Polo Park development proposes 101 residential suites

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This article was published 06/09/2023 (787 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A development proposal aims to land 101 new residential suites near Winnipeg’s airport, an area where new home construction had been severely restricted for decades due to the potential for noise complaints.

The proposal for 914 and 980 St. James St. in the Polo Park area would add a 100-foot-tall, eight-storey mixed-use residential building with 101 suites and a 9,300-square-foot commercial space on the main floor.

A stand-alone 6,000-sq.-ft. commercial building would be built to the north, while the existing Tim Hortons outlet would remain.

Until recently, such a housing development wouldn’t have been possible. The City of Winnipeg’s airport vicinity protection area restricted construction of new homes due to concerns new residents would complain about airport noise and threaten the airport’s 24/7 operations.

In 2021, the provincial government imposed a new map for the protection area that increased the space where new homes could be built by about 2,000 acres and forced the city to update its bylaws to reflect the new rules.

The St. James proposal, from Towers Realty Group, is the first of its kind that city council will consider after the changes, though officials note sound mitigation measures would be required.

“The construction of the building is required to address noise from aircrafts passing overhead, with the purpose being to minimize noise complaints from residents,” writes Devin Clark, a city planner, in the report.

Noise will also be noted in tenants’ agreements, said Kate Moir, director of planning at M Richard and Associates, a proponent of the project.

The location also meshes well with multiple city development goals, since the new housing would be close to transit routes, businesses and bike routes, said Moir.

“It’s that whole ‘live, work and play’ … You want people to be able to walk and bike and take transit. Multi-modal transportation is a big part of the community plans and this is aligned with those principles,” she said. “Having people live in the area of businesses is also a way to increase the safety and livability of an area as well.”

People who live in the area largely welcomed the idea of adding homes to the neighbourhood during public engagement sessions, said Moir.

“People want to be able to age in place. They want to be able to remain in the St. James area and they need a variety of different housing types (to do that),” she said.

If approved as is, the site would include 207 parking stalls, 20 bicycle stalls, a public parklet, a dog park, a commercial patio and roof decks. The residential building’s main floor would include a bicycle storage area, a “kid’s club”/library space, a 1,600-sq.-ft. lounge and a pet spa.

City planners have recommended council approve the project, with some conditions. A key proposed change calls for the maximum front yard setback for any new buildings to be 25 feet, instead of the proposed residential building setback of up to 99 feet from the street at some spots. City planners argue too large a setback allows surface parking and isn’t as welcoming to pedestrians as putting the building closer to the street.

“The urban planning division is concerned that this proposal, being the first residential development in the Polo Park area in many years, may set a precedent for further residential development that is not optimally pedestrian oriented,” writes Clark.

Moir said Towers Realty Group still prefers its proposed setbacks, which she said would allow landscaping that would serve pedestrians well and create a buffer between an outdoor patio and the street.

“What they’re proposing, that would be changing all the landscaping that the developer has proposed, which (is) a big part of that walkability, pedestrian- friendly, oriented design,” she said.

In past years, the Winnipeg Airports Authority had warned that allowing new homes to be built this close to the airport, if based on one-off proposals, could threaten airport operations. However, an official said the authority is now cautiously optimistic about new developments because clear rules and noise limits are in place for all projects.

“We’ve been saying from the very beginning that we want to find that right balance between making sure the airport can grow and operate and thrive for the benefit of the community but also making sure the community can develop. I think we have that now with the regulations,” said Tyler MacAfee, vice-president of external affairs for the airports authority.

St. James Coun. Shawn Dobson declined to speak about the merits of the project because it has not yet gone to a city hearing.

Dobson said he does see a need for more housing in the area.

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“It would be good for the community to bring in more people in the St. James area,” he said.

The proposal will be considered by council’s Assiniboia community committee on Wednesday. It would require full city council approval.

Meanwhile, a $1-billion development planned for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers former football stadium site is not yet at the city application stage. It would add thousands of additional residential units to the area, if approved.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.

Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.