The City of Castlegar has purchased two properties in support of recommendations outlined in its recently adopted housing strategy and has already received an offer to develop one of them into a mixed-use housing/commercial space.
The first property is 2405 Columbia Avenue. It is a corner lot bordering a city-owned park space and a civic works storage facility at the former Brandson Pool location. This property is in a “specific growth area” in the City of Castlegar Official Community Plan where mixed-use development, multi-family dwellings, and commercial uses are encouraged.
The second property is just a few blocks away at 2201 Columbia Avenue. It is a single parcel corner lot that could be used as a central storage space for civic works operations or redeveloped for mixed-use commercial and residential housing units.
“Castlegar has a housing shortage in all types of housing, and we need greater diversity and better coordination and leadership for developing housing,” says Mayor Kirk Duff. “Council is committed to positioning our city for the growth and development that is needed, including making investments in strategic properties which can support our goals.”
The city received an offer to purchase 2405 Columbia Avenue and 2404 6th Avenue (formerly Brandson Pool) from Nexus Development Group and Sutherland Group Enterprises, which are looking to add new, high-quality housing, live/work and commercial space while redefining the neighbourhood park, play and green space.
The project is still in the early proposal stages, but initial options include four or five stories constructed using cross-laminated timber from Kalesnikoff Lumber. The project would include approximately 50 residential units, seven to 10 commercial units and a central courtyard.
Castlegar CAO Chris Barlow says one of the exciting components of the proposal includes live/work units which would allow for tenants to have an apartment attached to their store-front space.
The proposal also includes a one-level concrete parkade.
If the project goes forward as proposed, the lot at 2412 6th Avenue would be retained by the city as park space and the city would add an active play component to the space.
The city is reaching out directly to residents near the property before the formal land disposition and development approval process begins later in 2022.
The city says it wants to hear opportunities and concerns from the community to inform the decision making on any future development at this location.
More information on the proposed development is available at castlegar.ca/development.
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