Developer clears hurdle to build two 30-plus storey residential towers, transforming downtown Barrie

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By Robin MacLennan

Ontario Construction News staff writer

A proposal to build two 30-plus storey residential towers and transform a large section of downtown Barrie jumped a hurdle on Monday.

Barrie Waterfront Developments received approval for a zoning-bylaw amendment for several properties located at 39-67 Dunlop St. W. and 35-37 Mary St. – most ofย the south side of Dunlop Street West,ย east of Mary Streetย and west of Maple Avenue.

Barrie councillors approved the plan without discussion at a general committee meeting and will likely give final approval at a council meeting next Monday.

Kevin Bechard, principal planner from Weston Consulting, made a presentation last June on behalf of Barrie Waterfront Developments and he labeled the design “a departure” from traditionalย highrises, highlighting a โ€œslender build form with a pointed tower.โ€

“This development will also introduce a new landmark for Barrie, in terms of its downtown and its skyline,” he said. โ€œThese are tall buildings for Barrie, at 30 and 34 (storeys), but I think the future is heading in that direction.”

The two towers would beย connected by a six-storey podium. There would also be five storeys of above-ground parking. A walkway would be built between the buildings to provide access to the bus terminal and waterfront.

“We’re not putting up a wall of building along Dunlop Street,” Bechard said. “It’s intended to provide a connection to the waterfront and accessibility through the building itself.”

Itโ€™s a phased plan with the 30-storey tower to be built first, followed by the 34-storey where to buy cheap valium online structure. The mixed-use developmentย includes two residential towers atop a seven-storey podium, a ground floor retail/commercial area and 495 parking spaces on Levels 2-6.

The residential units will include one, two and three-bedroom options.

Barrie council will approve a zoning-bylaw amendment to increase the maximumย allowable building height, reduce the minimum required parking, increase the maximum permitted gross floor area, and reduce the minimum required commercial coverage.

Residents attending a public meeting last summer were divided โ€“ some in favour of the redevelopment and others concerned that historic buildings will be lost.

Wendy Cook is a long-time downtown resident and she says the plan โ€œcould take a blighted neighbourhood and turn it into something really beautiful.”

Resident Cathy Colebatch said the development is exciting, but โ€œI just wish it wasn’t in that block where we potentially have to demolish an entire block of heritage or century-old buildings,โ€ she said.

About a dozen businessesย would be affected.

Phase 1 is the 30-storey building on the eastern half of theย property, including 227 residential units. Phase 2 is the 34-storey building on the western half, including 268ย units. Phase 3 is dependent upon anticipated decline in parking demand over time, such as through public transit improvements, autonomous vehicles, etc.

Developer Gary Silverberg says he chose Barrie because the city presents โ€œa great opportunity.โ€

“I’m not really interested in working just for the sake of working,โ€™ he said. โ€œI wanted to do something special. We were looking for somewhere we could add some value.”

1 COMMENT

  1. […] The proposal for two 30-story towers will transform downtown Barrie, said Kevin Bechard, principal planner fromย Weston Consulting,ย  in a presentation on behalf of Barrie Waterfront Developments. See the comprehensive story about this project here. […]

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