Ultra high efficiency condos closer to reality
Doug MacIntosh hopes that one day he will live in a unit of the condo complex he wants to build in Creemore and he remains hopeful.
The development has taken much longer than anticipated but there is reason to believe there could be a ground breaking at the Edward Street East property in the not too distant future.
MacIntosh’s Meadows of Creemore freehold condominium development has been on the books since 2004. He said when he started the planning process it was expected to take a few years. Three OMB appeals later and MacIntosh said he is feeling positive about the process and the demand.
The latest OMB hearing is coming to a resolution by settlement approved by council on July 31 with regards to an appeal of a township housekeeping bylaw for its comprehensive zoning bylaw.
“It was a housekeeping item, but a necessary one,” said MacIntosh, adding that it simply reset the zoning for the development, which was already on the books.
“As a result of settling this case, the appeal of 10-47 will be resolved and the township and Doug MacIntosh will have a zoning by-law amendment for his property located at 80 Edward Street (East),” reported municipal planner Rossalyn Workman. “Staff are hopeful that a finalized subdivision agreement as well as draft conditions for the development and registration of a common element condominium will be coming forward for council’s consideration in the near future.”
MacIntosh said he has been gauging interest in the development and so far, there is sufficient demand.
The plan, which has evolved over the years, is to build 72 condo units in three phases. Phases one and two, totaling 54 units, have draft plan approval.
The units will range in size from 670 square foot one-bedroom units to 1,255 square foot two-bedroom units with dens, and sizes in between and will be housed in three three-storey buildings.
There will be elevators, indoor and outdoor parking and amenity area. He said the units are being marketed to everyone and they are well suited to seniors.
MacIntosh is the former owner and administrator of the nursing home in Creemore, having taken it over from his mother who started the business. The family built the existing nursing home facility on Mary Street and later expanded it before selling the business. MacIntosh said he always envisioned a housing complex next to the nursing home.
That initial vision has evolved into a modern, high efficiency development. MacIntosh is a proponent of the passive house which combines many factors such as size, insulation, windows, ventilation and design to create an airtight energy efficient home that aims to reduce energy consumption due to heating and cooling by about 80 per cent. MacIntosh said the units are more expensive to build – putting them in the high $200,000 range – but they are more efficient.
He is now engaging engineers and financiers to take the project to the next stage.
For more information visit, meadowsofcreemore.ca.
