Condos already being sold, as Century Place converts to Century Village By Stephen Petrick Metroland Media

Belleville News

By Stephen Petrick

Belleville – Downtown is about to get some new residents – and they’ll be moving into brand new condominiums that offer views of the skyline around City Hall.
The reconstruction of the building formerly known as Century Place is about to get underway.
The five-storey building at Front and Bridge streets in the heart of downtown, is now known as Century Village.
Within a few months, rooms on the top three floors will be converted to condominiums. Eight of the 38 condominium units being constructed have already been sold, said Sean McKinney, a Re/Max broker behind the project.
He co-owns the building with two men who are well-known in Belleville’s business community; former mayor Ross McDougall, of McDougall Insurance, and Peter Knudsen, of Knudsen Construction.
“We see an exciting opportunity for our city centre to be a more prosperous area,” McKinney said, from a main floor office in Century Village set up for potential buyers to find information.
Century Place was built in stages through the 1970s and `80s, McKinney explained. Several big businesses have moved in and out over the years, but it currently has several vacant spaces on several floors.
The reconstruction plan involves having businesses that are leasing space on floors four and five to move into vacant areas on the lower two floors. This will give the two lower floors the atmosphere of a busy, thriving business area. It will then allow for the top three floors to become all condominium space.
The third floor of Century Village was recently gutted and now McKinney is just waiting for the city to issue a building permit so construction can get underway.
Businesses on the upper floor, such as McDougall Insurance, are expected to begin their moving processes in the summer, possibly by June, McKinney added.
The condos being offered range in price from $159,900 to $314,900.
McKinney is confident the units will be sold, as he believes more people are looking for a “carefree lifestyle.” By that he means, more people today are happy to live downtown, be within walking distance of many amenities, and be free from the responsibility of owning a car or maintaining a lawn. He stressed that both seniors and young people have expressed interest in the units.
To the men involved, the construction project means much more than just a business opportunity, McKinney added.
They feel the reconstruction is an important part of Belleville’s overall efforts to rejuvenate downtown.
The construction is expected to begin around the same time the city moves forward with Phase 2 construction of the City Centre Revitalization project, a Build Belleville infrastructure project that’s expected to cost the city more than $21 million.
Phase 1, which involving building a new road and sidewalk on the top part of Front Street, was completed last fall. Phase 2 involves tearing up and rebuilding the middle section of Front Street. Phase 3, which involves the southern part of Front Street, is expected to take place in 2017.
“It fits nicely into the city’s mandate,” McKinney said, of Century Village. “I’m excited to see the finished product, for the city.”
For more information on Century Village visit www.centuryvillage.ca

March 14 2016