A property near the Mall at Piccadilly is being eyed for a new building supply store.
At the March 17 meeting, the city’s development and planning services committee discussed a development permit application for 621 10th Street SW, located between the mall and the Ashley Homestore. Supportive of the application, staff recommended the application be forwarded to council, and that issuance of the permit be withheld subject to receipt of an irrevocable letter of credit of 125 per cent of the estimate for landscaping.
The property's owner, Bartle & Gibson Co. Ltd., whose president and CEO is Martin Lower, seeks to construct a one-storey, 1,893 square-metre (20,372.5 square-foot) commercial building.
"The proposed commercial building is comprised of 404.6m2 of retail area, with the remaining 1,488.2 m2 being warehousing, showroom, and wholesale area," reads a staff report. " The intended use of the building is wholesaling and retailing of building supplies for new construction and home improvement/maintenance projects…."
No variances are included with the application.
A letter of intent for the property owner's agent explains the proposed building – a future Bartle & Gibson store – "will supply plumbers, electricians and the general public with building supplies for their new construction projects."
"We have taken steps to present a building that works and fits with the neighbouring buildings located on 10th Street SW," reads the letter.
The committee supported forwarding the development permit to council, with Coun. Kevin Flynn pointed out it would be nice to see something done with the vacant lot.
“It’s going to be nice to fill in that hole with the empty lot and have some landscaping and a building. And we – I – appreciate the fact that Mr. Lower and his company are looking at our community as a positive place to grow,” he said, with B&G president and CEO Martin Lower attending the meeting via Zoom.
“I don’t know enough about the building industry to know the demand, but I’m excited to have you here.”
The development permit will come to council at the regular meeting on March 24.
Story has been updated following the March 17 committee meeting
