Council approves $3M for Graffiti development project on University Ave.

Windsor council approved an approximately $3 million package worth of incentives Monday that will be used to facilitate the construction of a mixed-use development project called Graffiti. 

The residential and commercial project will be located on University Avenue, at the site of the former Junction family arcade which had been closed for a decade. The property had remained vacant since its closure. 

"I know this project has been sitting idle for a while now, but we've got big plans for the project — exciting designs, new architecture," said Dalbinder Singh, director of AIPL Canada, the firm in charge of spearheading the Graffiti project. 

"It's a multi-family development targeted toward young professionals, students and families."

Of the funding approved by the city on Monday, approximately $2.9 million is part of the city's Brownfield Redevelopment Community Improvement Plan. Included in that is $23,795 as part of environmental study grants and $94,217 as a reduction of development charges.

The project itself is expected to cost approximately $34.8 million. 

Included in the proposed redevelopment will be a new six-storey residential building containing 148 units. 

We've got big plans for the project — exciting designs, new architecture.- Dalbinder Singh, Director, AIPL Canada

The plan also proposes redeveloping 1,737 square metres of commercial space within two existing buildings. 

"It's a mixed-use development with commercial, retail, medical offices and residential at the back," said Singh.

AIPL Canada also plans on repurposing the Butler Building — a former hardware and industrial supply operation at 1220 University Ave. — as a food hall. 

"We want to get different food, from local eateries preferably, and make them part of one concept where you'll see Carrot N' Dates, Motor Burger and all these … favourite joints of Windsor [as] part of the same facility," said Singh, adding that his organization plans on maintaining the "historical character" of the buildings. 

"We want to keep it and just integrate it with the development."

Singh said the removal of contaminated soil — also known as soil remediation — is approximately 95 per cent complete. 

He expects construction to begin in the second quarter of 2020.