A proposed redevelopment of the former St Vincent’s High School may get a new lease on life. Common Council is being asked for a letter of support as a new partnership between the Catholic Diocese of Saint John and Housing Alternatives seeks funding to convert the building to housing units.
A similar proposal ground to a halt a few years ago when fund raising fell short of climbing development costs. This time around there is a new federal program through Canada Mortgage and Housing – the Rapid Housing Initiative – for affordable housing development.
The new proposal would see a total of 60 mixed income units developed with work on half of those units beginning before the end of next year. A report to council says the project already has the land assembled – it has already been zoned appropriately – and architectural design work is about 75-percent completed. The application has to be submitted by December 31st.