The Kingston, Ontario, developers of the old women’s jail site celebrated a significant success.
At Tuesday night’s Kingston city council meeting, the second-last for the current administration, council approved the official plan and zoning by-law amendments for 40 Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd. requested by Siderius Developments, the group who has proposed a mixed-use residential development for the property, which has sat unused for 40 years.
Martin Skolnick of Siderius Developments said, “This clearance tonight for zoning approval, official plan amendment approval, and draught plan of subdivision approval is a milestone for us.
He claimed that the project spans four separate blocks and has numerous different aspects.
“There is a retirement home on one block, there is a hotel or apartment building on another block, there’s a residential condominium on the heritage block where the existing building sits today,” he said.
Even though the majority of the council supported the decision, one council member dissented, citing a petition signed by locals who said the development was inappropriate for the region and should not go forward.
Coun. Bridget Doherty made a motion to defer the decision on the project until the newly-elected council takes over, but the rest of council wanted to move ahead with the approval.
Many council members stated that the amount of public consultation that had been conducted by the developers more than satisfied their needs and that it was too late for a petition to be presented.
The subdivision plan must receive additional approvals, as is typical for projects of this sort, in order to move forward as intended.
While this approval puts them on the right path, Skolnick said the project is still six to eight months away from getting shovels in the ground, if everything goes to plan..
An crucial approval is given to a development proposal at the site of the women’s penitentiary in Kingston, Ontario.
About Author
