Belleville has taken a key step to pave the way for more affordable housing to be built on the west side of the city.
On Monday, Council approved a recommendation to approve the community improvement plan for two parcels of land on the former Queen Mary School Property at 41 Octavia Street.
A Request for Proposals (RFP) will now be issued for the vacant land on the site (parcel 3) and the land currently occupied by the former school (parcel 2). The existing park and playground on the site (parcel 1) are not being sold and could be expanded in the future if no one purchases parcel 2.
Staff are proposing to utilize a Community Improvement Plan (CIP) approach to facilitate the sale of the subject lands at a reduced or nominal cost by providing three (3) rebates tied to key development milestones totaling up to the appraised value of the land purchase price.
This project aims to facilitate the construction of up to 145 new dwelling units, including a minimum of 45 affordable housing units.
The winning bid(s) for the property would be chosen based upon three criteria:
- Maximizing the number of affordable units and unit types, to reflect the City of
Belleville’s Housing Needs Assessment - Achieving the deepest and longest-lasting levels of affordability, and,
- Addressing the needs of specific vulnerable populations (e.g., older adults, persons with
disabilities).
An evaluation team of Senior Management Staff will evaluate the RFP applications through a pre-set evaluation rubric, assessing the qualification of proponents, concept plan, added value,
financial plan, and affordability. Bonus points will be awarded if the proponents incorporate the existing Queen Mary School building into their application. Based on the evaluation results,
staff will prepare a report to Council with a recommendation for the award.
On January 8, 2026, an appraisal of the subject land was completed:
- The school site (Attachment 1, Part 2) is valued at $625,000.00,
- The vacant site (Attachment 1, Part 3) is valued at $1,250,000.00,
- Total value of appraised lands: $1,875,000.00
- Therefore – up to $1,875,000.00 will be offered to the successful proponent in a three (3) part rebate
process, which will be recouped by the City using HAF funds.
The three (3) development milestones will be:
- Rebate 1: Site Plan Approval, by July 1, 2027 – 25% rebate on total appraised value
provided to proponent, - Rebate 2: Building Permits Issued, by December 1, 2027 – 50% rebate on total
appraised value provided to proponent, - Rebate 3: Completion of foundation to grade, by August 1, 2028 – remaining 25% rebate
on total appraised value provided to proponent.
If the successful proponent develops both Parts 2 and 3, the RFP will allow the development of up to 145 units. If the successful proponent only develops Part 3, the RFP will allow for 90
units to be developed.
The link to the complete report is here.
