Commercial complex planned for Husky site

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This article was published 22/03/2018 (2223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A commercial developer has unveiled a plan to breathe new life into a vacant property at the northwest corner of Highway 12 and Loewen Boulevard in Steinbach.

The two adjacent parcels housed Jake’s Husky prior to the gas station and service centre’s demolition in 2014.

Council approved a side yard setback variance Tuesday to allow a proposed 6,000-sq-ft. single storey retail and commercial complex facing south along the north edge of the property.

Four units would be housed inside, and the building’s height would be comparable to Victoria Plaza across the street, said applicant Mike Fast.

An access agreement will be negotiated with nearby business owners to allow traffic to flow through adjacent parking lots and around the east and west ends of the proposed building.

Addressing councillor concerns over traffic flow, Fast said two of three current access lanes along Loewen Boulevard will be eliminated to take turning vehicles further east.

The project carries a timeline of 2020 or 2021, which Mayor Chris Goertzen said is similar to the city’s desired timeline for reconstructing the intersection.

“The design for that corner has actually already been done,” he said.

As part of the variance approval process, the developer will hand over a triangular section of land at the southeast corner of the property for a future turning lane off southbound Highway 12.

“[We] need a sliver of land from that site to accomplish what we’d like to accomplish in the long run,” Goertzen explained.

Traffic counts and stoplight wait times will be key pieces of data used by the city in making its case to Manitoba Infrastructure, the mayor said.