An overturned ruling by the city’s Subdivision and Development Appeal Board (SDAB) means Main Street and Centre Avenue will be getting a facelift after sitting vacant for years.
OPUS Corporation will build its 10,000-square-foot retail building at 105 Main Street, kitty corner from the Old Hotel site.
The City’s Municipal Planning Commission (MPC) initially turned down the OPUS bid, April 7. Concerns included a lack of both parking and mixed-use residential and commercial.
“I was flabbergasted,” said OPUS president and CEO Hannes Kovac. “We didn’t just apply and say ‘we want to do this.’ To go... 180 degrees against a full recommendation against their own planning department, it seemed to be more political than planning.”
The one-storey building will be home to a medical centre and a coffee shop. It will also include two empty bays that could house retail stores.
City of Airdrie planner Sean Makowecky said the bid was rejected because it wasn’t meeting the vision of what the downtown plan called for, namely mixed-use buildings with residential or office space above the commercial building.
“They (MPC) were concerned it didn’t meet that vision,” he said. “The applicant didn’t agree with that decision and why it was refused. They thought they had worked the development to such a point where they were in accordance with our downtown plan.”
OPUS appealed the decision and on May 18 it was overturned.
While Kovac is happy the appeal has been granted, the experience with the current MPC has soured his view of Airdrie and future development plans.
“From a business development perspective, we would think twice about building in Airdrie again,” he said.
“If we have another opportunity to invest our capital in Okotoks, Olds or Cochrane and they welcome us with open arms, then we’d go for that rather than going to Airdrie.”
He said he may consider the city, but it would have to be with an entirely new MPC.
Alderman Glenda Alexander is on the SDAB, comprised of two aldermen and five public members, and said the consensus was that something needed to fill the void in the downtown.
“They ultimately just wanted to see something on the corner,” said Alexander.
“It’s a beautiful development.”
“As a council member I need to emphasize council’s wishes, but the rest of the board had spoken and made some really good comments. Do I feel bad about it? No. It’s going to be a nice development,” she said.
The project was originally nine parking stalls short but changes to the plan include include new angle parking in front, adding a few more stalls.
“They’re still short, but you know what, there’s exceptions to every rule,” said Alexander.
OPUS first applied to the City of Airdrie to build on the site in October 2010 and have spent nearly a year getting the project off the ground. Now, the company is looking forward to construction, according to Kovac.
“I think we’re days away (from receiving a permit) and breaking ground within a month,” he said.
