Cumberland St. Development
It's exciting to see that the parking lot and two adjacent houses on Cumberland Street across from phases 1 and 2 have been purchased by a developer who plans to build a low-rise condominium building.
The proposed boutique-style four-story building is to feature residential units with high-end finishes, and with the possibility for ground-floor retail space. The building is to be quite modern in design, and should play off the style of The East Market very well.
The design of the building steps down from the same height as the adjacent Options Bytowne building to the south, while being lower at the north end that is next to the heritage-designated house at the corner of York and Cumberland.
Of all the possible outcomes for what could happen with this property, including the existing parking lot remaining as is, this is very much a best-case scenario. While we understand the city had slated the site to be rezoned for a substantially taller high-density building, the developer has elected to go with something that is much more in keeping with the scale of the neighboring buildings on the west side of Cumberland. As the building is to be wood-frame construction with no deep basement, this also means that construction impact on residents of The East Market will be minimized, with no blasting being required, and a short overall construction period.
This building is expected to make a real improvement to this stretch of Cumberland Street, and is being favorably received by local residents, community associations, and businesses.
Below are some early drawings of the proposed building, courtesy of the developer.