Renderings of the St. George Street development approved by Moncton City Council (Image via City of Moncton)
A 21-unit affordable apartment building in downtown Moncton will move forward after a public hearing on Monday evening that heard concerns from council and residents.
Located on the corner of St. George Street and Steadman Street, the subject lot required approval to rezone to Secondary Business District and be consolidated with the property to the south.
Philippe Caetano, the owner of a neighbouring heritage property, objected to the three-story building, taking issue with the possible disfigurement of the heritage neighbourhood, the societal issues that already exist in the area and the potential damage it could have on MacKenzie House.
Members of council reiterated these concerns, quizzing Bill Budd, Director Planning and Development, on the matter.
Budd said the development would “complement” the neighbourhood, and theoretically, a developer could have put a towering six-story building on the lot without needing council’s approval.
The city has been looking for more affordable housing, and now there is a proposal that checks all the boxes, Budd told council.
He added this provides housing to working people, retired people and young students.
After the public hearing, councillors put forward a motion to table the development and have it return to a public meeting at a later date. This motion failed, with only Coun. Thériault, LeBlanc, Crossman and Richard voting in favour.
Minutes later, a motion was put forward to approve the facility, with the only nay votes being those who wanted to table the matter.
Reflecting on the development, Mayor Dawn Arnold applauded the affordable aspect, stating that with many other developments she is often “bashed” because they are not considered affordable.
The 21-units will consist of one-bedroom and bachelor apartments that include balconies but will not provide parking.
