Making waves along the river

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This article was published 23/11/2020 (1748 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Life in Osborne Village feels a bit slower these days, but along River Avenue, development on a number of residential infill projects is still making waves in the neighbourhood.

A 12-unit apartment block at 290 River, designed by 2 Architecture, is about 60 per cent complete. Across the street at 281 River, Towers Realty Group is developing a 100-suite building of its own, designed by BLDG Architecture and built by Pre-Con Builders Ltd. Just up the road is a four-storey rental project developed by Paragon Design-Build.

At a time when businesses are contracting and dealing with the strains of the pandemic, the rental market in the neighbourhood is growing, which bodes well for the Village, says 2 Architecture’s Andre Silva.

“We’re pretty happy to keep building residential properties in this neighbourhood,” he said. “More people means more businesses, more tax dollars, more life in the neighbourhood. It all adds up.”

The project at 290 River did face some challenges from community members in getting off the ground. The address was formerly the site of a 130-year-old house, and some detractors of the four-storey development petitioned against it, eventually appealing to city hall, citing concerns over impacts on parking, the need to preserve older buildings, and the new building’s proposed size.

Councillors on the committee unanimously rejected the petition last July, allowing the development to begin: at the time, Silva told the Free Press concern over parking was misplaced, because each unit will be given a dedicated parking stall, and that the building size fits neighbourhood planning guidelines.

“We were able to find a good balance that matched the neighbourhood,” he said, adding that his firm worked hard to prioritize developing high-quality buildings that mesh with the area. The firm has also developed several buildings in the neighbourhood already, including 125 Cauchon St., 123 Scott St., and four properties on Wardlaw Avenue.

The majority of the units in the building will be two-bedroom, two-bath, with the largest unit coming in at roughly 800 square-feet. The floors will be polished concrete, Silva said, and the finishings will be modern and contemporary. Because the project is financed through the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation’s affordable housing program, rents will be tied to the neighbourhood’s median household income with some suites capped at what the program deems an affordable rate.

Elsewhere on River, 2 Architecture also has started the financing process for a second rental apartment building at 350 River Ave., which currently is the site of a three-storey house that’s used as apartments. Plans for the development, which hasn’t yet received permits, include 10 single-room occupancy units and five apartments, Silva said. He hopes the project can move forward before the end of the year, but likely could begin in the spring.

But across the street from 290 River is a project that will somewhat dwarf it in size once complete. Towers Realty Group’s Tudor Apartments will have 100 “amenity rich, luxury” rental suites, says Jason van Rooy, the director of marketing and customer service. At five storeys tall, it will have rooftop spaces overlooking the neighbourhood, he said.

Though still in early construction, the property will have a fully equipped fitness centre, underground parking, electric vehicle charging stations, access to Peg City Car Co-op, and even a dog wash station. Before they were demolished, the property had five three-storey buildings with a total of 54 rental units, van Rooy said.

Leasing is expected to start in the spring of 2022, with occupancy that fall.

“Osborne Village has long been one of the city’s most popular, and densely populated neighbourhoods,” van Rooy said in an email. “We believe people want to live here. Many businesses in the area have been staples of the community for decades, and new and exciting businesses often choose to call the Village home.”

ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca