The former Kellogg plant on Dundas St. could be the future home of restaurants, retail stores, apartments, and a rock climbing facility.
E. & E. McLaughlin Ltd., a family owned and operated business based in Tillsonburg, is seeking rezoning and redevelopment permits from the city for the over nine hectares site.
According to a planning justification report, written by McLaughlin's planning consultant and posted to the website of Councillor Jesse Helmer, the owner of the old cereal plant envisions the land to be transformed into "a mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented, main street-style area with a range of small-to-medium scale commercial uses on the ground floor, with other uses such as offices, commercial schools and/or residential on the upper floors." The report also states there is potential for a hotel and recreational facility. It notes the 33.5m high interior of the building near Florence St. would be ideal for indoor rock climbing.
The report concludes that the "proposed applications will allow for the adaptive reuse of the existing buildings in an efficient manner and maintain the built form that has been long established in the community, while accommodating uses that are compatible with the surrounding areas."
The Kellogg plant was closed in December 2014 after 90 years in business, wiping out more than 500 full-time jobs. The closure came as the company restructured, shifting production from London to Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Helmer, whose ward the old Kellogg plant falls under, indicated on his website a community meeting on the subject will likely be held ahead of a public meeting at the planning and environment committee.
A date and location for those public input sessions has yet to be determined.
