Essex is re-issuing request for proposals (RFP) for the former Harrow District High School property.
The town re-issued the RFP Monday morning that calls for the purchase and redevelopment of the former high school site at 45 Wellington Street in Harrow.
As AM800 news reported last month, the previous RFP received no bids but five developers did a walk through of the site.
Mayor Sherry Bondy says the latest RFP removes the previous requirement that 20 per cent of the development be designated for affordable housing.
She says the affordable housing component is no longer required but says the site is intended to be developed for high-density residential use.
"We pulled that affordable housing component off and now we're looking to see if there's developers interested," she says. "We would love to see multi-residential there and if they want to throw in some affordable housing of course we'll take it but now it's no longer a requirement."
Bondy says the town tried to get a developer interested in building housing and having an affordable housing component there.
"The reality is right now, the cost to develop is expensive and it's a lot to ask of developers to put in a 20 per cent affordable housing component without grants or without the province and the feds at the table," says Bondy.
She says the site is unique and has a lot to offer.
"That doesn't mean people or developers can't bring us unique out of the box ideas," she says. "It would certainly give more weight to council's decision if they said, 'you know hey instead of 20 per cent of affordable housing, maybe we'll put five.' We still would hope to see some affordable housing but at the end of the day we know it's sometimes not always financially feasible.
The previous RFP closed on March 31, 2025.
Developers have until July 9, 2025 to submit their proposal for the new RFP.
The school closed in 2016 and was purchased by the town.
Bondy says only the school site is part of the RFP and the surrounding green space would remain as municipal property.