Melanie Irwin - Blackburn News Sarnia, July 11, 2019Word is spreading fast about a new high-rise on the drawing board that would rival Kenwick Place as Sarnia�s tallest building.Coldwell Banker Southwest Realty Sales Representative Patrick Coutu is working with the owner of Sarnia Rent-All to develop 135 Water Street.�It�s preliminary at this stage so there�s still some things to be worked out with the planning department, but the developer is Henry Mehta and he�s hired the architectural company Baird � which did the design,� said Coutu.He said a 19 storey condo development with approximately 120 units is proposed.Coutu said the first four levels would be designated for parking, with some commercial space available on the ground level.�The views would be great! They�d be starting up high enough that even the lower floor condos would have an amazing view.�Coutu said they�re still working on some minor details so a construction timeline hasn�t been set, but he says, Mehta has secured other locations to move his Sarnia Rent-All business to.�The zoning is in place, there�s just some variables when it comes down to planning, there�s lots of issues to be considered to make sure neighbouring properties are happy, those types of things.��It�s interesting, I�ve had calls from three realtors already this morning, wanting to reserve units for their clients,� he said. �So, it seems like there�s a pretty good demand for this.�Coutu said project details could be finalized within the next few months.Sarnia City Councillor and local realtor Bill Dennis is excited about the project.�I�m ecstatic,� said Dennis. �It�s going to be tremendous. It�s going to totally change the skyline of Sarnia. It�s going to bring people into the area. It�s going to have beautiful views of Centennial Park and Sarnia Bay and from what I can see, the architecture is going to be a lot different than some of the other buildings.�Dennis said it�s encouraging to see the city moving in such a positive direction.�It�s never been a better time to live in Sarnia. There�s is so much on the drawing board. There�s so much to feel proud about. A person could come back to Sarnia in five years and almost not recognize the place.�
