McCormick Area Redevelopment - Page 4

jammer139 · #61 Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 2:11 AM**

The doors have been ripped out and no doubt the building is being occupied by people. There is no security around this site and no signs of police checking it. Won't be surprised to see a large cloud of smoke rising from the shell of this old factory one of these days. Sadly this building is going to end up in rubble because the owner has done nothing with it.

ssiguy · #62 Posted **Jul 29, 2020, 6:33 PM**

This is hardly surprising. I have always considered this development of more of a fantasy than an actual project that could go ahead. Developers do not build housing to be swell but rather to make money and this is a money pit. This means being able to sell/rent the units and make some money on their investment and this development does not fit the bill.

Who would want to live there? I sure as hell wouldn't want to. This is not Old East and is further away from Adelaide as Adelaide is from Wellington. There is far too much developable land from 4 blocks E of A to the Thames available for this project to take place. Even at the rather dizzying rate of how those downtown parking lots are getting filled with towers, this is still MANY decades away from being developed.

jammer139 · #63 Posted **Jul 30, 2020, 12:09 AM**

Its rotting away and squatters will eventually cause it to burn I'm afraid. This owner doesn't have the deep pockets to actually develop the property I suspect and can't secure financing. Would have been much better off with another company.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiguy

This is hardly surprising. I have always considered this development of more of a fantasy than an actual project that could go ahead. Developers do not build housing to be swell but rather to make money and this is a money pit. This means being able to sell/rent the units and make some money on their investment and this development does not fit the bill.

Who would want to live there? I sure as hell wouldn't want to. This is not Old East and is further away from Adelaide as Adelaide is from Wellington. There is far too much developable land from 4 blocks E of A to the Thames available for this project to take place. Even at the rather dizzying rate of how those downtown parking lots are getting filled with towers, this is still MANY decades away from being developed.

Djeffery · #64 Posted **Jul 30, 2020, 12:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jammer139

Its rotting away and squatters will eventually cause it to burn I'm afraid. This owner doesn't have the deep pockets to actually develop the property I suspect and can't secure financing. Would have been much better off with another company.

I think part of the problem was that it sat empty for 6 years before Sierra took it off the city's hands for nothing with no other real interest. I don't know how deep their pockets are for putting their own money into a development, but they are a pretty decent size company working on lots of projects around the region. I suspect they probably wouldn't care too much if the old building burned, so maybe they can work on some type of plan with a clean slate. But it's also a pretty solid building, it's going to take a lot to bring it down.

I think they gave up on the idea of residential inside the existing building and were proposing more commercial uses in there. Not sure if they ever had any serious discussions to bring any of the type of companies that are moving in to the old Kelloggs building. I can't imagine what they would think of for residential on the land behind the building. It's not really that big a chunk of land when you start throwing single family houses up, and it's not a neighbourhood that is going to command $600-700k for houses.

I think they probably thought something along the lines of "We can pick this up for a buck, the economy is rocking, we can flip it for millions a few years down the road". Oops.

jammer139 · #65 Posted **Dec 19, 2020, 8:37 PM**

Well another year has come and gone and no activity on the site. Sierra Construction has just started building the new Indigenous Child and Family Centre on Hill St. So they are still active but not at the old McCormick factory.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/indigenous-family-centre-planned-for-london

David Blake · #66 Posted **Dec 25, 2020, 5:52 PM**

I envision some depraved form of Kowloon Walled City taking place inside this festering structure. Gotta admit though, as a teenager I would have found the temptation to explore with a flashlight late on a Saturday night overwhelming.

K85 · #67 Posted **Dec 31, 2020, 4:06 AM**

Wonder if they 'started' work, tearing out important stuff only to let the elements rot it out so it can be entirely torn down vs. saving?

tyeman200 · #68 Posted **Jan 2, 2021, 3:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by K85

Wonder if they 'started' work, tearing out important stuff only to let the elements rot it out so it can be entirely torn down vs. saving?

