Two Developments Progressing

Both the Cobourg Creek Lofts and the Rondeau development look like they will actually happen.  The Cobourg Creek property is at 415 King West on the corner of Tremaine Street.  They plan to take the building previously used by the local daily newspaper (Northumberland Today or Cobourg Star) and convert it into 26 rental apartments.  They are not specifically “affordable housing” but will add to the rental pool.  Rondeau are moving ahead with their major project in Cobourg’s North East: the Villages of Central Park – near the corner of Brook and Elgin.  They recently got permission to remove some trees so they could do some earth moving and now they are asking permission to build a fairly large but temporary sales office.

Cobourg Creek Lofts

First thing to note is that the creek has two names: Cobourg Creek and Factory Creek – I’d guess that Cobourg Creek sounds better for selling purposes.  Also, some of the land is low and subject to flooding so the developer has bequeathed that to the Town for use as an extension to Cooey park.  [Side note:  the building on this location before the Cobourg Star was a factory whose last role was manufacturing Cooey Rifles – details here]

Tenant parking is in the basement with access from Tremaine Street and although it’s likely its floor is above the water table it might be a problem if the creek floods.

There will also be a second storey added so the building will look quite different when finished.  And there’s an elevator that helps make the development fully accessible. High ceilings will be maintained and explain the “lofts” in the development name. There are no details yet of unit design but a rough calculation suggests units will average about 1000 sq. ft. so they should not be expensive.  It seems that at least one entrepreneur sees a market for non-subsidized rental housing.

If I remember correctly, this is the second developer trying to do something with this property.  Let’s hope this one has more success.

Villages of Central Park

Rondeau Sales Office
Rondeau Sales Office

The Rondeau project will take several years to complete but sales look likely to start in 2022.  Six phases are planned with the first phase of 144 to 216 homes on the north side of Elgin just west of Brook. The complete development will include units ranging from single family homes to high density condos. It has been talked about since 2015 or even earlier with a public meeting being held on 25 June 2018.  The sales office will be quite large at 3046 sq. ft. and will be in the phase one location.  At their Committee of the Whole meeting on 29 March, Council will be advised that site plan approval is being requested for this temporary building.

With 15 parking spots, it seems they are expecting quite a bit of interest.  See drawing of the building above right and links below for details provided earlier.

Links

Town Documents

Previous Cobourg News Blog Articles

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Mark
2 years ago

What happening at the south west corner of Da Palmer and Burham?
there a sign up but I can cannot read it , also cannot find anything on Cobourg’s website

Mark
Reply to  John Draper
2 years ago

Silly me I was looking under planning application 😁
https://www.cobourg.ca/en/business-and-development/Planning-Applications.aspx

Sandpiper
3 years ago

If I recall the Factory Creek / Tremaine st property has been through 4 Prior owner Developers
over 15 + yrs .1 local declared bankruptcy and latter moved out of the country to get away from the embarrassment . The thing that astonishes me about all of this is we still as a town look for and expect AFFORDABLE homes and apartments . I fail to understand How this is possible when projects whether small like the Tremaine st or larger like Cobourg East Take upwards of 5 , 6, or 7 years to get through our local planning Dept .etal Even at the corner of King and Brook
the newer homes developed by BGS group and built by Stall Wood saw 1 or 2 developers go under while navigating the Towns processes the last owner to collapse prior to BGS and then Stall Wood was Foley Group from Oshawa . Even the Commercial Corner at King and Brook has taken 6 years just to put up a Tims , Fuel center and a Convince store . All were badly needed and the Zoning was already in place. I am sure the Town will tell us that the developers would not conform But to the extent of loosing it . Not Likely
Time is Money folks , interest on mortgages , development fees , all material cost increase , Taxes , labour, Tarion warranties , Bonding to the Town
engineering and consultant costs & cost etc . etc.

ben burd
Reply to  Sandpiper
3 years ago

 I fail to understand How this is possible when projects whether small like the Tremaine st or larger like Cobourg East Take upwards of 5 , 6, or 7 years to get through our local planning Dept .etal Even at the corner of King and Brook”

Sandpiper as usual you confuse the issue with animus against the Planning Dept. You ask why these plans take so long and then tell us of the failed developers who handled these sites, when the answer is obvious – dubious applicants who can’t play by the rules and then whine when the rules don’t get changed.

GailR
Reply to  ben burd
3 years ago

Right on, Ben. Acquire the property and then get your political buddies to change the regulations. Works better at the provincial level.

Sandpiper
Reply to  ben burd
3 years ago

Just regurgitating and calculating from the time frames and dates as posted in these Draper articles The real facts & times might be scarier . Weren’t you on Council when some of these Developers went down .
How about the one by St Mary’s High 3 developers so far have walked or gone under
and Millions lost , or that small parcel on George between Buck and Covert I believe there have been 3 if not 4 move on from developing that site Formerly Denton Florists
# 5 is trying to make it work right now for 5 Town Homes matching the street scape and a small affordable adult apartment building in the back with Plenty of covered parking
I believe the town has them studying Flood water right now
Its not just Planning it s the whole process Engineering & Planning but the left is not keeping apace with the Right .
Dubious is not the word I would use when it comes to loosing your Investment $$$$
development is not cheap and the Town always gets theirs up front and first

ben burd
Reply to  Sandpiper
2 years ago

“Weren’t you on Council when some of these Developers went down .
How about the one by St Mary’s High 3 developers so far have walked or gone under”

No I wasn’t but what does three failed developers have to with an effective planning department applying the known rules.

