Developers behind the proposed Wharton Street project are still working out the details for their plan.
Earlier this month, the developers showed conceptual drawings of the plan at an open house. A total of 91 people attended, the vast majority supportive, said Randy Gibson, part of the development team.
“We had virtually no negative comments,” he said.
The plan calls for several buildings on a one-block parcel of land.
The first would be a five-storey structure of more than 6,000 square metres, with commercial and profession spaces and residential units.
Commercial and professional spaces would be on the first two floors, with residential units on the upper floors.
Some of the commercial units under consideration are a bank, a small restaurant, retail stores and a professional service.
No contracts can be signed until there is a deal for the land, he said.
The second building would house the museum and the library, which are both in facilities too small for their needs.
While the plans at present show the mix of commercial and residential development for the first building in the development, the details of the number of commercial and residential units have not been determined.
Gibson said the developers would like to begin construction by August.
“If we can do it by the middle of July, that would be better,” he said.
Ian McIntosh, director of planning for the municipality, said there is still plenty of preparation work before construction may begin.
The zoning bylaw must be revised, a development permit and purchase agreement must be put in place and the developer will need a building permit.
“It’s an ambitious schedule for sure,” McIntosh said of the developers’ timeline. “
The plan is smaller than an earlier proposal for the same property, which called for seven-storey buildings to house a mix of residential and commercial units, along with the museum, library and a cultural centre.