The long-empty lot by the bay is about to be filled with a much-needed development that ties in with downtown intensification.
Aalto Developments' Lakhouse condominium project had its official grand opening event Thursday night, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony signifying pre-sales are underway for the Lakefront Residences. Prices range from $460,000 to $1.5 million.
CEO Tomi Alatalo told BarrieToday he knew he wanted to develop the Dunlop Street East site the minute he saw it as a newcomer to Canada.
“I came here from Finland for the first time in 2006 and I knew the previous owner of the property, who owned it for about 30 years,” Alatalo said of the former Lakeview Dairy site. “This is a gorgeous location, so close to the downtown, but still just outside that area.
"The real good thing here is the way this project will look by the beautiful bay.”
The condos will be built at the 185 Dunlop St. E. property on the edge of the North Shore Trail along Barrie’s waterfront.
The new building will be 10 storeys with 178 units and will sit approximately 50 feet from the shore of Kempenfelt Bay.
City of Barrie general manager of infrastructure and growth management Andrea Miller told BarrieToday the project, which is expected to see occupancy in 2022, will be instrumental in furthering the city’s plan for downtown.
“It kind of redevelops some of the older areas that are close to downtown and brings some new vibrancy to that part of the city,” said Miller. “It fits the big part of our plan to see more development in the downtown.”
The Lakhouse project isn’t the only development planned for downtown Barrie. Development is happening all along Dunlop Street, from Lakhouse up to the Five Points and farther west to the former Barrie Central Collegiate site.
“This is one of four or five major highrise developments in the downtown core,” said Miller. “What is really important is we’re getting a little bit of commercial in there as well, which gives people the ability to do residential but amenity, too. That will bring life to the street and bring a new level of activity to the area.”
