Ontario Construction News staff writer
Windsor is launching the Pelissier Street Parking Lot Expression of Interest (EOI) as the next step in the city’s Housing Solutions Made for Windsor strategy.
Proposals will be accepted through Jan. 28, 2025. Interested developers can access detailed proposal requirements and information at the Housing Development – Pelissier Street Parking Lot: EOI 106-24 webpage.
The municipal property covers 32,234 sq. ft. (0.74 acres) between Wyandotte Street West and Elliott Street in downtown Windsor. With the potential to host medium-profile, mixed-use or residential buildings, this site invites developers to envision a dynamic space that could blend residential units with lively ground-floor commercial spaces, further enhancing Windsor’s downtown area.
With 360 feet of frontage along Pelissier Street, the parking lot is one of several municipal properties identified for their immediate potential to support diverse future housing needs and encourage additional investments and development in strategic areas of the city, including downtown revitalization as part of the Strengthen the Core Place-Making initiative.
“The Pelissier Street Parking Lot EOI is an important opportunity to add much-needed housing and to help Strengthen the Core in the heart of Windsor,” said Mayor Drew Dilkens. “As I have stressed, and Council has supported, we are committed to increasing the supply of housing at an accelerated pace in Windsor while respecting residents and their investments and protecting the integrity of our city’s unique and vibrant neighbourhoods as well as the crucial infrastructure that sustains it all.
“By inviting developers to submit innovative proposals for this site, we continue working towards a solution that directly supports our housing strategy, increasing housing supply while promoting community-focused development.”
The announcement is a significant step in Windsor’s journey to align housing options and supply with unprecedented economic development and population growth.
Through the EOI, developers are invited to submit proposals that reflect Windsor’s commitment to sustainable, inclusive, and community-oriented housing.
Additional municipal lands were identified for development earlier:
- Caron Avenue Parking Lot – Caron Avenue and University Avenue
- Former Windsor Arena – 572 McDougall St.
- Former Grace Hospital Site – 339 Crawford Ave.
- Roseland Clubhouse and Parking Lot – 455 Kennedy Dr.
- Former W.D. Lowe Secondary School – 874 Giles Blvd. E.
The Caron Avenue Site EOI closed in August, and an update is expected later this year. The city will continue to review additional available municipal lands to identify further opportunities to support evolving housing needs and smart housing solutions in Windsor.
“In Windsor, we recognize that a vibrant, growing city needs a diverse and accessible range of housing options. With this EOI, Pelissier Street provides yet another exciting opportunity to create more housing and more housing options, which ties directly to our Strengthen the Core efforts to revitalize downtown Windsor to attract new residents, businesses, investments and residents,” Ward 3 councillor Renald Agostino said in a statement.
“This is another prime location in the core, and we are committed to seeing it developed in a way that makes a difference where it is needed. There will always be challenges as part of this work that we’re doing … but today is about celebrating another opportunity that will help us thrive. Part of the solution for downtown is for it to become a neighbourhood, which means more people living and working there, growing and sustaining it every day. This is how we grow, and I’m excited to see the proposals that come forward for this land.” Summary of the City of Windsor’s key housing milestones to date:
Adopted the Home Together: Windsor Essex Housing and Homelessness Master Plan.
Adopted a comprehensive amendment to Official Plan and Zoning Bylaw that identified “Intensification Priority Areas” made up of Mixed Use Centres (260 hectares), Mixed Use Corridors (50 kilometres) and Mixed Use Nodes (137 hectares) to support housing targets.
Committed to supporting 13,000 new housing units by 2031 as part of its Housing Pledge to the provincial government.
Commissioned an independent housing needs assessment report.
- Identified 1000 acres and nearly 50 kilometres of arterial roads with bus routes available for developments aimed at densification make sense for Windsor.
- Identified and released a list of municipal lands that are ideal for development to support housing, particularly affordable housing and missing middle housing, as part of the Housing Solutions Made for Windsor plan.
- Launched the Caron Avenue Site EOI (closed in August 2024).
- Released the second list of properties in the Housing Solutions Made for Windsor plan – Former Windsor Arena, and the Former Grace Hospital site.
- Launched the Vacant Home Tax program.
- Surpassed 2024 provincial housing target, as of September 2024.
- Launched the Pelissier Street Parking Lot EOI.