Here’s what will fill a tiny wedged-shaped lot on Leon Avenue

It started as a six-floor tower but has been scaled back by the developers, and that’s okay with the city.

Lawmakers have signed off on an updated design for a building on a tiny wedge-shaped lot on the corner of Leon Avenue and Water Street.

When the project first came to council in 2020, a six-floor tower was pitched. The height, lack of parking, and overall look was waved away by lawmakers and urban planners. It was eventually approved in a 6-3 vote after a public hearing that summer and some tweaks to the design. The thin tower was set to have a ground-level café or restaurant, upper-floor offices, and a rooftop patio.

But the development permit for that building expired and new plans were put forward in June 2022.

The nod of approval was given to a two-storey structure with horizontal siding and periodic vertical brick features. The ground floor contains overhead doors facing Water Street with the main entrance at the corner of Water and Leon.

Blueprints detail a second floor that acts more as a mezzanine, opening to the lower level and leading to a rooftop patio. The developers hope to find a restaurant or café to fill the entire space.

City staff supported the proposal, as the department worried the lot was “undevelopable,” a foreign term to the city’s development branch.

Planners said the project will compliment other revitalization efforts taking place on Leon and Lawrence Avenue.

There will be no on-site parking, so the builder will pay cash-in-lieu for the stalls, totalling $66,000. Planners said the bounty of nearby street and parkade spots will suffice.

“I’m really pleased with this design. I think it's totally the right solution for this lot,” Coun. Luke Slack said.

He and others applauded moves by the builder to make the project work. Coun. Maxime DeHart, who was opposed to the initial pitch, welcomed the redesign.

“This is perfect. I think this is going to be a nice addition,” she said.

The developers still need to obtain a building permit before shovels can go into the ground.