Foundation work is progressing this winter on Fusion Home’s landmark The Metalworks residential development.
VanMar Constructors of Cambridge is the general contractor on the site, with a number of sub-contractors carrying out the work on a project that has been in planning since around 2011.
Concrete, steel and brick structures are beginning to rise on the expansive, and historic Arthur Street South site where the W.C. Wood appliance factory once stood.
A heritage structure on the land along the Speed River in the downtown has been preserved, with the first of the new structures springing up directly behind it.
The planning process for the ambitious project has been a complicated one. Occupancy is expected to begin around the middle of 2017.
“Very complicated comparatively speaking,” said Neal Hallock in an email. He is Fusion’s director, land operations and high rise. “Anytime you need to juggle a rezoning/ site plan application process on a five-phase, 600-unit project, while designing a marketable building in a municipality where a high-rise market hasn’t been established, there are certainly a fair share of complexities.”
He said the first phase of the project is now under construction. It has progressed to the third floor of the concrete structure. The second phase building is now in the design development stages. A site plan application for it is expected to be submitted to the City of Guelph by late winter of this year, he added in the email.
The 3.5-storey, 40,000 square foot historic building on the site, which held W.C. Wood offices and showroom, will be redeveloped as part of the overall project. The W.C. Wood appliance factory, one of the last appliance making operations on Canadian soil, closed in 2009.
Kilmer Brownfield Equity Fund purchased the land and carried out extensive remediation work on the industrial site.
Fusion Homes bought the land from Kilmer in 2011 and soon made public its preliminary plans for it. Residents of St. Patrick’s Ward wanted a say in the direction the development took, and a lengthy consultation between a residents group, the city and developer ensued.
There are five phases to the development. The first is a ten-storey structure of 150,000 square feet and 133 residential units. Phase two is an 11-storey high-rise with 132 units and 130,000 square feet, while phase three is a second 10-storey building with 120 units.
Both phase four and five propose buildings up to 14-storeys and 120 units each.
Andrew Monachino, Fusion Homes marketing associate said public response to sales of phase one units has been exceptional. All but 13 of the 133 condominium units have been sold.
Fusion Homes has a sales office at the site at 5 Arthur St. S. The office features multi-media displays on the project and the amenities of the units.
