27-storey tower proposed near U of A campus has some residents up in arms

A 27-storey apartment building planned for the Windsor Park neighbourhood has some who live near the proposed site worried about the impact one of the largest developments in the area could have on their neighbourhood.

An open house was held on Wednesday by the Edmonton-based development company Westrich Pacific to inform community members about their plans for the new building.

The proposed tower, called the Windsor Heights apartment building, would feature a large four-story base and contain 285 residential units, 250 underground parking stalls, and up to 24,000 square feet of retail space, according to the province's major project website.

But many at the open house expressed that they have several concerns about the building that the city and Westrich Pacific have not addressed.

Lori Bennett, who lives two blocks away from the proposed site, said she was worried that the tower would be "way too tall" for the community.

"I feel for all these other neighbours and I don't want a 27-floor building in my neighbourhood," said Bennett.

The building's location is planned to be just west of the University of Alberta campus on the corner of 87th Avenue and 117th Street.

Ian O'Donnell, the development manager for Westrich Pacific, said the building will feature a range of unit sizes, from bachelor suites to three-bedroom units.

He said he hopes this building can provide more "walkable housing options for the community."

Bennett said she is concerned about the loss of local stores that the tower would replace.

Currently, the site for the proposed building is a strip mall that includes a convenience store, a bank, a restaurant, and a hair salon.

O'Donnell said he hopes to bring those current amenities back to the space through the tower's retail opportunities.

"Those are very logical things to bring back, and so our hope is to bring those back and really enhance that by adding a few more [stores]," said O'Donnell.

Sarah Hyland, who lives a few blocks north of the proposed site, said she is concerned by the shadow such a large building could cast across the community, as well traffic and parking. 

O'Donnell said Westrich Pacific is taking these concerns into account for their plans, including adding more surface parking on the property and attempting to design the building so its shadow is more limited.

Michael Janz, the city councillor for Ward papastew who represents the Windsor Park community, said the plans for this tower reflect the "enormous" housing demands from Edmonton's rapidly growing population on the city's south side.

"I live in the area, I live close by, and there's low vacancy, and there's a lot of demand and interest," said Janz.

The rezoning application for the tower is scheduled to be heard by the city council at a public hearing on August 18.

Janz said he will take a close look at the proposal to "figure out how we make sure that we mitigate any of those undesirable pieces, be it traffic or parking or anything else."

Bennett said she will attend the public hearing with fellow community members to voice their concerns about the plans for the tower.

"We need to allow some densification, but you have to do it with the community in mind, and not ruin the neighbourhood," said Bennett.