Wouldn't be surprised. Drove by it, half the doors are kicked in or wide open, building is half demolished, even made me wanna explore it from lack of anyone around. Reminds me of the school on Colonel Talbot road that's labelled historic, they scrapped the entire interior and is just letting it sit for the elements and not redeveloping it.

jammer139 · #69 Posted **Feb 3, 2021, 5:02 PM**

Good to see this zoning change request for a near by industrial building at 1153-1155 Dundas St. This brings hope for future progress to this area and continued momentum. The area is primed for commercial, residential and retail developments.

https://london.ca/business-development/p...s/planning-applications/1153-1155-dundas

jammer139 · #70 Posted **May 2, 2021, 7:25 PM**

McCormick Area Secondary Plan from 2017 - https://london.ca/sites/default/files/20...-Plan-Amended-May-30-2017_AODA_Final.pdf

Given it's now May of 2021 and the site continues to rot away with zero signs of progress from Sierra Construction it's worth looking at the secondary plan from just a few years ago. What is it going to take to get some progress on redeveloping this factory and lands into something?

jammer139 · #71 Posted **Mar 2, 2022, 3:40 PM**

Old factory was just on the agenda of the Heritage Advisory committee. Could there finally be some movement by Sierra Construction? The site is rotting away and a magnet for vandalism.

CanadianTalk · #72 Posted **Jun 15, 2022, 4:46 PM**

Finally, a subdivision draft plan has came in for lands within McCormicks. This is for the lands at 1156 Dundas Street.

The draft plan includes:
• one (1) medium density residential/commercial block
• three (3) medium density residential blocks
• one (1) park block
• one (1) future road block
• one (1) road reserve block

https://london.ca/sites/default/files/2022-06/39T-21508_Z-9524_Notice%20of%20Application.pdf

It's crazy to me how long the buildings are just sitting there deterotiating over time. Thankfully, this new application today is a sign that we are closer to seeing these lands revitalized and hopefully full of life again!

jammer139 · #73 Posted **Jun 15, 2022, 4:56 PM**

Wonder if McCormick Villages Inc is a separate company of Sierra Construction setup for legal reasons. I've suspected they have been searching for partners to buy into the redevelopment all this time. Zoning should be approved ASAP.

Djeffery · #74 Posted **Jun 15, 2022, 9:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jammer139

Wonder if McCormick Villages Inc is a separate company of Sierra Construction setup for legal reasons. I've suspected they have been searching for partners to buy into the redevelopment all this time. Zoning should be approved ASAP.

It's not a new name, so I imagine it's a company set up by Sierra.

jammer139 · #75 Posted **Sep 16, 2022, 12:17 PM**

Public mtg now on Oct 5th.

New draft sub division zoning plan.

https://london.ca/business-development/p...planning-applications/1156-dundas-street

jammer139 · #76 Posted **Sep 28, 2022, 4:51 PM**

Interesting that Extendicare Canada has been identified for block 2 which is not the old factory building currently left standing.

https://london.ca/sites/default/files/20...T-21508%20Z-9524%20O-9545%20%28MJ%29.pdf

jammer139 · #77 Posted **Oct 6, 2022, 12:37 PM**

Planning committee had a lengthy debate about the 6 story height request over the 5 story current zoning and parkland.

Good grief what is wrong with these people?

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/an-o...ore-may-finally-be-nearing-redevelopment

jammer139 · #78 Posted **Oct 18, 2022, 1:50 AM**

LFP article on the proposal. Not sure why this parkland is an issue given one block to the east is the old Sir Adam Beck High School (aka Thames Valley Public School Board headquarters) and the elementary school playground and fields. Even thou they replaced the 400 meter track and football and soccer field with some parking and the two softball diamonds are no longer used there is still acres of green space.

And to the west 3 blocks away is the Boyle Community Center with indoor gym, outdoor tennis, pickleball and basketball courts and playground equipment and mini-soccer field.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/park...nt-in-redevelopment-of-old-candy-factory

tyeman200 · #79 Posted **Oct 28, 2022, 10:26 PM**

Quote:

“The parkland dedication is being treated the same as any subdivision would be treated. You have to provide parkland that’s the right size, and if you don’t, it’s not going to be accepted,” Helmer said, adding city staff have been “fair” on that point.

Quote:

The overall project is crucial for the area, Helmer said.

“I really would like to see the site redeveloped as quickly as possible . . . We need more housing in this area and we need it very soon. We really can’t have more delays on this front.”

Ohhhh the hipocrisy...

jammer139 · #80 Posted **May 2, 2023, 12:40 PM**

Noticed that the pre-merit hearing with the OLT that was scheduled for May 5th has already been cancelled. The OLT website is one of the worst designed websites I've ever seen. The lack of information it provides makes it almost worthless. Whoever built their site should go back and retake website design for dummies training.

https://olt.gov.on.ca/case-status/