Developers aim to revitalize Ness

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/08/2018 (2832 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The site of a former Safeway and strip mall on Ness Avenue has caught the eye of developers hoping to turn the lot into a multi-storey residential and commercial complex.

Based on a proposal submitted to the City of Winnipeg’s board of adjustment by Seymour Pacific Development, the project will include two four-storey residential buildings with retail space in the main floor of the south tower. 

“The City and our long-term plans support this kind of intensification on main streets or corridors such as Ness Avenue,” City planner Robert Galston said. “It revitalizes an underused, largely vacant commercial site that was largely car-oriented in its design and adds something that is a mix of uses, and it moves towards something that is a little more pedestrian-oriented.”

The three-acre property, previously owned by Swancoat Investments, spans from 3045 to 3059 Ness Ave. and includes a former Safeway that was shuttered in 2014 after the chain was purchased by Sobeys; as well as several small businesses in a strip mall. 

Barber Siggi Johnson had been in a tenant in the strip mall since 1980. He moved his business down the street when he found out the building had been sold to a new developer earlier this year — news that wasn’t exactly a surprise.

“I knew it was coming, (the previous owner) tried to sell that building for a long time…he gave us a lot of warning,” Johnson said, adding that he’s looking forward to the new development. “I think it will be a great addition to that area, there isn’t a lot of nice places to rent in that area right now.”

Johnson, who is 70 years old, still cuts hair full-time and is currently renting a chair at a friend’s barber shop until the fall, when he moves into a space at 3075 Ness Ave.

The Seymour Pacific project went before the board of adjustment on July 25 and received approval to put residential dwellings on the first floor of one of the buildings and construct a surface parking lot that isn’t hidden from surrounding residences — two things that are outlined in the area’s commercial zoning bylaw. 

The developers also had to get a variance to build closer to the property lines. The four commercial units in the south building will be located close to the sidewalk along Ness Avenue, which is something that will give the neighbourhood a “more urban feel,” according to Galston.

The City posted signs about the board of adjustment hearing two weeks prior to the meeting and residents had two weeks following to submit an appeal of the decision. While no one has registered in opposition of the development, Galston said he did get a few calls from residents with concerns about the height of the development. 

A representative for Seymour Pacific did not respond to requests for comment on the development.