A plan to replace much of the commercial plaza at Willow and Dawson roads with two apartment buildings has received the green light.
City council unanimously approved the necessary zoning amendments for the redevelopment of 47 to 75 Willow Rd. on Monday evening.
As a result, two six-storey buildings will be constructed with commercial space on the ground floor and a total of 115 residential units above.
“It’s a great plan,” commented Coun. Rodrigo Goller, praising plans for rooftop gardens in particular. “I do wish that more developers put that much effort and energy in.”
Initially submitted in 2019, the project included 130 units but has since been lessened.
In order for the redevelopment to go forward, a zone change has been sought from community commercial to specialized community commercial. The previous cap on building height is three storeys.
During a January, 2020 public meeting, area residents expressed concerns with the size and affordability of planned units, as well as the retaining existing business services in the plaza. That meeting was held before the number of units was decreased.
