Shopping centre receives green light
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A new shopping centre development on Prince Albert’s east side is officially moving ahead.
City council approved the development Monday night.
Rock Developments President Rocko Tullio told paNOW he anticipates the asphalt will pour soon.
“We’re starting at the end of January and we are hoping to start construction in March,” he said
The development at Sixth Ave. E. and 15th St. E. currently features a Save-On-Foods grocery store, Dollar Tree and Pet Smart. All three businesses are committed to opening later this year.
There still remains 20,000 sqare feet of unused space.
“We’re talking to numerous tenants and we are hoping to land some more,” Tullio said.
Previous owner Home Depot abandoned the site after encountering issues with soil contamination.
Extensive work has been done since to clean up the property.
“The city has been unbelievable. Jim Toye and his administration staff have [been] really great to deal with, they are really pro-business,” Tullio said.
Rock Developments is an Ontario-based company but according to Tullio has had their eye on Prince Albert for quite a while.
“Timing was good for us because we were just finishing up a bunch of stuff in Ontario and thought we’d venture out into Prince Albert. Anytime you’ve got a great piece of dirt at a prime intersection it’s worth taking a look at.”
Rock Developments Inc. had one last hurdle to clear Monday night.
Their application was appealed by neighbouring landowner Carlton Spur Development Corporation on the basis that the proposal included an incorrect number of parking stalls.
Because parking requirements are calculated based on leasable floor space, the lawyer for Carlton Spur argued Rock’s estimate of 85 per cent leasable space would result in 330 parking spaces being built rather than 362.
After some discussion, council voted to approve the new development, on the condition of full compliance with all zoning bylaws.
nmaxwell@panow.com
