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Russell Twp. man sought in violent robbery
Condo development to reach $70M
GREG KIELEC greg.kielec@eap.on.ca
By Greg Kielec greg.kielec@eap.on.ca
A heritage building from the 1880s is the next target in a $70-million redevelop- ment project in Cornwall’s east-end Cot- ton Mill area. Bob Pelda, owner of RMP Construction and Develop m ent, said work to convert the old Edison building at the west end of the Weave Shed on Cotton Mill Drive will begin on Jan. 15. The 34 units to be created in the building are alread y 72 per cent pre-sold or reserved, he said. RMP will also be focusing on the large Weave Shed building, including the cre- ation of an underground parking garage, over the next two y ears on the south side of Cotton Mill Drive, Pelda said. The parking garage will boast up to 90 spaces for both residential and co mm ercial use. The developer expects the entire Cot- ton Mills project will be the largest m ixed co mm ercial and residential develop m ent of its kind in Cornwall. The final phases of the project should be co m pleted within the next seven to 10 y ears, Pelda said. The old finishing m ill is the first building being co m pleted in the a m bitious re-devel- op m ent near the cit y ’s waterfront south of Montreal Road on McConnell Avenue. Fift y - two of the 53 units at the loft have been al- read y sold, Pelda said. The third building phase will be the con- struction of a “Bell Tower” to replicate the
The SD&G OPP Crime Unit is seeking the public’s assistance to locate a man con- nected to a vicious robbery early Oct. 27 in South Glengarry. A warrant has
been issued for the arrest of Jonathan Leroux, 29, of Russell Township. He is 5’9” tall, weighs 160 lbs. and has nu m erous tattoos on his ar m and torso. An y one with infor m ation on Leroux’s where-
Photo Greg Kielec
Jonathan Leroux
Chuck Charlebois, seated, listens as Bob Pelda of RMP Construction and Develop- ment, speaks at Groupe Renaissance’s annual meeting this evening. Next to Pelda are Ron Elderbroom, marketing co-ordinator for Harbour Project 2012, and new loft condo owner Mike Poulet.
abouts can call OPP or Cri m e Stoppers. A m an and wo m an were taken to hospital in Cornwall after the y were injured during the robber y at a ho m e along old Count y Road 2 in South Glengarr y . Police have alread y charged three Russell Township m en in connection with the rob- ber y : Shawn Kilbride, 24; Wa y ne Jestin, 24, and Jessie Leroux, 22. The y are all charged with robber y with a weapon, break, enter a place-co mm it indictable offence, assault with a weapon, m ischief under $5,000, as- sault causing bodil y har m , uttering threats to cause death or bodil y har m and disguise with intent.
original building which burned down in a spectacular blaze in late 2010. That build- ing, which is alread y 40 per cent reserved, will be erected west of the y et-to-be-con- structed Edison building, Pelda said. Pelda presented a $5,000 cheque to downtown revitalization proponent Groupe Renaissance Group fro m RMP Construction at the group’s annual m eeting last Tuesda y . The m one y will assist in future planning and m arketing. Speaking at the m eeting, Pelda lauded the work of those striving to revitalize the Le
Village area, including Groupe Renaissance founder and visionar y Chuck Charlebois. “The y ’re not here for political gain. The y are here to build the future,” Pelda said. Charlebois also lauded Pelda for his co m - m it m ent to the a m bitious redevelop m ent project. “He’s been in here and took a lot of chanc- es. This is a developer fro m out of town that ca m e to Cornwall and listened to a stor y and m ade it happen. Sixteen m illion dollars later, we have 52 people living at the Cotton Mills.”
Renaissance Group focusing on harbour area
By Greg Kielec greg.kielec@eap.on.ca
spective of what we felt could work and was extre m el y attractive, so we’ve passed on the torch to Chuck and his group at this ti m e. We are focusing on our develop m ent at this present ti m e.” He specificall y m entioned a “ti m e sen- sitive” federal govern m ent lease on the
Recreational pursuits would be one of the focal points of the new harbour front. There could be cruise boats, fishing boat charters, bic y cle rentals, sailboats, ka y aks and scuba diving lessons, according to the brochure. It could also be used for free public fes- tivals, fishing derbies and events centered
The founder of Groupe Renaissance Group has a new target in his sights, and it is the Cornwall harbour. Chuck Charlebois sees the largel y ne- glected harbour as the next piece of the puzzle in the Renaissance Group’s efforts to revitalization Cornwall’s Le Village area. But it will m ean getting a fickle federal govern- m ent onside, as well other levels of govern- m ent, including Akwesasne. The Renaissance Group is surve y ing area residents about what the y would like to see in the harbour area along the waterfront between Marlborough Street and McCon- nell Avenue. Unsurprisingl y , one of the big- gest de m ands so far, is public access, Char- lebois said. Bob Pelda of RMP Construction and Develop m ent, along with Bill Kaneb of Cornwall Warehousing, had presented a m bitious plans to Cornwall’s Waterfront Develop m ent Co mm ittee in Februar y . But Pelda said last Tuesda y that he has passed the torch along to the Renaissance Group. “I’ve kind of stepped aside and said, here was our vision fro m a develop m ent per-
harbourfront ware- house, which was discussed in Febru- ar y as one of the ke y stu m bling blocks to developing the har- bourfront area. “So we thought we better not bite off m ore than we can chew at this point and do a good job on each individual phase,” Pelda said.
around the arrival of tall ships at the har- bour. Charlebois is hop- ing to present a re- port detailing rede- velop m ent plans for the harbour area to Cornwall cit y council in April, after solicit- ing public input. It will take a co m - bination of private invest m ent and gov-
“I’ve kind of stepped aside and said, here was our vision from a development perspec- tive of what we felt could work and was extremely attractive, so we’ve passed on the torch to Chuck and his group at this time. “
The project will transfor m “a largel y ne- glected industrial land into a vibrant di- verse land,” according to a Cornwall Har- bour Revitalization brochure produced b y Groupe Renaissance Group. It will include a bistro, a roof top patio and public walkwa y s and spaces leading to far m ers m arkets and flea m arkets.
ern m ent support to m ake the harbour revi- talization a success. “What the cit y can’t do is pa y ever y thing,” Charlebois said. It will also m ean encouraging the federal govern m ent to divest of the harbour front land. “So m eti m es the y want to talk about it and so m eti m e the y don’t,” Charlebois said.
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