The development application for a 68-unit townhouse development on Main Street South and Queen Street will go ahead to a public meeting in the fall.
The town planning department has deemed the development application complete for the project that involves portions of four Main Street South and four Queen Street properties. The stacked townhomes are proposed to go in behind 99 and 103-5 Main St. South, with those buildings to remain intact on the lots. The project also includes an underground parking facility.
The project affiliated with Streetcar Developments has been in the works since at least September, with the company possessing multiple Main Street South and Queen Street properties to make it happen.
“The proposed residential redevelopment of the subject site is an ideal and more efficient use of underutilized lands at a more compact scale to promote residential intensification, which will help the province and town achieve minimized housing costs,” a planning justification report prepared by Larkin+ Land Use Planners said. “The redevelopment proposes an ideal opportunity to promote residential intensification and deliver an increased range and quantity of units."
The developer is proposing the project on lands currently containing residential homes. Though the Main Street homes will remain as-is, that is not the case for the Queen Street homes, spread across 452, 454, 462, 466 and 474 Queen St. Luesby Memorial, located at the corner of Main Street South and Queen Street, is excluded from the development.
A severed portion of 115 Main St. from Robertson Place townhomes is also planned for inclusion.
The town’s planning department confirmed it has deemed the application complete with a statutory public meeting targeted for early fall.
“Once the public meeting is complete, a staff report with recommendations will be presented to council for consideration,” the town said.
Streetcar is also the developer behind the Postmark Hotel further down Main Street. NewmarketToday did not receive a reply to a request for comment from Streetcar before the publication deadline.
The planning justification report from Larkin+ said the lands are suitable for higher density, located in Newmarket’s urban centre and with the adjacent medium-density Robertson Place.
The townhouses would be spread across two buildings of approximately the same size with various bedroom configurations. The units will range in size from 93 to 128 metres squared and will include private balconies, bay units and roof terraces. There will be one level of underground parking for the 68 units, along with seven visitor spaces at grade. There will also be 43 bicycle parking spaces. Entrances would be located on Main Street, and residential access from Robertson Place.
Robertson Place resident Kristoffer Delrosario said the extra homes could help affordability.
“For me, it’s going to be cheaper if more people are able to buy a house,” he said, but added regarding the proposal, “it’s not like we can do anything about it.”
The planning documents are available on the town’s planning application website.
The public will have a chance to provide input at the statutory public planning meeting for the project, which will take place at the town council chambers at 395 Mulock Dr. NewmarketToday will publish the date and details for the meeting when they are available.
Council still has yet to formally discuss or approve the project. The proposal will still need council approval before it can proceed.
