It’s all about seeing cranes reaching up into the sky over St. Thomas.
That was the observation of Mayor Joe Preston on Wednesday morning (Nov. 22) for the groundbreaking ceremony at the 14-storey Highlands Tower 1 apartment building.
It’s Phase 2 of the redevelopment of the former Timken Canada property at Talbot Street and First Avenue.
“It’s the beginning of the next phase of the growth here,” suggested Preston, “and what a great team they have on this project and how beautiful this will be for this corner.
“An old brownfield site of an industry. I loved the Timken company when it was here, but what a great way to re-purpose the site we’re standing on.”
The 162-unit development is being undertaken by Fast Forward Ventures Capital of London.
In March of last year, approval was granted for the first of several towers expected to rise on the property.
Preston called it one more step in attacking the city’s housing shortage.
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‘Our once-thriving downtown core is at a critical threshold’ – St. Thomas lawyer Hilary Vaughan
In a deputation last Monday (Sept. 12) to city council she stressed was devoid of “ill will, malintent or hidden agenda,” Hilary Vaughan hit one out of the park with her no-nonsense presentation on the complex issues plaguing downtown.
In a six-and-a-half-minute span, the St. Thomas lawyer delivered a tell-it-like-it-is synopsis, warning the core area is at a critical threshold.
Her closing remarks left members momentarily flummoxed. Vaughan made it clear she was not open to questions, instead it is time to “find a real solution, in real-time, for real people.”
That can be done by striking a working group to tackle the increasingly dire situation.
Because the picture she painted of the downtown core’s immediate prospects is bleak.
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Back-to-back announcements this week an example of ‘attacking housing from each end in St. Thomas’
It has been a significant week for housing news in St. Thomas.
A pair of announcements mid-week covered off a broad swath of the residential spectrum.
At Wednesday’s site plan control committee meeting, conditional approval was granted to Fast Forward Ventures of London for their 14-storey, 162-unit apartment building to rise on the south end of the former Timken Canada property near the intersection of First Avenue and Talbot Street.
The Timken plant closed in 2013 and was demolished and the site cleared in 2017.
The next day, the province announced $3 million in funding to develop 20 supportive housing units inside Phase 2 of the city’s social services and housing hub now under construction at 16 Queen Street.
Let’s take a closer look at both developments – which Mayor Joe Preston described as “one more step in attacking the city’s housing shortage.”
Ian's City Scope 