By MARLENE BERGSMA, STANDARD STAFF
Tuesday June 9 2009, The St. Catharines Standard
City councillors have cleared the way for a $75-million shopping centre on an abandoned industrial site in east St. Catharines, with their decision Monday to eliminate an obstacle to the development.
Councillors voted unanimously to make a decision next month on Smart Centre's proposed 350,000-square-foot retail plaza, overruling the objections of city planning staff, who said the development still needs more study.
It's a decision the company has been waiting for since 2005, when it bought the abandoned Ferranti-Packard Transformers building, said Josh Kaufman, director of land development for Smart Centres.
From the beginning, Smart Centres planned to develop the 30-acre parcel on Dieppe Road between Bunting Road and Neilsen Avenue for retail uses, moving Wal-Mart from its current location in the Lincoln Mall on Welland Avenue into the new shopping centre.
Since 2005, it has conducted and paid for nine different traffic, planning, marketing and engineering studies, Kaufman said.
But with the economy now in a funk, Wal-Mart's position as an anchor tenant is in jeopardy unless the city makes a quick decision, Kaufman told councillors Monday night.
That's why the company took the unusual step of appearing before council to ask for a shortcut.
"The push here today is that it is very possible if timing doesn't progress in as quick a fashion as we are hoping, there is the possibility that the tenant may not be part of this development," Kaufman said.
City planner Paul Chapman had recommended the city undertake a comprehensive land-use study before considering whether to allow industrial land to be converted to retail use. Before industrial land can be changed to retail, the province requires a comprehensive review, Chapman wrote.
Without such a review, the city would have a more difficult time defending a rezoning if the decision is appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board, Chapman wrote. The study would take eight to 12 months.
But Kaufman said Smart Centres can't afford to wait any longer.
Local businesses also want the vandalized, abandoned property cleaned up, he said.
"This can be a catalyst, an opportunity to jump-start development now," he said.
Kaufman also said Smart Centres intends to keep a small strip of light industrial sites along Neilsen Avenue.
The St. Catharines-Thorold Chamber of Commerce also urged speed.
"Don't let this project get tied up in a review process that has already taken too long," said Walter Sendzik, general manager of the chamber. "We believe the city is open for business; you can demonstrate that tonight."
Sendzik said the chamber has always supported the switch from industrial land to commercial at that site because the city should be trying to attract small, light industries, not the massive heavy industry such as Ferranti-Packard once was.
Economic development director David Oakes said St. Catharines is unlikely to attract a company to replace the transformer manufacturer because the site is too contaminated and the building has been stripped of its industrial potential.
"It's not usable anymore," Oakes said.
Smart Centres will demolish it to make way for the plaza.
But first it must clean up the PCB-contaminated site, a move supported by Sendzik.
"This is a company that bought contaminated industrial land and has a plan to clean it up -- and provide a commercial complex in a part of the city that needs a facelift," Sendzik said.
He said the property taxes paid by a new commercial development will help reduce taxes for other businesses.
But council watcher Bernie Slepkov told councillors not to rush into a development that may be rendered obsolete when oil prices skyrocket and imported consumer goods are no longer available or affordable.
St. George's Coun. Greg Washuta disagreed.
"Quite frankly, they can't wait around another eight to 12 months for us to make a decision," Washuta said. Delaying the development further would mean "public perception would not be good."
St. George's Coun. Peter Secord agreed, saying it's the first development in his ward since he's been on council.
"I want to get things moving. It's taking way too long," Secord said.
Councillor Mark Elliott, who owns a retail shop in downtown St. Catharines, declared a conflict of interest and did not participate in the discussion or vote.
The development will be the subject of a public meeting on July 27, when council will make a final decision on whether to rezone the land.
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Green Wal-Mart
The new Wal-Mart shopping centre proposed for Dieppe Road near Bunting Road in east St. Catharines will be cleaner and greener than the Fourth Avenue power centre, promised Josh Kaufman of Smart Centres, the property's owner and developer.
Green features will include:
A white roof to reflect sunlight and help keep the buildings cooler.
High-efficiency lighting and heating
Increased insulation
Lavish landscaping, featuring native and drought-resistant species
More trees
On-site recycling
Water efficient bathroom fixtures
Pedestrian-friendly access and internal pathways
Bicycle parking
Benches and canopies
Streetscaping along Bunting Road, Dieppe Road and Welland Avenue
"Living wall" to mark the site's north boundary
Article ID# 1604417
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