Kentville mayor Andrew Zebian said a new development that will have two eight-storey apartment buildings will be provide an economic boost to the town while adding a few hundred people to the population. Photo by Ian Fairclough /The Chronicle HeraldArticle contentThe tallest apartment buildings in Kings County are planned for the former Kings County Academy site in Kentville, bringing more than 150 new units to the town as it and the surrounding municipality of Kings County continue to grow.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe two new, eight-storey complexes are slated to be built by Enqore Developments of Halifax on the old school grounds, which was cleared after a new school opened in the town in 2011.Article contentArticle contentArticle contentKentville mayor Andrew Zebian said the buildings were originally going to be nine storeys with 172 units, but the current development permit the town has issued is for two eight-storey buildings. The development is currently in the building review process.Article contentZebian said the building are part of the early wave of significant growth for Kentville, which recently saw a development of four buildings of four and five storeys at the east of the town, that added more than 150 units that were rented before they were built.Article content This preliminary rendering of two new apartment buildings for the former KCA school site in Kentville has them at none storeys, although Mayor Andrew Zebian said the current plan is for eight.Article contentArticle contentThe town is opening up land to the south that has the potential to more than double the town’s population, with infrastructure work in that area currently underway.Article content“It’s more revenue in the town, it’s more people in town, so that’s a positive,” Zebian said, while admitting that he had early reservations about the size of the development.Article contentArticle contentHe said growing the town’s population also means more economic growth, with new businesses and services also needed to service the new residents and the larger footprint of the town.Article content“There’s spinoff that way,” he said. “There’s a lot of things we want to do, but there’s only so much money. We have roads to fix and stormwater to take care of. You need the boost in (tax) revenue to do all that.”Article contentSo much development in the town helps with the housing crunch as well, the mayor said, and building higher means less urban sprawl and the potential for more significant growth.Article contentAfter topping the 5,000 population mark in the 1986 census the town’s population grew by only 104 between 1991 and 2001. Over the next two decades it grew by more than 1,000 to 6,630 in the 2021 census. Current estimates have it over 7,000.Article contentThe tallest building in town currently is Main Street Station, the former CN Hotel across the street from town hall that has two levels of commercial space and four floors of residential units. The tallest building in Kings County is the 13-storey Crowell Tower residence building on the Acadia University campus.Article content
Building up: new development in Kentville to be tallest apartment buildings in Kings County
