A residential development on Niagara Stone Road was initially planned to include six high-end luxury townhouses, but those plans are changing.
At their Tuesday meeting, council approved minutes from a recent committee-of-the-whole planning meeting when a report to grant a two-year extension for the project’s draft plan of condominiums was supported.
The property at 2203 Niagara Stone Rd. is owned by developer Rainer Hummel, who told The Local he now has his sights set on building nine units, which are “more affordable” than what was initially proposed.
Hummel said he plans to “modify the site plan slightly” to allow for nine townhouses.
He said the zoning for the property “allows for a lot of flexibility but what it doesn’t do is limit the number of units,” and the footprint of the projects, with nine townhomes, will be “a little smaller” than when plans involved six units.
He now has until Nov. 22, 2026 to start construction and to meet conditions for final approval.
About a year and a half ago, work started on the land with the installation of a dry stone wall, which involves “stones locked into one another” that aren’t held together by mortar.
It was a “more creative and artistic” approach taken for the retaining wall, which he says are rare in Canada, but pointed out there are some along the Niagara River Parkway in the Queenston area.
Hummel said the wall was built first because it would be difficult to erect it after work on the homes started.
Asked about the delay in moving forward with the project, he explained there has been a “dramatic change in the marketplace,” which is also a factor in the size of the units being scaled down.
The property was formerly used as overflow parking for the Old Winery Restaurant across the street, which Hummel used to own, but no longer does, he said.
In the initial plans for six units, there were 52 conditions imposed by the town, said the report approved by the planning committee earlier this month.
The majority of the conditions have been addressed, subject to the execution of a condominium agreement, said the report.
The property is “irregularly shaped” and has an area of 0.77 hectares with 105.18 metres of frontage on Niagara Stone Road.
There is existing driveway access from Niagara Stone Road, as well as a watercourse and natural area along the southeast portion of the subject property, said staff.