Chew's News

St. James Church, at the corner of Oakdale Avenue and Merritt Street, is being redeveloped into a unique condo building that will feature one and two bedroom luxury brick lofts. The historic church provides an antique setting that is blended with modern accents and fixtures for an architectural project that is very new to the Niagara Region.

Many of St. Catharines’ long-standing historic buildings are undergoing redevelopment for both residential and commercial purposes. In the Merritton community, there has been significant success with these projects, including the historic Keg restaurant building and the Stone Mill Inn complex.

Highway 55 in Virgil (Niagara-on-the-Lake) has undergone significant revitalization over the last few years. 1561 Niagara Stone Road (Hwy 55) is the latest confirmed retail development and will be anchored by Tim Horton’s and the LCBO.

Welland, Ontario has become a commercial real estate investment hotbed in the last five years due to a few significant changes; a residential housing boom, the revitalization of Welland’s downtown, new institutional investments and an aggressive economic marketing strategy. Together these changes have significantly increased commercial investors’ interest in Welland.

GE Canada, Niagara College and Northern Gold Foods are just a few examples of recent investments. Furthermore, there has also been interest in many of Welland’s brownfield plots for future development consideration including 400 East Main St.

Over the last five of years economic growth in downtown St. Catharines has largely been triggered by public cultural investments. The completion of the Meridian Centre, the Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts and the FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre have all been catalysts for private investment.

Throughout the downtown core, various revitalization projects and new high-rise developments are helping to transform the landscape from old to new; a trend that is driving more people downtown helping to spur economic prosperity.

Inventive companies across North America and even some in our own community of Niagara, have taken to converting historical industrial buildings into unique commercial assets. Repurposing historic buildings, creates unique and sustainable commercial facilities that tie the present to the past. 

In Niagara, former mills and textile factories have re-emerged as restaurants, boutique hotels and even as a University's satellite campus.

Below is a look at Niagara’s inspiring industrial conversions, as well as, a few other conversions from the Kitchener/Waterloo region.

Yesterday it was announced publicly that the Prudhommes Landing property has been sold to development company FBH Ontario Inc. The sale of this land is just another great announcement for the Region and a continued sign of the explosive growth Niagara is now experiencing.

The Prudhommes Landing property represents the longest tract of developable land along the Lake Ontario Golden Horseshoe corridor.

A brick and beam property located in Port Dalhousie (St. Catharines, Ontario)

Port Dalhousie’s most prominent private habourfront property is now for sale. The brick and beam designed 63 Lakeport Rd. building and adjacent 61 Lakeport Rd. property (featuring a waterfront restaurant) represent a rare redevelopment opportunity for investors in Port Dalhousie.

The redevelopment potential for this property are plentiful. The property would service well as a boutique hotel, loft condominiums or a unique educational setting. The building offers unobstructed waterfront views on both sides. To the west the building offers view of the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta finish line and Rennie Park and the east of the building offers views of the Port habour and Yacht club.

Canadian auto parts retailer Princess Auto is constructing a new location on Fourth avenue in St. Catharines. The store will be apart of the new Fourth Avenue West Shopping Centre development. The brand which is currently expanding across Canada, provides a unique retailer to Niagara further strengthening Fourth Avenue’s retail options.

A concentration of revitalization efforts may be transforming St. Catharines’ downtown but it’s the lakeside community of Port Dalhousie where residents continue to push for renewal. And a stalled condo development in Port Tower, has not stopped other developers from asserting their vision for a revitalized Port. The historic community has a wealth of potential and Rankin Construction sees that potential in a new harbourfront condominium development.

Last night's city council meeting in St. Catharines brought good news for three large-scale commercial development projects. This news comes after a year of concern over the tabling and subsequent re-establishment of the city's CIP programs.

Two of the major projects awarded had stalled their plans for development earlier in 2015 when St. Catharines Community Improvement Plan did not allocate funds for new applicants. CIPS are incredibly attractive incentives that have helped to revitalize many areas within St. Catharines, developers see an increased economic feasibility in their development with the tax sharing rewards of such programs.