Mount Pleasant businesses split on Rize high-rise proposal
Andrew Fleming
Van. Courier
The public hearing over the rezoning application by Rize Alliance Properties to build a 19-storey condo town at the corner of Broadway and Kingsway continued into its third day last Thursday, Feb. 29. By the end of the night, roughly half of the 205 registered speakers had spoken to council—with the vast majority so far firmly against the proposal—before the hearing continues March 27.
One of the recurring arguments cited by Mount Pleasant residents opposed to the proposed development is a fear it would devastate local businesses. Many residents expressed concern that mom and pop operations would be driven out by skyrocketing rents and replaced by corporate chain outlets with deeper pockets.
Not all Mount Pleasant business owners or their staff share this fear.
“I’m not opposed to it at all,” said Caleb Schroeder of Capstone Tattoos, located a stone’s throw from the proposed development. “My job entails people coming into my shop and, having more people in the neighbourhood, I can only see it will help with my profit. It’ll depend a bit on the demographic of people moving in, but tattoos are so popular now that I can’t see how it wouldn’t help me.”
Rodrigo Silva, owner of a Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu school on Main Street, said he hoped some of the tenants of the 241 new condos might become students.
“I think it is something that is good, not something that is bad,” said Silva, originally from Brazil. “I can’t see how we would be affected badly by it.”
The same sentiment was expressed by Dave Dove, co-owner of The Goods, an artsy retail clothing and silk screening shop on Broadway that was empty of shoppers when the Courier stopped by last week.
“I think the positives by far outweigh the negatives,” said the 33-year-old entrepreneur. “I have no issue with the structure at all. As for the height of it, hell, if it blocks a little bit of the sun here during the day, it makes it easier to see into my store.”
However, blocked sunlight is one of the main concerns for Arlene Kennedy, owner of mygoodness! gluten and wheat free kitchen on Broadway. Kennedy said she would rather her cheery bakery keep its natural sunlight than see hundreds of potential customers move in across the street.
“My feeling is that because I have such wonderful daylight coming in now and I think about that big block there and selfishly say it is going to affect my lighting,” said Kennedy, who opened the shop eight months ago. “I also think Broadway has become a high-rise corridor and so if that starts happening here, it takes away from the whole unique ambience of Mount Pleasant, especially here where it is just so funky.”
Peter Pratchett, owner of First Used Books on Kingsway, said he expects the tower would probably be good for his bottom line but he would still prefer not to see such a large structure built. “I don’t think it will be bad for business but I do see it being bad for the character of the neighbourhood and I would rather not have it. There are lots of nine, 10-storey buildings going up but I think 19 storeys is an imposition.”
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