’Halloran said he doesn’t have a date in terms of demolishing the eight homes that need to come down first but said they are all falling down on themselves.

He regularly patrols the area to make sure no one has sought shelter inside the vacant buildings because they aren’t safe.

However, the fact the process is going to a public meeting and that there is no fixed date for demolition in no way means the project is on hold.

“We’re a long ways from getting in the mud,’’ he said, referring to the new apartment building.

“There are a lot of hoops to go through . . . . I want to make sure we stay the course and everything is done right.’’