CAMBRIDGE — city officials recently evaluated plans to develop affordable rental housing on four city-owned properties during a council workshop held on July 4, 2024.
The properties under review are located at 10 Ethel Street, 1580 Queenston Road, 0 Grand Ridge Drive, and 25 Chalmers Street South.
10 Ethel Street is a vacant lot covering 1,837 square metres, equivalent to 0.45 acres. Currently zoned as R4, it allows for the construction of single detached houses.
During the workshop, city staff proposed a higher-density development consisting of four-storey, 14-unit stacked townhouses. This plan aims to achieve a density of 76 units per hectare, providing affordable housing quickly while preserving the low-rise character of the surrounding neighbourhood.
Other development options for this site were put forth, such as three two-storey single-detached homes or three-storey townhomes, but were favoured less due to lower unit counts and density.
At 1580 Queenston Road, the former Preston Scout House stands on a 0.66-acre property. Zoned N1 institutional and carrying a heritage designation, this site is set to preserve the existing Scout House building, ensuring it will not be demolished.
Currently, the property hosts the Portraits of Honour museum and the wardrobe department for the Preston Figure Skating Club. Any new construction must integrate with the heritage structure.
The preferred development option is a three-storey apartment building with 24 units, achieving a density of 89 units per hectare.
The proposal would fit well with the surrounding neighbourhood of stacked townhomes and multi-unit buildings.
Other concepts, such as four-storey, 16-unit stacked townhouses with a lower density of 59 units per hectare, are alternate options.
For 0 Grand Ridge Drive, a vacant parcel covering 1.07 acres, the city’s preferred plan is to construct a four-storey, low-rise apartment building with 48 to 50 units. This development would achieve a density of 112 to 116 units per hectare.
Alternative lower-density options, such as three-storey townhomes, were also considered but were not preferred due to their significantly lower density and slower impact on providing needed housing.
25 Chalmers Street, the largest site under consideration, spans 2.81 acres. It is zoned N1R4 and includes the former St. Ambrose Catholic Elementary School, which closed in 2016, as well as the John Dolson pool.
During the workshop, staff proposed two main options for the site.
The first involves constructing two apartment buildings, seven and nine storeys tall, with a total of 276 units.
The second option suggests three buildings, with two seven-storey and one nine-storey, totalling 360 units.
The designs would result in densities of 242 and 315 units per hectare, respectively.
Both proposals suggest including significant underground parking, with the smaller option providing 320 spaces and the larger offering 410 spaces.
Less favoured concepts included lower-rise buildings with fewer units, such as two five-storey apartment buildings with 190 units or three five-storey buildings with 253 units.
These alternatives were considered less desirable due to their lower densities and parking provisions.
Two city-owned properties being considered for development were excluded from the current affordable housing plans:
● 0 Dando Avenue: This site was dismissed due to the need for additional land acquisition to make development viable.
● 0 Bishop Street: This site was excluded because it lacked sufficient developable land.
There is potential for these city-owned lands to be sold to private developers in the future. Any such sale would be contingent upon establishing an affordable housing agreement.
The agreement would ensure that the properties are developed in a manner aligning with the city’s goals for affordable housing, maintaining their intended purpose of providing accessible housing options for residents.
Councillors emphasized the need to ensure that new developments are compatible with the existing community and are implemented responsibly to respect the neighbourhood’s character.
Following the workshop, the city will proceed with public consultations and, from there, consider Zoning and Official Plan amendments or the Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO) to expedite these developments.
The consultations will address zoning questions rather than the specific design details of the developments.
City staff will also prepare comprehensive recommendation reports on the preferred development concepts. These reports will be presented at a public meeting before being further reviewed by the council.
These steps are designed to integrate community feedback and ensure that the developments meet the city’s needs for affordable housing while maintaining neighbourhood compatibility.
Cambridge’s initiative to develop these city-owned properties into affordable housing reflects a strategic approach to addressing local housing needs.
The city aims to balance the increased availability of affordable housing with preserving neighbourhood character and ensuring that community feedback is integrated into the planning process.
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