Fall construction eyed for Princess site
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City hall is on the brink of ending the decade-long vacancy of a major property in downtown Brandon, thanks in part to an aggressive strategy to trigger development.
The city is currently processing an application from a developer to build 80 housing units and roughly 5,000 square feet of commercial space at the corner of Ninth Street and Princess Avenue.
Construction is expected to begin this fall, city officials told the Sun.
“This is definitely the closest we’ve been to actually seeing ground breaking at Ninth and Princess,” said Coun. Kris Desjarlais (Ward 2). “And the potential for … 80 market units … is exciting for the city.”
The City of Brandon has signed an agreement to support the developer if the project goes ahead. All development cost charges will be offset for the site, property taxes will be frozen for 20 years and the developer will receive a cash grant of between $10,000 and $20,000 for each market housing unit they build.
The aggressive incentive program comes after the City of Brandon secured up to $6.2 million from the federal government’s housing accelerator fund last year. The city used the first instalment of $1.5 million to launch its incentive program in the downtown core, supporting the construction of housing.
Attracting developers to downtown Brandon can get the ball rolling on a positive feedback loop, Desjarlais told the Sun. He said the presence of more renters and buyers is good for the local economy, but also for public safety.
“There’s a strong correlation between increasing the capacity of people living in your downtown and a reduction in crime severity,” Desjarlais said. “The more people you have living, working, enjoying your core, your downtown, you reduce some of those other things that stop people from coming downtown.”
It’s an important driver, he said, adding that the city can wean its incentives over time, leaving the area with momentum to carry itself forward.
On the property across from the Wheat City Tennis and Pickleball Hub that’s now under construction, interest is also brewing for a new development, said the city’s director of planning and buildings, Ryan Nickel. Multiple buildings are being proposed, adding up to about 70 housing units.
The discussion has not yet reached the stage of a formal application, but council has already agreed to provide incentives for that property if a development comes, Nickel said. It would put an end to a four-year vacancy on the property, after the former Cargill elevator was demolished in 2021.
Brandon Downtown Development Corporation executive director Emmanuel Ahaneku told the Sun that momentum is noticeable. He said the incentive program is fusing with the efforts of many people who have been labouring to improve the downtown and increase its value.
“Having this interest from developers confirms that we’re doing some things right,” said Ahaneku. “The downtown market housing incentive program is really making some impact.”
» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com