Developers intend to re-apply to build MacDonald Avenue tower

The developers behind a skyline-altering 12-storey apartment building proposed for 22 MacDonald Ave. are planning to re-apply to City Council with a revised submission.

As SooToday reported yesterday, Joe and Dave Ruscio and John Martella have abandoned their original application.

Next week, City Council is expected to reverse its earlier decision allowing the 90-unit apartment building.

But Joe Ruscio tells SooToday the initiative isn't dead.

"Our intent is to go ahead with project," Ruscio says. "We're going to apply for an amendment to the official plan as part of our rezoning application."

The developers want to be exempted from a requirement that 30 per cent of apartments in the building be designated for affordable housing.

They want to be able to charge market prices for rent, Ruscio said.

The building site is on former Sault Collegiate Institute playing fields at the corner of MacDonald and Gladstone.

The fields have been vacant since SCI was demolished in 2001 and replaced by Chartwell Collegiate Heights Retirement Residence.

In April, City Council agreed to rezone the property from 'parks and recreation' to 'high-density residential,' but neighbours in the Collegiate Heights area appealed the decision to the province's Local Planning Appeal Tribunal.

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.

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.