Use of downtown parking lot on Oshawa’s council agenda

There’s nothing signed yet but after a good deal of back-and-forth over the last year between developer Atria Developments and the City of Oshawa, it looks like the municipal parking lot across the street from the future Post Lofts development will be in play to solve the project’s parking woes.

The former Canada Post federal building in downtown Oshawa will be the future site of an eight-storey, 143-rental unit property, be built on top of the existing two-storey post office with the building linked to a not-yet-built parking structure across the street.

Atria has been working with Oshawa Council on providing parking for the building, as its location precludes building underground. An offer to use the city lot on the south side of Athol between Celina Street and Albert Street and building a parking garage on top has been on the table, and Atria President Hans Jain said the good relationship his firm has with staff and council has him optimistic of a deal being made.

“We hope it can be resolved,” he said. “We’re bringing people into the downtown and all the great cities need that. “You can build projects like stadiums and arenas but you need to build places for people to live in the downtown.”

Jain hopes the first hurdle can be approved Monday, with staff recommending to Council the City “enter into negotiations” to take over the parking lot.

Atria has hired renowned architectural firm Moriyama Teshima – company co-founder, the late Raymond Moriyama, created iconic buildings like the Ontario Science Centre, the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo, the Toronto Reference Library and Ottawa’s Canadian War Museum – to fuse the striking former Oshawa Federal Building and Post Office (built between 1953-54 in the Art Moderne style) with contemporary loft interiors and a range of amenities “perfect for generation next.”

The project will also be one of a select few large buildings in Canada to use mass timber, along with tiered steel and glass, in the construction.

Atria also has a couple more items at Monday’s agenda, the last Council meeting before the summer recess. The developer is requesting an increased assessment for the Brownfield Study Grant for its residential project at Division and Bond streets; and to provide progress on its Stevenson Road industrial project.