More official plan and zoning bylaw amendments for further development on the former SCITS [Sarnia Collegiate Institute and Technical School] property will be considered by Sarnia council on Tuesday.
Phase two of the redevelopment of 275 Wellington Street, now known as the Royal SCITS Academy, calls for the construction of a new 10-storey residential high-rise behind the school and four new four-storey townhouses along Stuart and Talfourd Streets.
Mayor Mike Bradley welcomes the housing plans.
"There's an application to add a lot of other uses to that site," said Bradley. "When you look at the site it makes a lot of sense. The more that we can facilitate more rapid development of the area, it's better for that neighbourhood and it's also good for the community."
Bradley calls the developers' persistence to find different uses "smart."
"There's such potential at that site, at the former SCITS building, to do so much. So, I think, while we must be open minded on rezoning applications… At the same time we've got to look at the overall benefit to the community by having this project proceed and to be able to do other things there that they presently can't do with the zoning. So I hope that we can facilitate it and make it happen so we can see a much higher visible use for that property."
The former public high school reopened in September as a private school for students in kindergarten to grade eight.
A public meeting to consider the proposal will be held during Sarnia council's regular meeting on October 1, at 1 p.m.
The meeting was delayed by one day, due to the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, also known as Orange Shirt Day, on Monday September 30.
The historic site was purchased from the Lambton Kent District School Board by Rakesh Gupta in September 2021.
He originally planned to open a child care centre.
The school was declared surplus by the LKDSB in August 2019 after it had closed in June of that year.