By Cecilia Nasmith

Cobourg council voted at this week's committee-of-the-whole meeting to authorize the execution of a development agreement that will result in the former Cobourg Daily Star building being redeveloped into Cobourg Creek Lofts, a 26-unit residential apartment redevelopment project.

Director of Planning and Development Glenn McGlashon gave some details on the project, located at 415 King St. W. (at the corner of Tremaine Street) and sitting vacant since the newspaper relocated downtown in 2002.

The name comes from Cobourg Creek (also known as Factory Creek) northeast of the property. McGlashon said it is the reuse, repurposing and expansion of the existing building into a two-storey structure with additions to the north and south sides.

Tenants will enter via a driveway south of the structure that leads to the back of the building where there are 39 spaces, 33 of them in the interior of the structure.

The high-quality brick exterior will have windows and doors finished in black aluminum cladding and large recessed patios.

“The existing building has tall floor-to-ceiling rations. These will be maintained throughout the addition, promoting an industrial-loft-style feel and vibe.”

The 26 new rental units to the town's housing inventory, he continued, “will be a very beneficial and exceptional addition to Cobourg's rental-housing inventory.”

As a former industrial site, he noted, the rather bleak and drab appearance of the property will be alleviated with 22 new trees, 450 new shrubs and perennials, and a privacy fence on the south side of the building.

And the fact that it builds on an existing structure instead of demolishing it and rebuilding will save thousands of tons of material from the landfill.

“It's close to existing parks and open spaces and transit.”

It's an accessible building, McGlashon said, with two ground-floor units that will be fully accessible.

The owner is dedicating 25% of the grounds (from the part of it on the Cobourg Creek flood plain) towards development of the future H.W. Cooey Park to the south of the property. McGlashon displayed a list of more than 20 studies, reports and surveys that were required to get the development to this point. In addition to the land, he will pay a $5,000 parkland levy and $4,504 for additional tree planting, as well as the permit fees and taxes for the redevelopment of – as McGlashon put it – this abandoned and derelict building into a productive future use for the community.

“It's an excellent addition to our rental stock on a bit of land that honours our industrial legacy,” Councillor Nicole Beatty said.

“I do remember when it was a thriving paper - my very first job.

“Is there any consideration of honouring or communicating the history of the building?”

Developer Scott Glover said that a garden feature at the corner of King and Tremaine will incorporate some of the old foundation stone.

And while trucking away hundreds of truckloads of contaminated soil, Glover added, they had found some artifacts of interest that they may put on display in the building's lobby.