Proposed plans for a multi-unit residential development in Saint John’s East Point retail area could see some changes.
The city’s Planning Advisory Committee approved two variances Tuesday for the proposed project, located between the lot containing Sobeys/NB Liquor and Fashion Drive.
Orion Management and Construction Inc., on behalf of East Point Holdings Inc., was previously granted permission to build three multi-storey buildings on the Retail Drive site.
The buildings would have dwelling units on the upper floors with commercial uses anticipated on the ground floors.
PAC members voted unanimously to increase the building heights from 24 metres to between 28 and 57 metres. The two buildings in front would be eight storeys in height while the third building adjacent to an existing rock wall would be 14 storeys.
Staff noted that the increased height will have a “limited impact” on adjacent areas as the lands immediately next to it have limited development, including an electrical substation, communications tower, and electrical transmission corridor.
Committee members also approved a variance allowing for dwelling units on the ground floor of the three buildings.
John Wheatley, who spoke on behalf of the proponent, said their primary intention is to have boutique retailers fill the space.
“But in the event that that doesn’t happen, we will design the first floor in such a way that we could use those spaces for residential if we need to in order to make sure the building is filled up,” Wheatley told the committee.
“The market is mixed, as we all know, but I think that we have a reasonable chance that we’ll see some speciality smaller retail stores who might want to be located both within the East Point development and adjacent to our residential.”
Anne McShane, one of the PAC members, said she does not see the variance as being precedent-setting.
“We’ve had applications before looking to change some of those multi-use buildings to have residential on the bottom floor and they weren’t as appealing because we were looking to activate the streetscapes. In this case, I don’t think that’s applicable,” said McShane.
A Section 59 condition on the site limits the number of dwelling units to no more than 200. Staff said the two proposed smaller buildings will include about 77 units each, while the final number of units in the largest building has not yet been determined.
If the developer wants to have more than 200 units on the site, they will have to come back to PAC to request an amendment.
Residential development only became allowed within the city’s regional retail centres in 2019, when council passed a bylaw creating a new zoning category called regional commercial residential.
Meanwhile, Wheatley said they could break ground on the first building as early as this winter.
“It’s mostly rock excavation, it’s work that could be done in the winter conditions and be in a position to, if things go as we expect, to begin physical construction in the spring of 2022,” he said.
The matter will now go before Common Council for a public hearing, which is scheduled for Nov. 1.
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