Gas Station Arts Centre expansion and renovation gets a green light

A six-storeyresidential building couldrise above a renovated Gas Station Theatre with the help of city tax rebates but more sources of funding are needed to make it happen.

The Gas Station Arts Centre is planning a $26.5-million renovation and expansion project for the non-profit theatre in Osborne Village.

The project calls for a new 300-seat theatre at thenortheast corner of River Avenue andOsborneStreet, topped by a low-rise tower with 7,700 square feet of commercial space, with 55 residential units and55 underground parking spots.

• Gas Station Arts Centre announces new mixed-use development

Twenty-four of those apartmentswould be rented at market rates, while31would bedevoted to affordablehousing.

Of the 31 affordable housing units, more thanthree-quarters would be managed byPerforming Arts Lodge, a non-profit organization that secures housing for artists of limited financial means, twowill belong to Macdonald Youth Services andninewill be managed by Dream Big, anorganization that supports people who are both deaf and blind.

On Tuesday, council's property committee voted unanimouslyto rebatesomeofthe new municipal property taxes that will flow from the projectonce occupancy permits are approved.

The Gas Station Theatre currentlypays $11,000 a year in property taxes, a report to the committee states. The estimated new taxes that will flow from the expanded projectwill total $84,000 a year.

The city is prepared to rebate $48,000 of therevenue every yearfor 10 years, for a total grant of $480,000.Lakeview vice-president Wayne Bollman, whose development firm is building the project, requested a 20-year amortization period, which would have contributed another $480,000.

The city declined to provide more funding because it has no program in place to support housing with tax rebates outside of downtown Winnipeg.Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry Coun. Jenny Gerbasi moved a motion to see whether such a program could be created.

Gas Station Arts Centre executive director Nick Kowalchuk said without the additional $480,000, the project will have to be scaled back.

Kowalchuk said his organization has now secured about $3.5 million worth of funding, including the $480,000 from the city and about $1.25 million in private funding. The property committee decision should allow private-fundraising efforts to ramp up, he said.

Kowalchuk said he's met with Manitoba Families Minister Scott Fielding about potential provincial support. Property committee chair John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) said he too plans to meet with Fielding about the project.

The city tax rebates still must be approved by executive policy committee on Wednesday and council as a whole next week.