Saint John council has approved a 150-unit mixed-use development proposed just north of Queen Square.
The development is set to be constructed at the corner of Charlotte Street and Queen Square North uptown.
The Jewett Residence, an existing heritage building, will also be retained and incorporated into the development.
“We did our best to design a high-quality development that fits well with the surrounding neighbourhood,” Keith Brideau of Historica Developments said during a public hearing in late August.
“I think a lot of developers might shy away from that, but Steve [Belyea] and I believe it’s very important that down the road, when this project is complete, that we can drive by and feel good about what we built.”
Brideau and Belyea applied to have 170 Charlotte Street and 13-19 Queen Square North rezoned from Mixed Commercial and Urban Centre Residential to Integrated Development.
The developers also required zoning bylaw amendments to increase the maximum building height from 14 and 21 metres to 22.5 metres, and the maximum street wall height from 14 metres to 15.5 metres.
Initially proposed as a 120-unit development, city staff modelling completed by Saint John Water showed there is capacity in the water supply and storm sewer systems to accommodate the additional 30 units. Developers previously told council that units will range in size from studio to three bedrooms.
“We do understand the affordable housing issues and we think it’s only going to get worse with interest rates rising, etc., so one of the things we are looking at doing is making some of the units smaller, and that’s why we decided to go up to 150 units,” said Brideau.
“We think if some of the units are a little smaller they are going to be more affordable.”
In addition to the residential units, the development will also have about 557 square metres of commercial space on the ground floor.
Commercial uses are limited to artist or craftsperson studio; bakery; business office; community centre; community policing office; day care centre; dwelling unit; financial service; grocery store; health and fitness centre; home occupation; library; medical clinic; personal service; pet grooming; place of worship; restaurant; retail general; household service and repair; and veterinary clinic.
One condition of the approval is that the sanitary sewer flow from the commercial portion of the development is limited to the equivalent sanitary sewer flow from a 100-seat restaurant.
With files from Tim Herd.
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