Plaza redevelopment plan 'one of a kind'

Brantford planning committee supports FreshCo Plaza redevelopment proposal

Vincent Ball
Published Apr 18, 2024  •  Last updated 2 days ago  •  3 minute read
48 Comments
FreshCo Brantford
Brantford's planning committee has recommended approval of a zoning bylaw changed needed to facilitate the redevelopment of the FreshCo Plaza on Market Street South. Submitted

Brantford city councillors used words like ‘transformational’, ‘unprecedented’ and ‘revitalizing’ to describe a $1.5 billion-plan to redevelop the FreshCo Plaza at 50 Market Street South.

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“This development is transformational for our community,” Coun. Richard Carpenter said at a Thursday planning committee meeting. “It’s one of a kind.

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“We’ve never seen such an upscale, intense development like this and I’m sure glad we’ve moved the height limits to 25 storeys because this (development) is going to make a difference in our community.”

Carpenter said the city has spent a lot of years and taxpayer money to improve the downtown.

“The only way to make downtown successful is to put people there, having them living there, making it a place where people want to be,” he said.

Carpenter said the proposal represents the future of commercial development in the city and will significantly change the downtown.

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Carpenter made the comments prior to the planning committee recommending for approval a zoning bylaw amendment to allow the proposal to move forward. The decision will come before council for approval on April 30.

The 4.85-hectare property is at 50 Market Street South at Icomm Drive. Purchased by Canadian Properties Ltd. in 2021, the property is home to several commercial enterprises including a FreshCo grocery store, a Beer Store, LCBO outlet and a Boston Pizza, to name just a few.

Canadian Properties wants to redevelop the property into a mix of residential and commercial uses that includes just over 2,300 housing units.

The residential component includes 1,763 market housing units, 290 student housing units and 254 rental housing units in townhouses and high-rise apartment buildings.

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Plans call for the development to be done in stages to ensure residents continue to have access to the existing commercial outlets including the grocery, beer and liquor stores during construction.

Depending on approvals, work on Phase 1 could begin as early as 2025. Phase 1 calls for the existing Boston Pizza and Beer Store to be demolished and relocated to another area of the property.

Representatives of Canadian Properties have vowed on several occasions that residents will continue to have access to the existing retails outlets during construction.

Brian Bee, a Chatham Street resident, attended the meeting and was happy to hear stores will remain open during the redevelopment.

“But we do have to consider what’s appropriate for Brantford and the site,” Bee said. “How will the new businesses and residents be served by this redevelopment and how well does it relate to the community?

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“Looking at the renderings, and the model and some of the information what really comes to mind is a fortress and not a very inviting development.”

Coun. Brian Van Tilborg voted against recommending the rezoning bylaw amendment for approval. He said he felt he had to be the voice of those with concerns and aren’t sure if their concerns will be properly addressed.

Mayor Kevin Davis said the proposal is “unprecedented, transformative, revitalizing, invigorating.”

Davis said he understands the concerns but urged residents to look to the future.

“Think about what we’re going to have down there,” Davis said. “We’re going to have an area I suspect will be one of the most attractive areas in southwestern Ontario.

“We’re going to have a vital commercial development, student housing, student programs, attainable, affordable housing and across the street we’re going to have some kind of sports entertainment centre and a casino.”

The library, the Sanderson Centre, the Grand River, trail system and the charming Eagle Place neighbourhood are nearby, Davis said.

“It will be amazing,” Davis said.

Vball@postmedia.com

twitter.com/EXPVBall

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    1. Comment by Sherrill Heys.

      First of all, there is NO WAY a building 25 storeys tall should be allowed anywhere in the city, let alone in the downtown area. Sorry, but this is NOT Toronto - AND they need to stop sending Torontonians to our smaller communities and lose our smaller, friendlier atmosphere - Doug Ford - your issue, not ours!!

      • Comment by Mark Little.

        Track record of this Mayor saying one thing- and doing another sure is rearing its head

        In 2 Terms - The Mayor hasn’t executed a significant project with sincere public consultations to develop a well- thought strategy for development. Leading from behind and knee jerk programs are killing taxpayers

        • Comment by Mark Little.

          Maybe the Mayor can update us on the multiple high rise developments at Market and Nelson; and the Train station?!

          These were to be kicked off by now - it’s been years already

          • Comment by Brian Smith.

            Increased population in the central area is "one" of the keys to make central Brantford more viable from both a commercial , financial and social perspespective. But there are others. I just hope we are not building another "white elephant" like the market square mall and the Icomm Centre both of which were suppose to be transformable for the downtown. They were obviously not. I also hope our planners are determining real and viable ways to connect and importantly integrate this new development with the existing downtown area otherwise the downtown area will deteriorate even further. Also, this development will provide a large amount of vehicular activity in an area already congested by people trying to go fro SW Brantford to the 403 and the larger more extensive shopping areas in north Brantford not to mention the traffic impacts of the proposed sports/entertainment centre. The planners need to look at how this development will relate in twenty years to an expanded public transit system including regular GO service and how it could provide a catalyst for improved public transit. These are just a few of the broader considerations that need to be examined and there are many more. The point is, if we just simply look at this very major development in isolation, we risk doing what we have done over and over again n the past in our attempts to revitalize central Brantford. We need to take a note from nighttime comedian Seth Meyers and say "it's time for a closer look".

            • Comment by Anne D.

              How typical of this city council to hold public meetings of those living in the are and hear absolutely nothing that was said. This project with no ground parking and extremely limited garage parking along with the two other towers will be a traffic nightmare. Carpenter ,Less and the mayor can only see tax dollars . They don't live in Eagle Place and could care less. Developer said this model works great in Europe. Did you look at a Map? Density is way too high. Future flop.

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