A large vacant lot at the corner of Dunmore Road and Southview Drive is the subject of plans to erect a major new apartment block.--News photo Collin Gallant
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A national real estate developer is proposing to build a major new apartment complex on Dunmore Road, with a development permit for the former lumber yard now being considered by the city’s planning department.
The plan – to build two four-storey apartment blocks at the corner of Dunmore Road and Southview Drive – would add 176 rental units on land that was the Rona hardware store and lumber yard until it was torn down in 2019.
The applicant, Broadstreet Properties, manages and owns 15,000 rental units in Western Canada that were developed with builder Seymour Pacific Developments. Broadstreet also built the 183-unit “Southlands Green” apartment block in Medicine Hat in 2018.
Its website describes “Crestwood Apartments,” with 209 onsite parking stalls, as under development with a tentative construction start in the spring of 2025.
The new project could now proceed to final planning and, potentially, a final decision by planning officers at the city.
The site, 3010 Dunmore Rd., is zoned for mixed-use development, which would allow the heights and use proposed, planning staff told the News on Wednesday.
Under a recent city policy change, billboards announcing the major development proposal were placed at the site last month, describing the project and advertising a comment period that expired Sept. 15.
If substantial feedback was received, the matter could be heard at the municipal planning commission, but otherwise would advance to technical evaluation.
Adding nearly 200 rental units would increase the supply by about 5 per cent in the city, where the current vacancy rate was about 1 per cent, according to latest figures, and complaints about rising rents have been common.
The larger commercial strip where the site is located is known as “Park Plaza” and is owned by Medicine Hat Mall landlord Primaris REIT.
Multi-family home application near downtown
A proposal to rezone a vacant 50-foot lot in the Herald Neighbourhood near downtown to build a multi-family building was forwarded to city council by the municipal planning commission Wednesday.
The lot, at 29 Second St SW, was cleared in 2022 of the previous single-family home, and now a builder is suggesting medium-density designation for the lot that is three lots west of Division Avenue.
Planners said four statements from the public were received during a comment period. The potential rezoning will advance to city council for a public hearing and decision.
