A large tract of barren land, a stone’s throw from Memorial Arena, a rubble-strewn reminder of the city’s once-dominant position in the age of the iron horse, has caught the eye of a London developer eager to transform the wasteland into desperately needed rental housing.
To the delight of St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston, who is all smiles at the prospect of another brownfield undergoing rehabilitation to add as many as 2,000 units to the city’s housing inventory.
Drewlo Holdings, a family-run enterprise based in London, has acquired the 20-acre site, stretching north and east of the intersection of Wilson Avenue and Elm Street.
The firm is proposing to construct six rental buildings with between 1,800 and 2,000 housing units.
Site preparation at the highly contaminated property has been underway for some time and includes full environmental remediation.
