The fate of a proposed 25-storey downtown mixed-use tower will be decided during a three-week planning appeal hearing set to begin next January.
Dates dealing with the proposal for 70 Fountain St. E. were scheduled during a Local Planning Appeal Tribunal (LPAT) case management conference on Tuesday, an agency spokesperson confirmed.
The appeal seeks to overturn city council’s unanimous rejection of the project application last July.
Skydevco Inc., the development arm of Guelph-based the Skyline real estate company, applied for a zone change to allow for 25 storeys that include 3,900 square feet of ground floor retail space and 67,000 square feet of office floor space on the first four floors. Above the fourth floor would be a 21-storey tower containing 180 apartments.
The location is currently zoned for up to six stories.
Several city council members cited the proposed building’s height as the main reason for rejecting the application. If constructed, it would become the tallest building in Guelph.
Rob Mullin, lawyer for SkyDevco, told council during the July decision meeting that the project represents a $100-million investment in the downtown.
During a hearing in December, the LPAT granted appeal participant status to several individuals, as well as the Guelph Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Guelph Business Association, in addition to Skydevco and the City of Guelph.
Additional details about Tuesday’s case management conference and any orders made have not been publicly released at this time.
