The owner of Sarnia's Bayside Mall really wants to own the land that they're planning a $40-million plus development on.
Seasons Retirement Communities Chief Executive Officer Mike Lavallée revealed preliminary plans to city council Monday, hoping that they'll agree to their request to purchase the land.
"Without that transaction, it becomes very, very difficult for us to refinance, for us to separate the two distinct pieces of the property and execute on the existing plan," says Lavallée.
He says they're hoping to minimize the impact to existing tenants and maximize the quality of the space they'll be moving into by breaking the project into two phases.
The first would see the complete renovation of the southern block, at Cromwell and Vidal Streets, start this fall. It's hoped tenants -- including Lambton Shared Services -- could relocate there by Christmas 2019.
Lavallée says they want to modernize the underground parking, by making it automated and available for public use with expanded hours.
Once that's complete, the second phase would see a 12-storey tower, with above ground parking on the lower levels, built on the north-west part of the property at George and Vidal streets.
"In order to be able to add additional parking for the residents and for the staff at the retirement home, it makes perfect sense for us to -- rather than dig a hole and go all the way down -- to go up," he says. "Because from there, the retirement home and everyone in the retirement home will be able to take advantage of the views and be able to see the waterfront."
Lavallée says they hope to open the retirement residence by 2023.
"We are planning to do between 150-160 retirement suites," he says. "Some of that would be purpose-built memory care, some of that would be to support independent living seniors and some of that to support seniors who require a little bit more help, what we call independent supportive," he says. "So, it really will feel like a bit of a neighbourhood where someone can age in place and enjoy not having to change their address for a long period of time."
Lavallée says the two projects would be divided by a pedestrian walkway to the west of Lochiel St.
No decisions were made on the land sale request Monday.