New BrunswickA developer proposing what could become Moncton’s tallest occupied building wants the city to approve a revised plan for the structure.Developer seeking OK to build only a parking garage at structure’s rear, not townhomesShane Magee · CBC News · Posted: Oct 07, 2025 9:20 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoThe revised plans call for the rear of the structure along Harper Lane to be an indoor parking garage. (Icon Developments Ltd.)A developer proposing what could become Moncton’s tallest occupied building wants the city to approve a revised plan for the structure.Icon Developments Inc. received council approval in 2023 for a building of up to 30 floors on vacant land at the eastern edge of downtown, along Main Street.Construction has yet to start, though, and on Monday, city staff presented revised plans for council approval. Sarah Anderson, the city’s director of planning and development, said the developer has concluded it isn’t feasible to have both townhomes and a parking garage at the rear of the structure. Instead, Anderson said the developer is now seeking approval for just a parking garage on that part of the site.The change would reduce the total number of residential units from 288 to 273, while the number of parking places would increase to 411 from 258.”The front portion of the building is proposed to remain as originally proposed and approved,” Anderson said, referring to the portion that would have the multi-storey tower and ground-floor commercial space. The revised plan, left, compared to the version approved by council in 2023. (Icon Developments Ltd/City of Moncton)Anderson said the exterior of the parking garage is proposed to be somewhat consistent with the look in the original plan, because the shape of the structure will be altered and it will include windows.Staff recommended approving the change, and council voted unanimously in favour of a bylaw to amend the City of Moncton Zoning By-Law to allow the revised plan. The city’s planning advisory committee will consider the plans on Oct. 22.Public hearing next monthA public hearing has been scheduled for the Nov. 3 city council meeting. That could be followed by second and third reading of the proposed change the same day.On Monday, Coun. Charles Léger asked Anderson if there’s any indication when construction could begin if approval is given. They have been working with the building inspection department just to make sure that everything is in order so that, if approved, they can start as soon as possible.— Sarah Anderson, director of planning and development”They would like to to start construction now,” Anderson said. “They have been working with the building inspection department just to make sure that everything is in order so that, if approved, they can start as soon as possible.”Anderson said the developer would have to comply with conditions council approved in 2023. Those include using measures to reduce the risk of flooding on the building’s lower parking level and remediation of any potential contaminated soil on the site.The conditions also allowed for the building to be between six and 30 floors.ABOUT THE AUTHORShane Magee is a Moncton-based reporter for CBC News.
Moncton council considers revised plans for downtown building that could be 30 floors tall
