Laebon Homes and Prentiss Martom Ltd. are rebuilding on the former Wild Rose Manor site at 40 Esther Close in the spring of 2015.
In their second visit to Penhold MPC for the planned redevelopment, Gord Smith of Laebon Homes spoke to the issue of altering the original development plan to better meet the requirements of Penhold's Land Use Bylaw.
“We have been in talks to develop the site for some time,” said Jim Guilbault, principal partner with Prentiss Martom Ltd. “Our first visit to MPC on Oct. 8 gave Laebon some things to work on, and they did. The approval means we can now begin work in earnest on the project.”
Guilbault noted the co-developers had hoped they could have broken ground in November but now it appears the project will be a spring build instead.
“Laebon is going to build a 13-unit townhouse development at a cost of more than $2.6 million,” said Guilbault. “It won't have the 18 suites we had before but this is the configuration we agreed on.”
He added the project will likely rent for close to market values as it will be a new build unlike Wild Rose Manor, which rented for less than market rents.
The development permit was approved with several conditions including six ft. fencing along the back of the property to mitigate noise, provision for cable and post fencing along one side of the buildings, landscape concerns and the repair of any damaged concrete or street furniture if damaged, and storm run-off and sub-surface drainage concerns.
In the previous meeting of Oct. 8, setback concerns raised by The Railway Association of Canada and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities recommended a 30-metre setback, which now has been met by Laebon's current design.
Laebon officials were not available for comment.
Wild Rose Manor was destroyed on April 10 by fire, which was started by a barbecue on the third story of the building. It burnt to the ground in less than an hour with no fatalities.
Laebon Homes and Prentiss Martom Ltd. will be co-developing the project, tentatively scheduled for a late 2015 completion date.
Jim Guilbault
"Laebon is going to build a 13-unit townhouse development at a cost of more than $2.6 million."
