The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Thursday, N ovem ber 19, 2015 - The IFP - H alton H ills - w w w .theifp.ca Page 15 NEWS The preliminary stages of building a mid-rise luxury condomin- ium atop the McGibbon Hotel have begun. Georgetown's SilverCreek Commercial Builders Inc. has been working on finding a way to revitalize the famous hotel since 2014. Now, the company has officially submitted an of- ficial plan amendment application and a zoning bylaw amend- ment application to the Town of Halton Hills to get the project going. "This project is very near and dear to our heart," Don Jack- son, general manager at SilverCreek, said. "We've done an un- conventional approach by trying to consider every aspect of the impact it will have on the downtown core." Currently, the McGibbon is not strong enough to house the proposed 11-floor, 125 condo building. To host the new devel- opment, the McGibbon will have to be made structurally sound and will undergo a complete rebuild using as much original material as possible. "We committed that we would save that corner," Jackson said. "But the engineering in that building is not stable, it can't be salvaged or constructed properly. So we've committed to re- placing the building using as much original material as we pos- sibly can." "It's going to look like the same old corner," he said. "It will just have a better retail front on it as well." The entire project will cost over $50 million to build and will be completed by 2018, but that number is still an estimate. "The construction phase will take 18 months. To get there, we anticipate roughly 16 months [of planning]," Jackson said. "But that's the variable. There are a lot of agencies involved… and everybody has to sign off." One of the biggest concerns residents have brought forward is the impact the 11-storey building will have on the skyline. Jackson explained because of the architecture behind it, the building wouldn't be seen at eye level or from different vantage points in Georgetown, and the most it will be seen is from the Guelph St. and Main St. S. intersection. "On Main St. you really don't see the impact of the building at all," he said. "We stepped it back that way and we did it also so the tallest part of the building is at the back towards the east on Mill St." "It has the effect of visually lowering the building," he said. "This is a very well-thought-out design principle." Many residents have taken to Facebook to voice both sup- port and why they are against the project. On May 15, Architec- tural Conservancy Ontario Halton Hills posted an update about the project along with a sketch of the building, informing resi- dents a meeting between the branch's president Pat Farley and SilverCreek's Doug Pattison had taken place. "This does not blend in at all with the downtown area," Jen Winfield-Cass wrote. "This idea should never be given the go ahead. We need to preserve our downtown heritage, not add more overpriced condos!" Another resident voiced why he supports the project. "I love it," Jason Farmer wrote. "My family has been in Georgetown for over 100 years. My grandfather was born just up the street. It's nice to have a cute little bedroom community in Georgetown but it needs growth too. If this can be done while preserving the Main Street, I'm behind it." On the Facebook site of the local chapter of the Architec- tural Conservancy Ontario, many local residents were actively discussing the potential new look to downtown Georgetown. Below is a selection of comments: Architectural Conservancy Ontario, Halton Hills Exciting news about a Halton Hills Landmark! Yesterday, ACO-HH Branch President, Pat Farley, met with Doug Pattison of Silvercreek Commercial Builders Inc. to discuss the redevelopment of the McGibbon Hotel in Georgetown's historic downtown. The latest concept drawings are an amazing example of what can be done when a developer uses a bit of imagi- nation to produce a plan for 21st Century adaptive-resue while saving an iconic heritage building. Maureen Turner Rasmussen I have lived in Georgetown my whole life, and I do love our little downtown, but I also think change is good. Prog- ress is good! Our quaint little downtown has a hard time keeping businesses a float. We can keep the feel of our town while pumping up ... Andrew Brown Any progress with a stall at the Sat market for ACO to raise awareness on this monstrosity and also the destruc- tion of our heritage? Public knowledge will lead to feed- back and a petition for the City to take note of its residents is needed! Elizabeth Colter I feel as though if these were even moved to where the old arena were, a lot more people would be happy, it could still be built, yet preserve the old towne vibe that down- town georgetown has to offer. It was so pretty, and old fashioned... Cindy Cobean It's not necessarily the design that is the issue, but the facade. It's too modern for an old area of town. But I'm sure the builder doesn't care about that, they just want to sell condos. Catherine Yestadt Georgetown needs this type of residential choice but I think there is too much steel/chrome & glass in the archi- tectural design. It doesn't blend in with the feel of down- town. Diane Pepper Yikes! I agree that it doesn't fit...and if that goes there, where the heck does the parking lot go??? There's already parking issues downtown. My input. Architectural Conservancy Ontario, Halton Hills The lot behind the hotel is actually owned by the hotel and not the Town. Sandra Leblanc Can't say as I truly think it fits, but guess it's better than a bulldozer. Is the McGibbon facade to become part of the condo units? Architectural Conservancy Ontario, Halton Hills The McGibbon facade will be restored including the original main entrance on Main Street. The hotel is not part of the condo development, it will be retail space. Pat Farley Once again, I will remind residents of Halton Hills that they have a Mayor who LISTENS to their concerns but Rick is not a mind-reader. Let HIM know how you feel about this redevelopment plan...don't just gripe about it on FB. On Facebook: Residents have their say Developers trying to preserve downtown look but add vitality with luxury condo A view of the pro- posed develop- ment at the corner of Main and Mill Sts., looking north on Mill St. Graphics courtesy of SilverCreek Commer- cial Builders Inc. By Kathryn Boyle kboyle@theifp.ca Looking south on Main St. Looking north on Main St.