Developer withdraws proposal for skyline-dominating high-rise

Sault Ste. Marie City Council is expected to reverse its April 15 decision allowing a 12-storey apartment building at 22 MacDonald Ave., SooToday has learned.

For reasons that are so far undisclosed, developers Joe and Dave Ruscio and John Martella have abandoned their application.

The city has advised the developers that a controversial decision to rezone the property from 'parks and recreation' to 'high-density residential' will be repealed at next Monday's City Council meeting.

It's not immediately known whether Martella and the Ruscios have walked away from their idea of building on the former Sault Collegiate Institute playing fields at the corner of MacDonald and Gladstone, or might be planning to come back with an alternative proposal more likely to withstand an appeal.

Neighbours in the Collegiate Heights area had appealed the re-zoning decision to the province's Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

One hundred and thirteen residents signed a petition opposing the 90-unit building, asking that it be reconsidered or delayed.

The playing fields have been vacant since SCI was demolished in 2001 to make room for Chartwell Collegiate Heights Retirement Residence.

The Sault's tallest building is currently a 16-storey structure at 70 East St., towering approximately 54 metres above ground that's about 179 metres above sea level.

The proposed MacDonald Avenue tower would have been about 42 metres tall, but would have dominated the Sault Ste. Marie skyline because it would have been built on terrain that's 211 metres above sea level.

"It is hoped that in the future, city planners and developers would provide a more thorough consultation with neighbouring residents so that future development will be compatible and respectful of the existing neighbourhood," said Lynden Pond, one of the neighbours who appealed the City Council decision.