There may soon be more space for businesses in downtown Port Coquitlam.
The city recently announced the planned sale of three properties as part of its strategy to offer more real estate for commercial and retail use.
The planned sale of 2265 Wilson Avenue, 2291 Wilson Avenue, and 2272 Leigh Square for nearly $1.6-million and use of commercial space in the future building was made public earlier this week.
A developer is interested in constructing a mixed-use property that would have commercial or medical use on the ground floor and residential condos above, said City of Port Coquitlam chief administrative officer Rob Bremner.
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“The City will receive both cash and commercial space which will be leased to local businesses to help further enhance the range of services and amenities in the downtown,” he said.
Like any other major project, the developer will have to navigate the city’s hoops when it comes to rezoning and designing the future building.
The development is set to displace a non-profit that redirects food waste from the dumpster to kitchen tables across the Tri-Cities. People’s Pantry currently operates out of Elks Hall at 2272 Leigh Square. Executive director Pam Eberl said the organization has been aware that they will have to move and have been looking for a new home.
“We knew that we had a finite window,” Eberl said.
They’ve been at Elks Hall for just over two years. After the city bought the property in 2020,
People’s Pantry has received in-kind donations that allow it to continue operating out of that location.
While she’s happy for the development of the downtown core and the addition of this planned building, it does put the People’s Pantry “in a tough place,” she said.
“We did know that they were developing the downtown core and we have been frantically looking for another place to move to,” she said.
