Photo: Ironclad Developments

A Manitoba-based development company is hoping to get city approval for a large five building rental project across from Orchard Park Shopping Centre.

In a proposal before the city planning department, Ironclad Developments says it has "conditionally" purchased the vacant lot at 2241 Springfield Road in hopes of obtaining a residential rental tenure sub zone to the present urban centre commercial zone.

Preliminary development plans call for five mid-rise buildings varying in height from four to six storeys along with a stand-alone one-storey commercial building.

It would include 401 rentals dispersed among the five buildings with "a mix of one, two and three bedroom units."

While the development would include ground floor commercial, the proposal asks to vary the amount of commercial required.

Zoning bylaws require buildings on collector or arterial roads within an urban centre commercial zone include 90 per cent of street frontages as "functional commercial space" on the ground floor.

The application suggests the 90 per cent figure is not appropriate given its proximity to Orchard Park and an adjacent strip mall, and restrictive access and parking along Springfield and Benvoulin roads.

Instead, they believe a reduction to accommodate smaller-scaled services would be more appropriate.

"A pre-application meeting with the city identified that a variance to reduce the required commercial frontage from 90 per cent to approximately 25 per cent of building frontage would be supported by planning staff, and the design of the project achieves 27 per cent commercial frontage," the application states.

The proposal also includes a a pet wash station, off-leash dog run, fitness centre, business centre and games rooms.

A combination of underground, surface and covered parking is also being proposed.

It will be several months before the project reaches city council.

Photo: Google Maps

Proposed development site