However I was on Council when the plan for the condos/apts on Elgin St by the Rotary Park YMCA was approved. This has been dormant for thirty years – why is that? Probably because it vanished into the Veltri landbank and has yet to surface because not enough profit is available.

Last edited 2 years ago by ben burd
CiW
3 years ago

Anyone know what’s happening at The Cat and Fiddle? Did the town not give the owner a grant to make some upgrades a while back?

JimT
Reply to  CiW
3 years ago

Doesn’t matter. Until management trains its staff better in interacting with customers, all the “upgrades” in the world won’t lift that place out of its dismal performance level.

Learn to “think like a customer” guys & gals. Learn to communicate!

Last edited 3 years ago by JimT
CiW
Reply to  JimT
3 years ago

The staff used to be great, then Barry retired.

Does anyone know if it will re-open?

Wally Keeler
Reply to  CiW
3 years ago

It’s open now. Staff was courteous and eager.

Informed
Reply to  Wally Keeler
3 years ago

Still only accepting cash for payment?

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Informed
3 years ago

debit card accepted this week

Informed
Reply to  CiW
3 years ago

I heard closed today(Temporarily)

Liz
3 years ago

Lofts – 1000 square feet! Quite a size. In viewing other large rental buildings – 1 bedroom, 500 square feet, another 1 bedroom 500 square feet, 2 bedroom 600 square feet. Glad the rental pool is being added to. There are a few other projects on the go for rentals plus encouraging development of such in private homes. Perhaps one day you will be able to rent a one bedroom for under $1500 up to $1800. a month. Good news to see further building all the way around to meet housing needs.

Sandpiper
Reply to  Liz
3 years ago

Even your ideas of rent are to high Belleville has some marvellous apartment buildings
Larger , Newer Covered parking as well as other amenities Pool , Club and party rms.
vacancies all the time $1300 t0 $1500. every thing Cobourg has and more
We just have had controlled supply for years

Liz
Reply to  Sandpiper
3 years ago

Hi Sandpiper – just 5 short years ago you could rent a one bedroom here and everywhere else for $850 to $1200. You could buy a home for $250,000 to $400,000. Until very recently Belleville was listed as one of the most dangerous places to live in Canada with one of the highest crime rates. They say it has “improved” in the last two years. I surf the internet every day Sandpiper – always have just to know what is being asked here and elsewhere. So even your ideas don’t expand to many other areas. I’m surprised you didn’t mention Elliot Lake. Don’t forget the extras of hydro, heating and water and parking charged in addition to the advertised rental price Sandpiper. Few places are all inclusive today.

Last edited 3 years ago by Liz
JimT
3 years ago

Fascinating to read about redevelopment of the Winchester Canada/Cooey property on Tremaine. The office there on the upper, or main level was surrounded on the north, east and south by a warehouse filled with firearms and live ammunition in cardboard boxes stacked on pallets to the ceiling. I drove a lift truck in there for a while.

The office had a long counter where locals would come in and lay their shotgun or rifle down such that it often pointed at the heads of the employees working a few meters away. We got used to it.

I brought sacks of mail from the post office every morning and more than once we got a gun in a long cardboard box with a note saying there was a live round stuck in the chamber, and could we get it out for them, please.

They were interesting times.

I wonder how prospective tenants will feel on learning the history of where they propose to take up residence.

Last edited 3 years ago by JimT
Dunkirk
Reply to  JimT
3 years ago

Even more fascinating to read about the background on Tremaine, Jim T.

This seems like one of the most positive reports I’ve read in this town in several years. Some private capital being deployed–and actually being allowed to be deployed, by our elected officials– for real, tangible growth.

Someday, we will attract or create a company to employ the people that look to live in these new dwellings. Someday, these companies will be able to hold Bar-b-ques on the beach. Someday their taxes will help us pay to operate the CCC. Someday there will be more people employed than on Social Support. And the beer store will have a line-up…and the cannabis companies will be full and the rehab clinics will not be needed and the Town won’t have to issue parking tickets ……..It’s coming…..Someday……..

Informed
Reply to  Dunkirk
3 years ago

Nice to hear the optimism 👍

Abby
Reply to  Dunkirk
3 years ago

Yes, but…must we look forward to BBQs on the beach?

MargC
Reply to  JimT
3 years ago

Thank you for sharing that colourful history!

IAN
Reply to  JimT
3 years ago

I own a Cooey 22 rifle! Neat to know that it was probably built here.

Ken
Reply to  IAN
3 years ago

I had a Cooey also! Used it for target practice, at our cottage! It hung above the fire place, at our cottage, for years till we sold the cottage and I eventually sold the rifle, for a dollar, to our nephew. He has his FAC, which I never did! Prior to the sale, I took it to the ‘Cooey Meet’, up at the shooting range a few years ago and there was a person there that was happy to record the serial number of the rifle! He was trying to document the ‘where-a-bouts’ of a lot of the 22’s! Mine was an older one and the story was that it was a training rifle for the RCAF cadets!? I bought it back in the late 60’s or early 70’s, from the Army surplus store called Hercules, that was located on Yonge St., in Toronto. Anyone remember that store? Again, I digress.