Condo project takes next step

The River Walk Condominium project on Front Street will move forward–albeit on a smaller scale.
With just 24 people having made down payments on the 36 available units, architects instead have re-worked designs to include only 32 so the project can enter the next phase.
“They reconfigured the floor plan, converted one-bedrooms to two-bedrooms for which there is more demand, and it’s [now] 32 bedrooms down from 36,” CAO Bill Naturkach said at Tuesday night’s town council meeting.
Council passed a resolution endorsing the project, which is now a step closer to becoming a reality.
“The project continues to flow under the Fort Frances Non-Profit Housing Committee,” noted Mayor Glenn Witherspoon. “It needs our endorsement as a co-signer and once it gets to a stage where people are making their final commitment, we back off.
“It’s being pro-active to make Fort Frances more livable and add to our waterfront,” he added.
To date, two dozen people have handed in their $3,000 down payments to reserve units in the project, with eight units now remaining in the new plan.
Some of those who made down payments attended last night’s council meeting. Many others have expressed interest in purchasing a unit but may be waiting to see if the project will materialize before committing.
“A lot of people, once they see our project going, will make a commitment,” said the mayor. “It’s a bit of a risk, yes, [but] I think life in general is a risk.”
After council passed the resolution, the Fort Frances Non-Profit Housing Committee will schedule a meeting to go ahead with final consultant’s drawings, a bid for tender, contractual deposits, and other final stages in the hopes of beginning construction this fall.