Planned east Windsor condos cited as needed housing will be 'intrusive' and cause traffic chaos, residents say

The neighbourhood around 1646 Alexis Rd. in the east end of Windsor, Ont., could look very different in a couple of years, with a developer aiming to build a 92-unit residential property.

The $35-million project would result in a pair of six-floor condo buildings in a vacant school yard and establish a 129-spot parking lot.

Though the developer says the project will be a source of much-needed housing, nearby homeowners have misgivings.

"It's just going to be too much for the neighbourhood," said Joe Tanguay, who lives on Alexis Road across the street from the proposed development site.

"The developer is trying to say that they're going to improve the neighbourhood. This neighbourhood doesn't need improving. This is a nice, quiet, residential neighbourhood."

The location for the proposed development is just north of the former Gordon McGregor Public School — now a designated heritage building.

After the school closed in 2016, the building and its yard were sold to the City of Windsor. The municipality then sold the property to Parway Inc. in 2019.

The school is currently being used as the Windsor Islamic High School. The developer said the condo project will leave the school intact.

But at about 60 feet high, the proposed buildings would be the tallest structures in a radius of several blocks.

"There's nothing like what's being proposed here," Tanguay said. "It's all one-storey homes.... Nothing this big. I mean, it's actually going to dwarf the school."

Down the street, on Chandler Road, longtime resident Richard Gauvin worries how the proposed development will affect local traffic.

"We've had traffic problems in this area for the 27 years that I've lived here," Gauvin said. "It just continues, and continues and continues."

Gauvin said the area already deals with traffic clogs and parking situations because of the nearby Ford Test Track.

"I don't want to be looking at a six-storey building and then all that parking from that building," he said.

On Sept. 11, the city's development and heritage committee recommended rezoning to make the project possible. Any rezoning plans require approval from city council.

The property is located in Ward 5.

Ed Sleiman, councillor of Ward 5 where the property is located, said he's not a member of the development and heritage committee meeting, but attended an open house on the project in February 2023.

Asked if he supports the rezoning, Sleiman said: "You know, we need a lot of residential units in the city — as long as it's not negatively affecting the neighbours, affecting the people who live in that area.

"It seems like it's reasonable, based on the information I have."

Developer Ralph Meo, president of MEO & Associates Inc., said the project has passed all the required studies, from sewer capacity to building height.

"We think it's going to have minimal impact on the neighbourhood. We spent about 18 months planning this project, working with the city, all of the departments."

However, a traffic study wasn't among the requirements. Meo said the completed buildings aren't projected to increase daily vehicle trips enough to necessitate a study of that nature.

"The existing street network here can carry the traffic that we generate from the buildings without any issue whatsoever."

Pending council's approval, Meo said, he hopes to begin construction in 2024 and to have residents in the buildings in 2025.

"This will provide alternative housing for the people that live in the neighbourhood and also for the people who want to move into the neighbourhood. So, it fits — It fits from a planning perspective, it fits from an engineering perspective," Meo said.

"If not here, where else are you going to do this type of project? We need the housing."

But Tanguay said he doesn't believe there's anything Meo could say that would make him feel like the development is a good fit for the neighbourhood.

Tanguay pointed out the proposed building design has balconies — meaning many of the units on the upper floors may have a good view into Tanguay's property.

"They'll be able to see into everybody's backyard from their balconies. I don't know — it sounds a little intrusive."