Richmond and Dundas office tower to become apartments
An office building at the heart of London’s core will soon house people, as the City of London announced its first office-to-residential conversion project.
On Thursday, London Mayor Josh Morgan announced the former Rexall/CIBC Building at 166 Dundas St. at Richmond Street will be converted into 15 apartments.
None will fit the criteria for affordable housing.
“14 of those will be two-bedroom apartments, and one of them will be a single-bedroom unit,” the mayor said.
The developer, Maas Group, is taking advantage of a city grant incentive program.
The project has been approved by the city's Office-to-Residential CIP Incentive Program to receive $414,947 in incentive funding.
Maas Group representatives were noticeably absent at the announcement, but Morgan confirmed the project will be complete by fall.
He told CTV News London the first two floors, vacant for more than half a decade, will be home to an unnamed commercial tenant within months.
“The downtown is getting better. Things are improving,” Morgan said.
Coun. David Ferreira believes the project will encourage more investment near Richmond and Dundas.
“That is the hope. We have a lot of history here and a lot of great buildings here,” Ferreira said. “It’s just reconverting and repurposing them so we can bring the people in and bring that use back.”
But returning the corner back to the level of attraction it held until the mid-1980s will be a feat.
But not an impossible one, according to Barb Maly, the executive director of Downtown London.
“This is going to be contributing to creating our downtown community and, as well, supporting our downtown businesses,” she said.
— With files from CTV News London's Kristylee Varley
London Mayor Josh Morgan announcing the conversion of office space into residential units. May 23, 2024. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6938298.1719229990!/httpImage/image.png_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.png)
Princess Anne sustains injuries and concussion in an 'incident,' Buckingham Palace says
Princess Anne sustained minor injuries and a concussion following an incident on an estate in southwest England, the Buckingham Palace said Monday.
This U.S. company is selling products with human fecal matter to Canadians. What does Health Canada think about it?
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning letter to a company appearing to sell products containing human fecal matter without approval from the agency.
This is what an 'incredibly difficult' heat wave was like inside one of Canada's densest neighbourhoods
This is what it was like in a Toronto neighbourhood where 30,000 people live during a scorching heat wave.
Lifeguard and 'Pirates of the Caribbean' actor dies after apparent shark attack in Hawaii
A lifeguard and surf instructor – who also appeared in movies including 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides' and 'Blue Crush' - died Sunday following an apparent shark attack on the North Shore of Ohau, Hawaii, according to officials.
At least 16 dead in a fire at a lithium battery factory in South Korea
A fire at a lithium battery manufacturing factory near South Korea's capital on Monday left at least 16 people dead, seven injured and six missing, officials said.
Is Trump shielded from criminal charges as an ex-president? A nation awaits word from U.S. Supreme Court
In the coming days, the U.S. Supreme Court will confront a perfect storm mostly of its own making: a trio of decisions stemming directly from the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Researchers have found a 'clear genetic trigger for obesity' that applies to some people
Experts have long known there is a genetic component to obesity, and a new study identified one particular gene that may be behind it.
A year ago, her engagement ring vanished at a hospital. She still cherishes the man who gave it to her
When Faye Bauman went to a Florida hospital for surgery last year, she handed her diamond engagement ring to a nurse — and never saw it again. The ring carries profound memories of her late husband and the moment he proposed to her 57 years ago.
Canada to announce tariff plan for Chinese EV, battery imports following U.S., Europe
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is expected to announce this morning a plan for potential tariffs to protect Canada's electric vehicle supply chain from unfair Chinese competition.