After years of discussion and debate, construction has finally begun on Cambridge’s new Gaslight District.
The property, between Glebe Street and Grand Avenue in Galt, was formerly the home of the Southworks outlet mall and Tiger Brand factory.
The $100 million redevelopment project will include two 20-storey residential towers, commercial space, a large cobblestone public square, and an event hall with capacity for 600 people.
Construction has now begun on the first of the two condominiums.
HIP, the developer, says all residential units in that tower sold out within 48 hours.
Units in the second tower will be available for purchase sometime next month.
The Gaslight District will also have 75,000 square feet in retail and office space with three tenants – Foundry Brewing, Energy+ and HIP – ready to move in.
Plans for the redevelopment were officially given the greenlight back in June of 2017 but residents were split on their support for the project.
There were concerns that the development would come at the cost of historic buildings.
Karen Scott Booth, with the Architectural Conservancy of Ontario, told CTV back in in 2017 that they were apprehensive “about the height of buildings coming into the heritage area that will impact the site, the skyline. It’ll impact the streetscapes.”
HIP insists the project will fuse the past with the present.
“We felt that it was important to preserve and restore historic details to pay homage to Galt’s industrial past,” says HIP president Scott Higgins in a press release. “We also intend to help the community celebrate the stories of the Grand River.”
The first of the condominiums are scheduled to go on sale in the coming weeks.
