Plans are afoot for a 33-storey tower in downtown London city planner John Fleming hails as a show of confidence in the core.

The highrise will change the city skyline, now dominated by the 107-metre, 24-storey One London Place and the 95-metre, 28-storey Renaissance apartment towers. The new tower would reach 108 metres.

“This is a great sign for downtown London and the private sector’s confidence in the downtown’s future,” Fleming said Friday of the project planned for the northwest corner of Talbot and Fullarton streets.

“I also think this is a good sign that London’s economy is strengthening and a confidence in growth and development.”

The proposal submitted to city hall in late October is expected to come to planning committee and council early next year. The agent for Toronto developer Rygar Corporation Inc. is lawyer Alan Patton who couldn’t be reached Friday.

The dollar value of the project and potential construction start are unknown.

Coun. Joni Baechler, incoming chair of planning committee, was careful not to prejudge the application.

“It sounds like an exciting project. It speaks to the kind of development we want in the core. We have said for years we want feet on the street to keep businesses viable and attract new businesses.”

In its plan, the proponent is looking for ground-floor retail space, several floors of parking, a single floor of offices and 25 storeys with 248 apartments.

Baechler said she liked the parking component and how the plan is for a mix of uses.

“I like the idea we have attracted investors from outside of London, and it does show there is interest and support for downtown urban living.”

Planner on the file is Mike Davis who said “it’s in the early stages of review.” Traffic and other reports are being considered, and stakeholders and neighbours consulted as staff develops its recommendation, he said.

Davis said he hasn’t seen a dollar value attached to the project.

Fleming said the tower shows there’s a growing demand for “urban living in London, as opposed to only suburban.”

London is joining other mid-sized cities in attracting downtown dwellers and investment to accommodate them.

“This is indicative of a paradigm shift toward a desire for more urban living” and shows the importance of London’s downtown master plan to provide amenities for people who want to live in the core, Fleming said.

The challenge for London is “to create great public spaces that downtowners want,” he said.

Though the venture will rise 33 storeys it would only beat One London Place by one metre in overall height because office buildings require more space between floors for wiring, conduits and heating/ventilating systems.

chip.martin@sunmedia.ca

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