Developer swamped with interest after Grimsby condo project greenlit by council

Proposed condo building in Grimsby's downtown Rendering of proposed condominium building in Grimsby's downtown

The developer that will build a newly approved Grimsby condominium building in the town’s downtown strip said it has been inundated with calls a day after the project was greenlighted.

“It’s been super busy today our phones are lighting up with people interested in purchasing and the registrations list just broke 3,000 people. It’s very exciting,” Serina Carbone, Director of Sales and Marketing, for Homes by DeSantis, told the Niagara Info Thursday.

Grimsby Town Council voted to approve the development that will feature up to 87-units in a condo development that will be built on an empty lot on the east side of Grimsby’s downtown strip. The lot is the site of the old Roxy Theatre.

The project was initially blocked by the town council in August largely due to the number and type of parking slots allocated by the builder. However, the town council resolved its concerns and, at a special meeting Wednesday night, it unanimously voted to allow the project to proceed.

Laneway ownership to be resolved in court

The approval of the Master Settlement Agreement by the town triggers several next steps.  The town of Grimsby and Homes by DeSantis will now go to court to resolve outstanding laneway ownership and easement matters.  A joint press release issued by the developer and the town described that process as a “partnership”.

The town’s approval also provides the required official plan and zoning bylaw amendments to allow the project to proceed to the site plan stage of development. In this step, the building’s design will be finalized. After that, the developer can start selling units in the property.

“A lot of this will be dependent on the site plan approval process, but we plan to go to market in the spring of 2021,” said Carbone.

Prices for the building’s units won’t be released until that time.

Two year build timeline

The construction timeline is approximately two years, said Carbone. Provided there are no delays, occupancy of the building, called Century Condos, would occur in 2023.

The building will feature up to 87-condo units in three configurations: two-bedroom, one-bedroom, and one-bedroom plus den. There will be 131 residential parking spaces, including 22 visitor spaces. There are 10 dedicated parking spaces allocated for the commercial and retail part of the building.

A 1,000 sq. ft. restaurant space will also be configured in the building, with 17 parking spots for restaurant customers. Additional parking spaces may be dedicated to the restaurant allowing the commercial floor area to be expanded in accordance with the current zoning by-law requirements.

“Working with the town we hope to create something everyone can be proud of, a true made in Grimsby solution and a landmark building. We are excited to kick-start the revitalization of the downtown and look forward to the next steps in the process,” said Gabe DeSantis, President of Homes by DeSantis.

“I am really proud of this Council,” said Mayor Jeff Jordan. “They made the extra efforts in the due diligence process to ensure this project will set a strong, positive precedent for future development, the prosperity, and preservation of our downtown.”

More info:
Town of Grimsby
Homes by DeSantis