GUELPH — A mixed-use development proposal for 115 Watson Parkway North would provide the community with around 1,070 residential units and 2,818.2 square metres of at-grade commercial space.
The developer and owner of the site is Guelph Watson Holdings Inc. (Tercot Communities), and Zelinka Priamo Ltd. is the planner representing the developer.
The site is surrounded by residential, commercial, industrial, and open space land uses.
The urban design brief states the units will be in the form of apartment units and townhouses.
The breakdown of units is proposed as 197 townhouses and 873 apartment units. Block 1 would provide a 10-storey apartment building and a 12-storey mixed-use building with 959.4 square metres of retail space at grade. These two buildings would offer 456 residential units.
The second block is proposed as one 12-storey mixed-use building and one 14-storey mixed-use building, providing 417 residential units across both buildings.
A total of 1,858.8 square metres of at-grade retail space would be offered. Block 3 is proposed as 37 on-street and 160 back-to-back townhouse units 2-3 storeys in height.
The subject lands are currently zoned “Specialized Community Shopping Centre with Holding Provisions [CC-15(H)] with small areas zoned Park (P1) and Floodway (FL). The subject lands are zoned Community Mixed-Use Centre [CMUC-9(PA)(H10)(H12)] and Natural Heritage System (NHS) by Zoning By-law (2023)- 20790, which is under OLT appeal and not yet in effect,” as stated in the cover letter.
The site is currently designated ‘Commercial Mixed-use Centre,’ ‘Significant Natural Areas,’ and ‘Natural Areas.’ The subject lands are also identified as being a ‘Greenfield Area’ and a ‘Community Mixed-use Node,’ as stated in the urban design brief.
The development would offer approximately 1,232 parking spaces for the apartments and townhouse units and 983 bicycle spaces. In an underground parking structure of two levels, 778 parking spaces would be provided for residents, 257 spaces at the surface for commercial and visitor use and 197 spaces for the townhouses.
Of the approximate 983 bicycle spaces, 97 spaces would be located outdoors around the site.
Several outdoor amenity areas, including a 0.45-hectare neighbourhood park, are proposed for the site. Examples of the specifics of the zoning amendment are still to be determined.
As of now, the non-specific examples of the amendment include but are not limited to expanding the range of residential built-form permissions, deeming Watson Parkway North as the front lot line, considering the lands as one lot for the purpose of zoning interpretation, and implementing the boundary of the Natural Heritage System, as stated in the cover letter.
