The Brewer Lofts lives again.
Meeting on Feb. 21, Sudbury city council approved $4.1 million over the next 10 years to support the conversion of the old Northern Breweries building on Lorne Street in the city's west end into high-end condominiums.
Developer Greg Oldenburg revised his request from last year, when he was looking for $9.5 million to help spur the project, which has been in the planning stages for six years.
Oldenburg blasted the city after he was turned down last time, but came back with a smaller ask this year – $410,000 a year for the next 10 years.
In total, council approved $560,000 for the community improvement program (CIP) – $460,000 in new funding, plus $100,000 leftover from last year.
While it was approved, not everyone was in support. Ward 5 Coun. Bob Kirwan said the program was effectively helping downtown businesses compete against business in other parts of the city.
“I can't support it,” Kirwan said, adding that most people he's talked to don't support it.
But Mayor Brian Bigger said if businesses are willing to make major investments, the funding will lead to more property taxes in the long run – as well as leveraging millions in economic activity.
“We need to support growth,” Bigger said.
The $23.5-million Brewer Lofts project aims to create 50 condominiums, along with commercial space on the former brewery's ground floor.
Oldenburg applied to six CIP programs for a mix of grants and loans, and while the application is approved, he won't be able to access the funding until he meets certain benchmarks, such as taking out building permits or completing aspect of the project.
The Northern Breweries building has largely been unused since it closed in 2004, despite efforts in 2005-2006 to save the business. The exterior has deteriorated considerably since then, and while it was sold in 2010, the buyer was unable to find a way to make it viable.
Oldenburg bought the building two years later, and has been trying to attract private and public funding since then, as well as pre-selling some of the condo units.
He was critical of being turned down last year, arguing there's not much point in having incentive programs if the city won't properly fund them.
"I'm not sure what to think,” Oldenburg said in December 2017. “I'm completely confused because planning staff has provided and promoted these programs and the only reason I purchased the property was because these programs existed. This is not a good result for me or anybody else in the city."
