CFN – It is shaping up to be another banner year for development activity in the City of Cornwall.
The City’s Building and Bylaw Division issued 502 building permits with a total building construction value of $148.3 million through the first nine months of 2011. This more than triples the construction value over the same nine months in 2010, when $41,925,432 worth of building permits were issued.
The healthy construction figure includes 61 building permits for new residential units in the city, with a value of over $19 million. Another 71 building permits have been issued for new projects, repairs and additions in the commercial sector, representing some $15.6 million in construction activity.
The most intense activity has been in the industrial sector, where 300 acres are currently under development in the Cornwall Business Park. A building permit has been issued for the new 1.3-million sq. ft. Target distribution centre, which carries a construction value of roughly $95 million. A building permit has also been issued for additional interior work at the Shoppers Drug Mart distribution centre, valued at $15 million.
“There’s a sense of optimism and momentum surrounding Cornwall, and those sentiments are reflected in the latest construction activity figures,” said Mayor Bob Kilger. “The activity in our business park can be seen from the windows of jets flying overhead at 30,000 feet, but equally important are the dozens of smaller projects that are providing immediate employment in our construction and trades sector.”
Economic Development Manager Mark Boileau said he anticipates the strong construction activity to continue through the rest of the year and into 2012.
“We are seeing activity from both outside investors and local small businesses, and the results are quite encouraging,” said Mr. Boileau.
Chief Building Official Chris Rogers said he’s pleased to see all of the construction activity in the city, and his team is doing all it can to support it.
“The building permits office continues to see above average activity and is working hard to ensure progress is made on all of these important projects,” said Mr. Rogers.
Construction activity can be seen throughout the city, and many projects currently underway include work for which building permits were issued in previous years, such as the ongoing redevelopment of the Cornwall Community Hospital and the Cotton Mill Lofts. Other projects, such as the new $79 million international bridge, are not governed by the Ontario Building Code and therefore are not included in the Building Activity Report.
Some of the over 400 projects that are represented in the report include:
- Renovations to NAV CENTRE
- New Commercial plaza at Brookdale and Tollgate (PetSmart, SportChek, Michaels and Winners)
- Riverdale Terrace Retirement Residence on Second Street West (95 new residential units)
- Renovations to Jack MacDonell Cornwall Volkswagen on Pitt Street
- Expansion of Miller Hughes Ford Dealership on Pitt Street
- New Cornwall Mazda dealership at Brookdale Avenue and Cornwall Centre Road
- New Quiznos restaurant on Brookdale Avenue
- Renovations to the McLennan Building on Pitt Street
- Renovations to the future home of Truffles Burger Bar on Pitt Street
- Renovations to the new home of Computer Sense on Montreal Road
- Renovations to the new home of Dundee Wealth on Pitt Street
- Renovations to the new home of Latour Financial Group on Second Street
- Renovations to the Ramada Inn and Conference Centre on Brookdale Avenue
A number of these projects are being supported through the City of Cornwall’s Brownfield and Heart of the City Community Improvement Plans. The Community Improvement Plans offer a series of incentive programs designed to encourage and assist property owners to improve their properties, and by extension, improve their local communities. Additional information on the Community Improvement Plans can be found on the Planning & Permits section of the City website at www.Cornwall.ca.
When is Truffles going to reopen? Seems they’ve been renovating for ages now……