Below is my contribution to the Guelph Citizen, published December 10th, 2014. The original article is here; and a counter-argument from the building’s architect can be read here.

Let me preface this argument by clarifying that it’s my firm belief that live-work apartments are an integral part of creating walkable cities, and intensifying city cores, as is Guelph’s directive. They have a positive impact towards reducing a city’s carbon footprint and improve density targets by better utilizing space in areas that are particularly starved by it.

Unfortunately, the developer planning to undertake 15 Mont St. has simply chosen the wrong battle. In reviewing the City’s zoning by-law and maps, it’s apparent that the corner of Mont and Woolwich is like many others in the downtown periphery. Many are zoned for office purposes along Woolwich, an arterial corridor, with low-density residential zoning along the side streets behind.

A 3-storey building currently occupies the corner of Mont and Woolwich, and is situated as far towards the eastern side of the property (towards Woolwich) as possible. 15 Mont St., the house whose existence hangs in the balance is placed on the westernmost side of its abutting property, creating the largest possible separation between the 2 buildings. This is often done to diminish shadow impact, noise pollution, etc., and is a fairly common design technique. It’s the same principles that are applied when deciding which types of development abut others; why factories don’t neighbour schools, for example.

The current three storey building at the corner of Woolwich and Mont

While still a relatively minor example of the instance above, an extension of the building at 360 Woolwich would envelop the majority of the lateral footprint of 15 Mont and have a detrimental impact on sightlines, noise and overall aesthetics, particularly affecting residents on the west end of Mont St. It’s important to additionally consider the style of the current office building and the virtual impossibility of incorporating the apartment addition in a way that blends at all naturally.

Furthermore, the property is located in an older, established area of the city. Live-work accommodations are more successful in the heart of the city, where amenities and employers are plentiful and directly accessible. The scale of the abutting office building is not to a level that would sustain the residential aspect of the development and tenants/owners would be no better served than a regular apartment building, for which the property is appropriately not zoned for.

The proposed development just in from the corner of Woolwich and Mont.

In summary, live-work buildings, when that’s what they are, are a major component of successful future growth in the City of Guelph. They do have a place though, and I don’t believe that place is 15 Mont St. Having said that, should this building go-ahead, I think it sets a whale of a precedent to accelerate future developments along the Gordon-Norfolk-Woolwich corridor, which in spots is an absolutely great thing for the city’s density targets and overall sustainability.

Tyson Hinschberger is a Realtor for Planet Realty Inc., Brokerage in the city of Guelph, Ontario. You can follow him on Twitter, @hinschcity.