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REPACKAGED
PDVC TOWER APPLICATION - MYTHS and REALITY
Myth 1: This is a very different proposal
and the developers have made major compromises.
Reality:It is largely the same proposal repackaged
(see Chart). The same number of condos, hotel rooms,
theatre seats and commercial space. The same massive
scale, the same parking and traffic problems, the
same blocking of the view. How Naive Do They Think
The Residents of St. Catharines Are?
COMPARISON OF TOWER PROPOSALS
| Component |
Old
Tower Proposal |
New
Tower Proposal |
| Modern Tower in Low-Rise
Heritage District |
Yes |
Yes |
| Highest Building in City
of St. Catharines |
Yes (328 feet) |
Yes (207 feet) |
| Number of Condos |
80 Condos |
80 Condos |
| Number of Hotel Rooms |
70 Rooms |
70 Rooms |
| Theatre Capacity |
415 Seats |
415 Seats |
| Retail/Bar/Restaurant/Office
Space |
36,132 sq. feet |
39,235 sq. feet |
| New Parking For Theatre
or Commercial |
None Provided |
None Provided |
Sources: PDVC's two Applications to the City
Myth 2: Developer will listen to the community
this time and "everything is negotiable."
Reality: New Architect Michael Kirkland has been
speaking on behalf of PDVC. PROUD Executive met
with him in early January and articulated the community's
position and why there was such widespread opposition.
We also gave concrete suggestions as to how to make
the new project work for both sides. He assured
us this was the beginning of an extensive consultation
process and "everything was negotiable."
Then, in early February, he introduced a full new
PDVC application with the repackaged tower proposal
that largely ignored our input. We have reviewed
the application and met him several times to seek
appropriate changes. Unfortunately, Mr. Kirkland
has put forth a firm position that only the same
components, density and square footage as before
will work and will not consider ANY changes. It
is extremely disappointing but "nothing"
appears to be negotiable.
Myth 3: There is no tower this time --just
a "residential component."
Reality: The chart shows it would still be the highest
tower in St Catharines. The Brock Tower is 13 storeys.
The Crown Tower is 17 storeys which is how the new
tower has been described in media accounts. However,
only the hotel and residential floors are included
in that 17-storey description.. The actual height
from bottom to top is 63.12 metres or 207 feet which
is equivalent to the height of a 20 or 21 storey
building. The Crown Tower apartment building is
approximately 58 metres (see skyscraperpage.com).
Myth 4: A different design means it is OK
to put a massive tower in the historic village of
Port Dalhousie.
Reality: Port Dalhousie is one of the few remaining
relatively intact canal villages in the world (delegates
to the 2004 World Canals Conference). How can a
massive modern tower fit? Can any one see such a
tower "fitting" in Niagara-on-the-Lake
or Peggy's Cove?
Myth 5: The Repackaged Tower Proposal is
consistent with heritage preservation.
Reality: The Heritage Guidelines approved by Council
encourage new development:" ...where it is
clearly demonstrated that such changes will have
no adverse effects upon the heritage attributes
of the district and will positively contribute to
the character of the area." Will a massive,
modern tower contribute to the character and heritage
attributes of a 19th and early 20th Century village?
Myth 6: Only the Lakeside Hotel (My Cottage)
and the Jail are Heritage Properties.
Reality:Port Dalhousie's residential and commercial
areas were designated as a Heritage Conservation
District under the Heritage Act and ALL buildings
are included in this designation. The consultant's
report commissioned by the City prior to designation
considers the low-level, historic streetscape to
be a major factor in Port being designated --not
only individual buildings. Under PDVC's plan, the
Jail will be preserved but be located within the
footprint and under the roof of the condo tower.
The Lakeside will be retained but most of the historic
Port Mansion will be torn down and reconstructed.
Myth 7:There will be "little or no
change in estimated site parking demand and trip
generation."
Reality: New parking will be provided for only the
condos and the hotel. Where will people attending
the 415-seat theatre or the many new retail stores
park? Where will staff park? Where will all the
extra cars go in a village with on entrance and
one exit? How will the public be able to access
Port with the increased parking and traffic demands?
Most importantly, how will fire and safety vehicles
get in?
Myth 8: The development will lead to new
community amenities that benefit all.
Reality: Yes, amenities such as a Welland Canal
feature, a new Carousel building, re-configuring
the parking lot and completing the skating path
are discussed but, they are not intrinsically part
of the application. The developer proposes to pay
for these amenities through three separate types
of Community Improvement Plan (CIP) financial relief
from the City. In other words, the City pays, WE
all pay.
Myth 9: An increased tax base will help
lower our property taxes.
Reality: There will likely be major infrastructure
costs to be incurred by the City for a project of
this magnitude. The CIP request (see Myth 7) will
mean no significant net new tax revenues will accrue
to the City for years to come. When expensive, high-end
condos are sold, our assessments will likely go
up. Won't that mean our taxes will go up, not down?
Myth 10: Permanent jobs will be created.
Reality: There is already considerable retail /commercial
space in Port and some businesses cannot survive.
New commercial space, a theatre and a hotel are
unlikely to survive in a village with one entrance,
one exit and no parking. Theatres suffer in most
places and the Shaw has a substantial deficit. Needless
to say, the developer has not done a feasibility
study to ascertain whether these components are
viable. The only component certain to survive is
the high -end condos (if not hurt by traffic and
parking woes). How many permanent jobs does a condo
building provide?
Myth 11:These are the smallest components
that will work on the site.
Reality: What law says you cannot have, say, a 50
unit condo or a 25-room hotel, or a 200- seat theatre
or even reduced retail space? Smaller-scale residential
and commercial development exists elsewhere so they
can work. PROUD has recommended to PDVC that they
re-design their proposal to be low-rise as called
for by the Planning Regulations and Heritage Guidelines.
There is enough space to allow PDVC to include most,
if not all, of their proposed condos in a low-rise
structure while reducing the size of the other components.
The condos are the most profitable component so
the profit potential would still be quite high.
A low-rise project would not overwhelm the unique
heritage district and have a lesser impact on the
limited parking and traffic capacity. Unfortunately,
despite claiming "everything is negotiable"
, PDVC has refused to make any changes to their
new (old) tower proposal.
Myth 12: We need this tower development
to solve Port's "Bar" Problem.
Reality:PDVC owns the building that houses the worst
offending bar and could solve the "Bar"
problem if there was the will to do so. This problem
is separate and distinct and can be effectively
addressed by the City through appropriate licensing,
policing and parking management, regardless of any
new development. Already some solid initiatives
to solve this problem are underway. Besides, if
this development goes ahead in the proposed, massive
scale, the new commercial space could potentially
fail and we could end up with the same Bar problem
in new buildings.
Myth 13 The proposed development will be
a boon for the City's economy.
Reality: Even if all the proposed, components were
to work --in spite of the severe traffic and parking
limitations-- new tax revenue from such a development
is a relative drop in the bucket, and a long-way
in the future (see Myth 9). On the other hand, Heritage
Tourism is one the fastest growing areas of tourism
and an "authentic" Port Dalhousie could
be a major attraction as well as an ongoing source
of revenue and employment. When was the last time
you drove somewhere to see a condo tower?
Myth 14: If approved, this will be the only
tower in Port Dalhousie
Reality: Discussions with the City's Planning staff
confirm it would be extremely difficult to stop
the next tower proposal once the precedent is set.
Port Dalhousie could look like a small forest of
towers. We all know what the walled-off Toronto
waterfront looks like. Is that what we want for
St. Catharines' public beach area? |
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and may, or may not be the current opinion of PROUD Port Dalhousie.
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