- Hub staff

In 2020, the City’s Building Division issued 204 building permits representing a construction value of $66.4 million.

$40 million in permits were for the 160 bed Southbridge Long Term Care facility being constructed at 1300 16th Avenue East, valued at $20 million, and Owen Sound Gardens, a 126 unit retirement home valued at $20 million being constructed as part of Peter Van Dolder's “adult lifestyle community” on the new extension of 14th Street East.

Another $10 million in permits represents the final phase of Owen Sound Housing's Odawa complex at 2239 8th Avenue East. A 5 storey, 60-unit apartment building is being built there, with funding from the provincial and federal governments, and loans from the City and County of Grey, in response to the City's ongoing affordable housing crisis.

Other building permits issued throughout 2020 include:

•            119 new residential units were constructed including 16 single detached, 4 semi-detached, 16 townhouse, and 83 apartments/condominiums.  This includes:
                              i.        A 7-unit townhouse development at 1685 9th Avenue East, valued at $2 million;
                             ii.        Three 3-unit townhouse blocks (nine units in total) are being constructed at 2380 9th Avenue East, valued at $1.79 million.
                            iii.        Former ‘Strathcona School’ – in 2020, a permit was issued to construct 12 units in the existing attic level space, valued at $600,000.

• ‘The Sydenham’, located at 80 9th Street East (80 total units) has new ownership and work to complete the project is underway.
            
• Heritage Permits have been issued for the renovation of the community hall at Harrison Park for work including upgrades to building accessibility (new ramp, etc.), new bathroom, and changes to the entrance, valued at $320,000.
   
• Interior renovations at the former ‘Dufferin School’ to create the new headquarters for the M’Wikwedong Native Cultural Centre, valued at $550,000.

• ‘Mission Thrift Store’ is constructing a 522 square metre addition at 1698 18th Avenue East, valued at $1.2 million.

• Fire repair permits were issued for 1010 and 1014 2nd Avenue East (former Bella’s Pizza and Kornblum’s), valued at $460,000.

• The former ‘Bean Cellar’ located in the City’s downtown has relocated to 1603 2nd Avenue East in a portion of the building and will operate as ‘The Yard’.

source: media release, City of Owen Sound