Things looking up at the Knitting Mills
Developer Harry Stinson is now proposing a 20-storey tower as part of the redevelopment
Harry Stinson is upsizing his redevelopment pitch for the Cannon Knitting Mills to include a condo tower.
The developer is previewing a new conceptual plan for the industrial landmark at the corner of Cannon and Mary streets that now includes a 20-storey terraced condo tower.
Stinson bought the decrepit former foundry and knitting mill complex for $3 million in 2016 and started marketing a potential six-storey redevelopment to would-be condo buyers that would also include retail and a boutique hotel.
Those elements remains part of the plan, said Stinson — but more condo units in a tower configuration would help offset climbing redevelopment, repair and cleanup costs.
“The reality is that old building is in pretty rough shape,” said Stinson, who pointed to the need to remove “gross contamination” and rebuild foundations for most of the retained mill buildings.
“Those things are not cheap to address.” The colourful developer, better known locally for converting the former Stinson school into condo lofts, admitted he was surprised but pleased by early drafts of the city’s new downtown secondary plan that appeared to allow for a tower on the mill property.
(A final draft of the secondary plan — with changes based on resident feedback — is due out early next week.)
Stinson has not submitted a formal application yet for the project. Instead, he previewed his early concept plan at a recent meeting of the Beasley Neighbourhood Association. (He is also running it by would-be condo buyers under the old plan.)
He said the reaction from residents was “not overly adversarial.”
“On the other hand, I think even if I pitched a one-storey (height increase) there would be someone, somewhere who was outraged,” he said.
Mike Borelli of the Beasley association said in a Twitter message members want to hear more — but they first want to see what the final downtown secondary plan will even allow on the property. “It’s just a model for
now, so we’re eager to get more details from Harry, when he has them,” Borelli said.
Stinson said he deliberately planned a “terraced” tower approach that slopes away from nearby Beasley Park and leaves largely intact the old mill wall along the perimeter.
He also said he settled on “around 20 storeys” for the tower in acknowledgement of the “notable” opposition of many residents to perceived widespread 30-storey allowances in draft versions of the downtown secondary plan.
“We’re not trying to build something that is as tall as possible. We’re trying to come up with a nice building that respects the history of the mills,” he said, adding he is planning for a brick rather than glass tower facade.
“I want people to know it’s a work in progress. We’re listening to the feedback.”