The existing buildings on the 9.7-acre site are mostly used for warehousing as well as being the interim hub for The SEED and the Children’s Foundation Keep Kids Fed programme. Over the years, the site has provided temporary space for community agencies including the St. Joseph’s Health Centre Day Clinic, the annual Adopt-A-Family program, and the Friends of the Guelph Public Library annual book sale.

Wood Development Group’s redevelopment plan for the Plant #2 site includes 800-850 residential units of various sizes in buildings ranging in height from 3 to 23 storeys. The tallest buildings will be centrally located, well back from existing homes in the neighbourhood, allowing for a transition in heights to low buildings along Duke Street and Elizabeth Street. The existing 3-storey historic factory building will be restored and adapted for housing, and two additional floors are proposed to be added.

All of the buildings will be set within a public realm that makes up 44% of the site and includes a new neighbourhood park, a park-like landscape and multi-use trail in the rail corridor, and tree-lined connections through the site for pedestrians and cyclists. Illustrations of the proposed Development Concept presented on July 23^rd, 2025, can be found in the presentation and information panels available here.

Plant No. 2 is covered by the City’s Downtown Secondary Plan, originally adopted in 2012 with the intent of promoting significant residential and employment growth Downtown in ways that are compatible with historic buildings and established neighbourhoods. Along with residential uses, some small-scale commercial uses are also permitted on the site. In addition, the plan calls for a public park adjacent to Sacred Heart School and the introduction of new streets or other connections through the site for pedestrians, cyclists and potentially vehicles. In April 2025, City Council approved new height limits across Downtown to encourage more housing, with a maximum of 24 storeys established for much of the Plant #2 site.

The heights and density of the proposed development are necessary to overcome the costs of redeveloping the site, significantly improve the public realm, and create land costs for the new buildings that meet market expectations. The land costs for the project need to account for things like building demolition and retention, major infrastructure renewal, public park construction and dedication, brownfield site remediation, constructing new streets and local infrastructure, as well as planning approvals. In addition, the proposed density supports the City’s intensification goals for Downtown and its broader housing objectives.

The size of the Plant #2 site and its location mostly in the middle of a large block allows for tall buildings to be set well back from local streets and neighbouring properties. Heights will transition to 6 storeys, then 3 storeys, toward Duke Street and, on the parcel north of the tracks, to 4 and 3 storeys close to neighbouring properties. As a result, the tall buildings will have minimal shadow impacts on existing streets and backyards.

The intention is for development to maintain and reinforce the social diversity of the Ward. The vision is to achieve a mix of apartments and townhouse forms and a variety of dwelling sizes to meet the needs of all household types and sizes, including families with children and seniors seeking to age within the community.

Future habitable buildings need to be set back at least 15 metres from the Guelph Junction Railway property for safety reasons. However, given the low frequency and low speeds of trains using the railway, the setbacks create an opportunity for landscaped open space that will be an amenity for residents of the site and the larger community. The proposed vision is to create an “eco-corridor” with extensive tree planting, other vegetation, places to sit or play, and an extension of the City’s rail trail running down the middle.

Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments (ESA) have been undertaken for the properties which have confirmed that while the sites don’t have major issues, the whole of the properties will need mitigation and risk-mitigation measures. This is typical of older industrial properties and particularly for properties in The Ward area of Guelph. Finalization of the studies and mitigation measures will be coordinated with the emerging development plan and submitted for approval as the project progresses.  The sites will need to achieve Record of Site Condition (RSC) prior to building projects commencing.

There is an old three-storey concrete structure contained within the existing factory – you can see it best from Huron Street. It was originally built and extended during the 1910s and 1920s by the Partridge Rubber Co., though it had many other tenants over the years. The building will be retained and adaptively reused within the new development as a distinctive feature and landmark that celebrates the Ward’s industrial history.

Yes! The new neighbourhood park is being planned with input from the Ward community and will be accessible from all surrounding streets – Huron, Alice, Duke and Elizabeth – via paths for pedestrians and cyclists. Wood Development Group is working with the Wellington Catholic District School Board and the City on a plan to seamlessly connect the park to the grounds of Sacred Heart School and design the combined spaces holistically for the benefit of students and the larger community.

The development will be designed to encourage walking and cycling, and it’s expected many people will choose to live on the site because of its integration with the Ward and its proximity to Downtown and Guelph Central Station. Redevelopment will result in some additional traffic, but removing the existing industrial operations will also reduce the flow of large transport trucks and other commercial vehicles in the neighbourhood.

The main access point to the north parcel will be from Elizabeth Street, which is classified as an arterial road. To best distribute the impacts of future vehicular traffic to and from the south parcel, the main access will be off Huron Street, which is the better connected local street, providing direct access to Elizabeth Street and York Road (via Ontario Street). A secondary access, including emergency vehicle access, will also be provided on Duke Street. Only pedestrians and cyclists will be able to directly access the site from Alice Street.

More generalized transportation analysis will be provided within the Urban Design Master Plan and detailed transportation impact studies will be required with development applications as project phases come forward.

The proximity of the site to Downtown and Guelph Central Station is expected to reduce the demand for parking significantly from what would be typical in developments much farther from Downtown. In fact, there is no longer a parking requirement for residential development Downtown. Nevertheless, at this stage, a parking ratio of 1.2 parking spaces per unit (a higher ratio than the City’s downtown bylaw) has been assumed in the revised Development Concept for the Plant #2 site. This will ensure every unit has at least one space and there will be an adequate supply of visitor parking, including surface spaces along new private streets. Ample indoor bike parking is also planned.

The project has also been in discussion with local car-share organizations and hope to be able to introduce more access to shared vehicles as the development takes shape.

When the Urban Design Master Plan for the site is submitted to the City for review and approval in the fall you will have a further opportunity to provide feedback. You can also submit questions and comments anytime to plant2@wooddevelopment.ca.

The next few years will be spent securing planning approvals and preparing the site for redevelopment (demolition, environmental remediation, new infrastructure). It’s expected the construction of new buildings would begin as early as 2028.  Development will be phased over a number of years to build-out a site of this size.

Commencement of any work on the property will include neighbourhood communications and mitigation planning well in advance of work starting.