The city of Montreal has cleared another hurdle between a new residential-commercial development replacing the Wilderton shopping centre in Côte-des-Neiges.
During its latest meeting on Dec. 7, the city executive committee approved a change to the urban plan to allow for a development up to eight stories, in lieu of the current single-storey structure on Van Horne Ave.
The city’s urban-planning department studied the development plans and came out in favour of the idea. Previously, the Côte-des-Neiges-N.D.G. borough approved a draft bylaw in August to allow for the zoning change, and sanctioned demolition of the current mall, which must be done within 36 months.
In a report to the executive committee on the project, the urban planning department said the existing centre has no heritage value and it would actually improve the general image of the area if a new development took its place.
There are provisions to the development that require it to contain some affordable housing. The actual planned development for the 19,813 square-metre site, based on the latest available real-estate report, includes a chain of medium-rise apartments on Van Horne Ave. that are linked to a commercial area, all of which spans from Darlington to Wilderton Aves.
With the borough on board, and now the city executive committee, the bylaw to change the urban plan will go before city council on Dec. 19 for final approval.