A highrise proposal for downtown London, Ont., has secured rezoning from city council, despite plenty of opposition from local heritage advocates.
The rezoning is for a 40-storey building that Farhi Holdings Corporation is proposing to construct on 435, 441 and 451 Ridout Street North, which is the northwest corner of Ridout Street North and Queens Avenue.
More than a dozen letters were sent to council ahead of its meeting on Tuesday calling for councillors to oppose the rezoning.
Some letters voiced concerns that the highrise would dwarf the Ridout Street Complex, a designated national historic site, or loom over Harris Park, thereby affecting the view.
Ward 11 Coun. Stephen Turner said the proposed highrise’s proximity to a national historic site, as well as Eldon House, London’s oldest residence, had given him “some pause.”
Five per cent of the total units in the highrise are set to be affordable units, but Turner said he wanted to see more from Farhi. He also cited a lack of trust with the developer.
“We’ll be facing a question about temporary parking lot renewal on Queens Avneue by (Farhi) and that was promised for a really big building, a nice redevelopment, and it remains as a temporary surface parking lot,” Turner said.
“I don’t have a lot of faith this building will ever get built. I say to the applicant: prove me wrong.”
When asked by Ward 13 Coun. Ariella Kayabaga about Farhi’s commitment to building the highrise, London’s director of development services, Paul Yeoman, said Farhi is treating the site as a “catalyst to further development in the downtown.”
“That’s the information that’s been conveyed to us through the application process,” Yeoman added.
Ward 9 Coun. Anna Hopkins said council was jumping the gun by offering support despite lingering concerns surrounding the highrise.
“Especially around the floodplain mitigation part and how that is even going to work, how the parking structure is even going to work,” Hopkins said.
“I know there’s a lot of unanswered questions and that still concerns me.”
Support for the rezoning application rang louder during Tuesday’s meeting.
Ward 4 Coun. Jesse Helmer said that while he took issue with plans for surface parking along Queens Avenue, he would still vote in favour of rezoning.
“I know this one is difficult because it’s changing the skyline around these heritage buildings,” Helmer said.
“But I think the important thing for me is it’s retaining the heritage buildings and it’s essentially replacing an under-utilized building… with a tall tower that people will be able to live in.”
“I would like to see (the) surface parking lot go away and have more green space or perhaps another building,” said Ward 5 Coun. Maureen Cassidy, another supporter who expressed reservations with the highrise.
“Overall, this represents I think good planning and I think thoughtful juxtaposition of old and new.”
Deputy Mayor Josh Morgan added that a highrise like this could help bring more people downtown and lead to increased economic support for businesses and events in the area.
“The idea of putting some density in the core, in this particular spot, is very attractive to me,” Morgan said.
The rezoning application from Farhi passed by a vote of 12-2.
Hopkins and Turner were the only councillors who opposed the motion.
Ward 3 Coun. Mo Salih was absent during the vote.
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