$1.5M sought from city to move creative workers downtown

Dozens of professional creative workers may soon call the city's downtown core home if the City of Greater Sudbury is willing to hand over $1.5 million to kickstart a housing project put forward by the Sudbury Arts Council.

The group made its pitch for the Artsjunction project last year during a consultation session for the proponents of large projects that will leave a lasting impression on the community.

Arts council member Paddy O'Sullivan said he's learned the Greater Sudbury Economic Development Corporation's report on these projects is close to ready, and council will make a decision in the next month.

“This is why we're pushing publicly to try and get more of a community support and buzz for the project,” he said.

To become a reality, the arts council actually needs $10 million, and will also be applying to other levels of government for funding.

The arts council has been working on Artsjunction for four years.

It was originally eyeing the former Wembley Public School, but the Rainbow District School Board has since announced it's relocating its board office and other support services to the building.

“So we started to turn out sights towards the downtown,” said O'Sullivan, a local artist. “We found a building and an owner that was prepared to sell the building. We can't disclose that building or the owner until we make an actual offer to purchase.”

He said the building will have 55 units, 30 of which will be priced affordably, and 25 of which will be rented out at market rate.

It won't just be an apartment building — it may also include a gallery, gift shop, coffee house, rehearsal and studio space.

“We're hoping to be in negotiations with the city to hopefully be able to make an offer to purchase by the end of the year,” O'Sullivan said. “The renovations likely could start by January 2017 and be completed by the fall of 2017. That building would be up and ready to go by the fall of 2017.”

The project would obviously bring creative people to the downtown, which could only be a positive thing, he said.

“The downtown plan calls for making the downtown a place of beauty,” O'Sullivan said. “Creative people tend to bring their creative skills with them and beautify the places they inhabit.”