KITCHENER -- A large development on Mill Street got the green light from Kitchener City Council, with a big change made to the proposal.
The original plan called for a 12-storey tower with town-houses, but the plan that was approved on Monday gets rid of the tower and keeps just the townhouses.
The property in question is near the corner of Mill and Queen Street and backs onto the Iron Horse Trail.
It's not unusual for projects to be trimmed down while going through the council process, losing a floor or two along with some units, but losing an entire tower is rare.
The developer, Polocorp, initially proposed a 12-storey tower with townhouse units attached. The plan drew criticism from neighbours who said the tower was too tall and did not fit in the established neighbourhood.
In a rare move, the developer chose to drastically reduce the project to appease the community.
The move reduces the project from 175 units down to around 80, losing five affordable units.
At the council meeting the project received a mix of praise and criticism.
Council voted 10-1 in favour of the motion, but not without some regret that council was losing an opportunity to add more supply to a housing market in need.
