Proposed apartment project in downtown Charlottetown under IRAC appeal

An apartment development proposed by the P.E.I. Housing Corporation (PEIHC) in downtown Charlottetown is under appeal with the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission.

Last year, the City of Charlottetown approved two major variances to allow for the three-storey, three-unit project to be built at 231 Richmond Street.

Andrea Battison lives in the 500 Lot Area, not far from the two-storey home that's slated for demolition to make room for the new building. She filed the appeal with IRAC.

"It's really backward thinking to be demolishing a building to build new," Battison said.

"The ideal outcome, I think, for this building is that the province step up, repair it, maintain it, upgrade it, renovate it, bring it up to standards and use it for housing."

Battison said she's been speaking with neighbours and has gathered more than 95 names in a petition opposing the project. She's also sent a letter to the province.

The property is owned by PEIHC and has been vacant since 2017.

Battison said the home is part of a historical neighbourhood.

She said that while PEIHC argues repairing the building is cost-prohibitive, demolishing it to replace it is taking the "easy way out."

"This house is a modest house, but it's very representative of the working class which was the heart of this neighbourhood," she said.

"There is a housing crisis and I won't argue that. I also think there are probably different kinds of housing needs. There is single family, single individuals. Homes like this would certainly suite multigenerational family living."

Battison said that while several properties in the area are "heritage-designated resources," the vacant home is not.

Officials with the Department of Housing said they can't comment on the project at this time because the city's decision to approve demolition of the current property is under appeal.

IRAC has not yet made a decision.