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www.insideHALTON.com · OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, January 11, 2013 · 8 People are in condos, but Glendella still not restored By David Lea OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF If Birchgrove Estates Inc. wants to close the deal on its condominium development at 11 Bronte Rd., it needs to restore the Glendella Inn heritage building, located on the site, first. The Town's Planning and Development Council unanimously deferred Birchgrove's request for approval to Jan. 14. It was to give the Town and developer time to iron out what the Town wants before it okays the condominium plan registration. Restoration of Glendella is only one condition. Council also wants the Bronte Post Office and Bronte Police Station, both on the property, restored shortly after the plan is registered. In a 2007 agreement between Birchgrove and the Town, the developer was allowed to construct a 10-storey mixed-use building with 203 residential units, 877.93 square metres of groundfloor commercial space and nine townhouses. In exchange, the developer agreed to carry out restoration on the heritage buildings on the site. While the condominium is nearing completion, Town staff said the deadline for the restoration work has come and gone with too little to show for it. "The heritage buildings have not been restored and the owner is in violation of the Heritage Easement Agreement," said Charles McConnell, planning services. "It is the owner's obligation to undertake the restoration, adaptive reuse and maintenance of the heritage buildings. The ability of the Town to ensure the owner maintains these obligations is through an appropriate condominium application and conditions." Laurie McPherson, representing Birchgrove, addressed council during the meeting. She said the developer does intend to complete the restoration work, but said the process had been stalled by a number of issues including the heritage homes needing more work than was previously believed. McPherson called for the condominium development to be allowed to move forward, stating the remaining exterior work at Glendella would be completed no later than March 31. She said the restoration of the Bronte Police Station and Bronte Post Office would be completed no later than May 1. McPherson noted, if the Town allowed the condominium development to move ahead, Birchgrove would post additional securities in the amount of $700,000 to complete the restoration of the interior of the Bronte Post Office and the Bronte Police Station. With this $700,000 added to the $500,000 the developer had already pledged in securities towards the restoration project, McPherson argued there was more than enough funds set aside to guarantee the project. Residents currently living at the development are eager for the situation to be resolved. Ron Worton, representing 75 condominium residents, called for the timely registration of the condominium, stating until that happens, the residents cannot own their units. "Since we all moved in six or seven months ago, we have been paying interim occupancy fees consisting of taxes, condo fees we would normally pay anyway, and the interest upon the portion of the purchase price that we still owe to the builder," said Worton. "Every month, we are paying interest on the money we still owe. The interest component will stop, of course, as soon as we close on our units and take ownership." Worton said the interest payments are substantial with a delay in the registration of the condominium of three months expected to cost the residents, collectively, $1 million. Worton also said the residents did not want to be left on the hook for the restoration costs of the heritage buildings, which he feared could happen if the condominium is registered before the restorations are completed. Town staff was investigating if $700,000 would actually be enough to cover the restoration.