Quote:
Originally Posted by Katrillion
This project really needs to have retail. Dundurn is really becoming a decent commercial street and having such a long frontage without retail would be damaging to the retail environment.
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I couldn't agree more. The length of the frontage is key, and losing that much potential retail frontage (forever?) could ruin Dundurn's chances at becoming a thriving commercial street.
This is a real head-scratcher for me. What I surmise is that the project never included retail- is not zoned for that, and never had it as part of the proposal- but the developer alluded to the possibility to make some people more comfortable with the redevelopment, which might otherwise have been more vehemently opposed given its impact on its neighbours. Did the application the city approved include a commercial unit? I guess not. The only reason retail came into it was the developer's grandstanding about a "class A tenant." Now, we quietly learn that it's not part of the plans, and this will be a single-use apartment building on a huge frontage of what should be a commercial street.
As an aside, the senior citizen mentioned in the article is my neighbour. He's pushing ninety, and will likely not be able to return to his home because of his injuries. I am not sure what consequences if any there were. Very sad thing to happen.