NCC plans to build four new buildings

CHARLOTTE PETRIE

The Inuit-owned Nunavut Construction Corporation is proposing its first major venture into private-sector real estate development in Iqaluit.

The company submitted a development permit application to the city of Iqaluit on Feb. 21. NCC’s senior project manager, Sheldon Nimchuk, believes it will meet the city’s desperate need for office and residential space.

The permit application process usually takes about 30 days, and Nimchuk hopes that timeline is honoured so materials can be ordered for construction to begin when the first ship arrives this season.

“We would be aiming at prepping the site for construction sometime in June,” Nimchuk said.

“But essentially, at this stage, we’re in the first phase, and that is to submit the development permit application and the scheme of the development that we’re proposing. Pending the final outcome of the review with the city, we would then start looking at the next phase and accelerating it to try to maximize construction season for us next year.”

The company is proposing to relocate the J&G Automotive garage, which currently sits on the proposed site in the downtown core, and redevelop the lot to accommodate upwards of 50,000 square feet of office space and a little over 100 one-, two-, and three-bedroom rental units.

The $25-million project will consist of four buildings. NCC has been working on the proposal for the past three months and is looking at a completion date of about a year from now, depending on whether the buildings are built at the same time or phased in separately.

If its permit application is successful, NCC will have two years to finish the project. The decision will be based on whether it’s more feasible and efficient to construct all four buildings over one fiscal year versus two years.

According to zoning in the area of the proposed site, a certain percentage of the ground floor of the buildings must be occupied by commercial space.

Therefore, NCC is planning to develop one building totally dedicated to office space, with the other three buildings consisting of main floor offices with apartment units above.

“This is all determined by meeting the city’s zoning requirements. We’d be open to working with the city to find the best mix of their needs and what we perceive as the needs of the city as well, from a business perspective.

The company has been working with the city’s development officer throughout its design stage, and met once with the city’s planning committee to present the company’s proposed development plans.

Some adjustments were made after that first meeting, based on recommendations from the committee, Nimchuk said.

“They indicated that they might like to see a small playground area for the children, and there was some concern about the shadows being cast by the building,” Nimchuk said.

As a result, NCC hired a firm to do a study that identified where shadows will be cast so as to ensure there won’t be any shadow-impact on nearby buildings.

“That’s part of the process. We’ll advance and work with the city to try and match their needs with our ability to deliver,” he said.

NCC’s engineer is continuing to work with the city’s development officer to anticipate any of her concerns and make the appropriate adjustments in the early stages of the project.

After the development officer has finished her first review and the group sits down with the planning committee a second time, the company will try to set a date for presenting the proposal to council at a regular, public meeting.