An industrial complex in the heart of Preston could soon be transformed into a towering residential neighbourhood if a Cambridge-based developer's plan gets the go-ahead from council.
E Squared Developments Corp. has submitted applications asking for zoning bylaw and official plan amendments to turn a industrial site, bordered by a CN rail line and Laurel and Dolph streets, into a massive six-tower residential complex featuring over 1,000 one and two bedroom apartments.
Under the plan, the 3.2 hectare site, which is currently occupied by an industrial complex used by a variety of businesses, would see the existing building demolished in order to accommodate the proposed development.
MacNaughton Hermsen Britton Clarkson Planning Limited (MHBC Planning) has been retained by the developer to facilitate the redevelopment of the property identified as 777 Laurel Street and 308 Dolph Street.
The proposed towers are between seven and 14 storeys and would rise out of three podiums.
A total of 1,046 apartment units are proposed within multiple buildings some of which are attached via the podium which houses the majority of the parking spaces planned for the site, one for each unit. That includes 921 spaces within the parking structure and 127 spaces on the surface.
A total of 326 bicycle parking spaces are also built into the plan.
The main entry to the site is located off of Laurel Street. Two apartment buildings are proposed along this frontage and are seven storeys in height.
Shared amenity spaces and at grade patio areas are planned for ground floor units.
The application for an official plan amendment asks that the lands be changed from "business industrial" to "high-density residential" with a site-specific policy to permit a maximum building height of 14 storeys and a maximum density of 2.79 floor space index across the entirety of the site.
The applicant is, however, requesting a maximum FSI of 3.0 be implemented into the site-specific policy.
The application to amend the city's zoning by-law asks to rezone the lands from the "Industrial - M3" zone to the "Multiple- Residential - RM1" zone with site-specific provisions that will permit an increased building height and density; reduced amenity area; and, a minimum parking requirement of one space per unit (0.9 spaces per dwelling unit and 0.1 spaces per unit for visitors).
Zoning currently requires 1.25 spaces per unit, including one space per unit and 0.25 spaces per unit for visitors.
The applications will be presented at a public meeting set for September 5 at 6:30 p.m. Anyone interested in providing comments can do so by submitting written comments to Michael Campos at [email protected].
Those who wish to delegate at the public meeting can register at the following link: https://forms.cambridge.ca/Delegation-Request-Form
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