Strait-area builder aiming for low rent on 2 new housing projects
The developer of two new housing projects in the Strait of Canso area says he's seeking every avenue to ease the financial burden on new renters.
Brela Construction purchased a vacant school building in Evanston, N.S., from the Municipality of Richmond County in May to convert to affordable seniors' housing.
A month later, the Arichat company signed a development deal with the Town of Port Hawkesbury to set up housing units within walking distance of the Nova Scotia Community College's Strait Area Campus.
Brela owner Jeremy Carroll says seniors' housing makes sense for the former West Richmond Education Centre given its closeness to the Strait Richmond Hospital in Evanston.
"Every community right now is in need of housing in general, especially seniors' housing," Carroll said. "As the population continues to age, that's an area that we have to take care of."
Environmental review underway for former school
While Carroll identified the building's classrooms as an ideal template for seniors' apartments, Brela is dealing with several issues that have arisen at the former school, which opened in 1978 but has sat idle since the former Strait regional board stopped holding classes there in 2013.
A formal environmental review is underway at the building, and Carroll cited asbestos and mould as two primary concerns. However, he feels his company made the right choice in buying the school after the county put it up for sale in the spring.
Brela purchased the vacant school building from the Municipality of Richmond County in May. (Angela MacIvor/CBC)
"It's something we've talked about over the past decade — this critical piece of infrastructure being wasted in our community," Carroll said. "We wanted to make sure that whatever was done with it was done right and was done to help the community. So we were basically forced to jump on it."
The company hopes to start booking rentals at the Evanston site by early 2026, he said.
NSCC-area units not limited to students
In Port Hawkesbury, Brela is launching a 10-year project to set up a combined 80 units on a Memorial Drive site that was originally targeted as a mobile home park. The organizers of that project abandoned their plans in 2008, but Carroll says the leftover infrastructure has benefited his company.
As a result, Brela is pursuing an "aggressive" timeline to open its first phase of studio and one-bedroom apartments by September 1, he said.
A new 80-unit development is planned for a Port Hawkesbury site within walking distance of the Nova Scotia Community College's Strait Area Campus. (NSCC )
Although the location is within walking distance of the NSCC campus, Carroll said his company is not specifically targeting student renters but would welcome any students seeking accommodations.
He said he is working with a number of agencies to ensure that rental fees for the Port Hawkesbury and Evanston developments are below the current market rate.
He declined to provide an estimate of rental costs when asked for those figures by CBC News.
Richmond warden optimistic about new developments
Richmond County Warden Amanda Mombourquette, who is also the co-chair of the Strait-Richmond Housing Matters Coalition, has given the new Strait-area projects a vote of confidence.
After Mombourquette and her four fellow Richmond councillors were elected in 2020, they sought to determine what would be required to refurbish the old West Richmond Education Centre, with the goal of developing affordable housing on the site.
After an assessment indicated restoration of the vacant school would cost the municipality millions of dollars, the county put it up for sale.
Mombourquette is hopeful Brela's work in Evanston and Port Hawkesbury will bear fruit and fulfil the company's promise of affordable housing options for Strait-area residents.
"If this company can't do it, I would challenge any company to figure out how," said the warden, who has toured Brela's Arichat headquarters. "They've got an impressive setup…. [They] are diligent in what they are doing and forward-thinking."
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