Differing views of Port’s possibilities
City planning for Port Dalhousie is a bit of a mess at the moment.
St. Catharines is attempting to come up with an updated plan that will guide development in Port’s commercial core and the west harbour area for the next couple of decades.
Problem is, applications have already been submitted for three major condo developments in Port. Because the new secondary plan has yet to be approved, these developments fall under the existing guidelines.
Mind you, how one defines the existing guidelines is a bit of a head-scratcher, too. At least that was the impression left after listening to a few hours of debate at St. Catharines city council Monday night.
The three developments in question are Grandson of Port Tower; Tom Rankin’s redevelopment of the Port Dalhousie legion property; and Toronto developer Sheldon Rosen’s new vision for the old Lincoln Fabrics building.
For the purposes of this discussion, let’s leave the Grandson out of it. That condo is in the commercial core, and an Ontario Municipal Board decision on an earlier version of the project makes its planning requirements even messier.
The other developments are at opposite ends of the harbour lands.
The two applications are in the early planning stages, but already height is a point of contention.
Both building proposals are in the eight-storey range.
That’s a problem for some in the community, according to several speakers at council Monday night and at earlier open houses.
Indeed, there are dark mutterings in certain Port circles that city planning staff, bowing to the desires of the business/development community, persuaded its consultants to include an eight-storey limit in the secondary plan draft over the wishes of most residents.
To these residents, it was always understood — or at least made sense — that the height of the 118-yearold Lincoln Fabrics building would set the maximum height standard for the area.
Because of its high ceilings, the old factory, which actually has five levels, is judged to be the equivalent of a six-storey building.
Differing opinions expressed Monday night by Port Conservancy strongman Hank Beekhuis and Rankin perfectly illustrated how difficult it is for minds to meet when it comes to development in Port Dalhousie.
Beekhuis insisted that not only did the six-storey limit make sense from an historical planning perspective, it also “should not stop anyone” from building.
“It leaves the Lincoln Fabrics building intact, even with a replaced addition. And the legion project can survive on six,” he said.
“We are not opposed to appropriate development, and we would love to see someone succeed,” he maintained, adding that the conservancy is willing to work with anyone, “but significant compromise is needed if these projects are to happen.”
“We need practical, fact-based solutions, not individual dreams which, when combined, may make a nightmare for all of us,” Beekhuis concluded.
One imagines steam coming out of Rankin’s ears when he heard these remarks in the public gallery. Because when it was his turn to speak, he wasted little time in accusing Beekhuis of “fear-mongering.”
Rankin insisted it’s “not economical” for his legion project to stop at six storeys.
Indeed, if his 51-unit condo building, which will also include space for Royal Canadian Legion Branch 350’s hall and canteen, is capped at six, “I’m walking away from the project,” he said.
The problem, he explained, is the expensive underground work, including parking, that is required to build a structure like this so close to the water.
“Before I get out of the ground, it’s five million bucks. I need those extra two storeys,” he told council.
And while the conservancy believes the existing Lincoln Fabrics building should set the height standard for the harbour lands, that’s not the position of new owner Rosen.
His proposal includes adding a couple of stories to the structure as well as replacing an old addition.
The result is a project that could accommodate 140 residential units.
Like I said, planning in Port now is kind of messy. dherod.niagara@gmail.com