Creekside Village plans on hold

JOHN THOMPSON

A plan to replace Iqaluit’s White Row housing with a four-story apartment complex is on hold, until the developer, Nunastar Properties, sees more interest from potential tenants.

Nunastar is prepared to build an $8 million building, similar in size to Noble House or Capital Suites in the centre of town. The company first erected a large sign calling for prospective tenants in August 2003.

The building would contain 400 units, ranging from studios to three and four bedroom apartments. The proposed building has been dubbed “Tunganaq House.”

Doug Cox, the president of Nunastar, says the project isn’t dead in the water, but they’re still waiting for more interest — and weighing the impact of the Government of Nunavut’s plans to get out of staff housing in Iqaluit.

This summer, Nunastar focused on renovating their Explorer Inn in Yellowknife, and several smaller properties in Iqaluit.

Nunastar has all the required permits, except for a development permit. The first year of work would see a building erected where the playground near White Row was recently removed.

None of the existing White Row buildings would be demolished that year, said Nunastar’s housing manager, Don Sinclaire-Chenier.

Ten old housing units will be taken down during year two. Existing residents in White Row will be offered housing in the new units.

Sinclaire-Chenier said the rent increase won’t amount to much.

“There are no immediate consequences to the people in White Row, and I don’t think there’ll be any profound consequences in the end.”