New mixed use building underway in Fernwood village
›› Lee Herrin
In 2011 Fernwood residents told the Fernwood NRG’s Neighbourhood Visioning Forum that a healthy and vibrant neighbourhood centre needs a critical mass and variety of business and residential units. We listened, and we are adding commercial space and housing in a new building right in Fernwood village.
We purchased the house at 1310 Gladstone in November 2013 and after three and a half years of consultation and planning, we started construction of our new building this past June. The house was removed in March but a small change in the location of the gas meter delayed final permitting until May. As soon as we received the final permit, we completed the excavation and prepared to lay the footings.
Through our architect, Christine Lintott, we selected a reputable and qualified local construction management firm, Knappett Projects Inc. to construct the building. Since we received our building permit, the Knappett team has been working steadily to get the sumps in place, the footings laid, and the foundation ready to be poured.
Once complete, the building will offer two large commercial spaces—one at street level off of Gladstone Avenue, and one at ground level accessed by stairs to the west of the building. There will also be four apartments upstairs—two studio and two one-bedroom units—accessed by stairs as well. So far, everything is proceeding according to the revised schedule. Barring anything unforeseen, Knappett anticipates a completion date in February 2018.
In the meantime, Fernwood NRG would like to thank all of our neighbours and fellow residents for your patience during the construction process. It will all be over in a few short months, and we’ll be able to celebrate a new addition to our beautiful village!
