Two separate apartment complexes are applying to the City of Belleville to switch to condominium status.
Parkside Apartments Limited has applied to change its seven-storey 68-unit building at 217 Bridge Street East from apartment to condominium status.
Also, two three-storey apartment buildings at 230-232 Moira Street East are seeking condominium status
At Tuesday night’s Planning Advisory Committee meeting, Councillor Bill Sandison expressed concern about how this might affect the city’s current need for more housing.
Sandison tells Quinte News Statistics Canada indicated the vacancy rate for Belleville is 2.4%.
He says it should be about nine percent.
Councillor Ryan Williams told the committee he is concerned “about losing affordability” in housing.
Consultant Andrea St. Clair representing the condominium owners, Parkwood Apartments Limited and Moira Street Apartments Limited, indicated in each case, existing tenants would have security of their tenure, and right of first refusal on the purchase of an existing condo unit.
St Clair said there would be no changes for about 20 years.
The committee decided to recommend that city council approve the changes.
