Assiniboia committee paves way for Polo Park residential project

St. James-Assiniboia

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This article was published 20/09/2023 (1079 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Assiniboia Community Committee met on Sept. 7, its first meeting following a summer hiatus.

A subdivision, rezoning and conditional use application, which will allow for a mixed-use residential and apartment building to be built at 914 and 980 St. James St., was approved by the committee.

The proposed eight-storey building will be located in the Polo Park neighbourhood, at the northwest intersection of St. Matthews Avenue and St. James Street and will contain 101 dwelling units and approximately 9,300 square feet of business and commercial space on the main floor.

Also within the site is a one storey commercial building. The second, smaller proposed building is 6,000 square feet and located close to the larger building on its north side. The shared parking lot for the two buildings will contain 207 stalls.

The building is part of the long-term OurWinnipeg 2045 plan, which revolves around urban growth, walkability, mixed-use streets, transit-oriented design, and affordable housing. It is the first new residential development to be approved since the provincial government adjusted the limits of the city’s airport vicinity protected in 2021.

The committee agreed that the proposed development aligned with the plan and has the potential to grow the commercial area it’s located in — all while prioritizing public transit and pedestrian convenience. It will also introduce accessible housing to an otherwise commercial, street-based neighbourhood.

The applicant for this project was Matthew Narvey, representing Towers Realty Group.

The committee also approved an expansion of Birchwood Chevrolet Buick GMC in the Pointe West Auto Park (3965 Portage Ave.).The additional two-storey building will be used for vehicle servicing and washes, as well as storage, shipping space, and staff rooms. It will attach to the south side of the existing building, a space currently occupied by the parking lot — which will be modified.

The committee also approved an occasional liquor permit for a number of events in the area, including a Sept. 16 open house at the Assiniboia Memorial Curling Club, but denied a grant of $13,414.69 towards ice shed upgrades at the same club as the plan did not meet the criteria of the Land Dedication Reserve Fund.