
I recall in 2015, long before I was on Council how many people were saying tear it down. I didn't agree with tearing it down and appreciate it was preserved. It a marker of a earlier era in downtown Oshawa. Recall how negative people were about it ever being completed. Reka Szekely wrote back then that "Downtown Oshawa’s biggest eyesore is on the brink of a much-needed facelift after City councillors approved a package of incentives for the redevelopment on the former Genosha Hotel." https://www.durhamregion.com/.../5766243-oshawa-approves.../
Although in 2022 the 21 storey building plan may strike some as perilously high over the corner landmark building, it sure has an incredibly small foot print...measuring approximately 80 feet by 70 feet.
Above the main and 2nd level, the building becomes wider…by about 20 feet. The other 19 floors will overhang about 10’ over top the laneway and another 5’ over the back 2 storey section of 70 King St. E. So the 114 apartments will be distributed among floors that would seem to measure 80’ x 115’, result: a tall and ‘skinny’ new building.
In the NOTICE FOR THE MONDAY APRIL 11TH, 6:30 p.m. Planning Act public meeting (where the public is invited to speak in person in the City Council Chamber or electronically on-line) it states that "The applicant proposes to construct TWO ADDITIONAL FLOORS on the existing City-owned parking garage located directly east of the subject lands, at the northeast corner of King Street East and Mary Street North, to provide appropriate off-site parking."
There is a narrow 12' lane between the old and new. Not very wide for a garbage truck, and clearly no room to turn around...so residents may have to listen to that beep, beep, beep, back up noise.
However this is not clear because on the EAST ELEVATION RENDERING is shows a Garage Door…but we know there is no underground parking. At the Monday April 11th Planning Act Public meeting hopefully more will be made clear. Especially about who will be paying for 2 additional floors on the Mary St. Parkade and the skywalk, and who will be receiving the parking revenues.
together the proposed new Genosha II and the original Genosha total around 200 units.... then on the corner of Mary and Bond Streets - the new high rise at 100 Bond and soon to be completed 21 storey 80 Bond together total around 500 units, and on another Phase at 55 Mary St N, another new building is planned for 335 apartments for students...then at Richmond and Bond two more 21 story towers with over 600 apartment units, well that totals over 1,600 apartments, 5 high rises within steps of each other. A veritable Marytown in the Downtown. And not-to-forget, the large Medallion project two blocks to the south! Over 2,000 more apartments!