A $16.8 million investment has been announced to develop housing on a city-owned parking lot in downtown Windsor.
During a news conference Wednesday, Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, Ward 3 Councillor Renaldo Agostino, and the 531 Pelissier Group announced the development on Municipal Parking Lot 15 just north of 711 Pelissier Street, not far from Wyandotte Street.
The project, which will be known as Pelissier Park, will see three-storey townhouses built on the land, creating 48 residential units.
President of BK Cornerstone Design Build Brent Klundert says they're hoping to have shovels in the ground in July or August.
"32 of the units will be attainable, so we're looking at bringing them in. There'll be main-floor garages with two-storey living above, and then there will be eight accessible units on the main floors and eight deeply affordable units, which is really nice to add to the downtown," he says.
531 Pelissier Group includes BK Cornerstone Design Build, Philip Fernandes Designs, and Realty ONE Group Iconic.
Klundert says they are working with the Keyspire Group, which is purchasing some suites to serve as 'for rent affordable units.'
"I think there is a social responsibility that all of us carry in our business and in our lives in general. The group that makes up 531 Pelissier really believes that we owe that to the community," he says.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens says the units are going in a city-owned parking lots that's not very utilized and the people who will eventually live here will support things like restaurants in the downtown.
"People will be living in a block that is otherwise really highly underutilized. This will help support things like the farmer's market and other businesses downtown as well. So, this is a great example of Housing Solutions Made for Windsor, working well, working with the development community, and realizing affordable housing in Windsor," he says.
The goal is to have the development completed sometime in 2027.
An expression of interest for the property was issued in late 2024 as part of the city's Housing Solutions Made for Windsor plan, which has been focused on opening shovel-ready municipally owned lands for residential housing developments to increase the housing supply across Windsor.