One of the largest building projects in Abbotsford鈥檚 history is set to create a massive new industrial facility off of Clearbrook Road that will employ hundreds.

鈥� a manufacturer of aluminum siding products for commercial and residential buildings 鈥� plans to build two buildings (one pegged at around 350,000 square feet) and move its operations to land just south of Highway 1. The plant will have three times more floor space than the Tradex exhibition facility near Abbotsford Airport and is expected to employ as many as 300 workers.

Darren Braun, the city鈥檚 director of development planning, told council that the building would be the fourth or fifth largest in the city and was the largest industrial project Abbotsford has seen in recent memory.

Mayne Coatings is currently based out of a smaller building in the Gloucester Estates Industrial Park in 91原创, but bordering Abbotsford. The company did not wish to speak to The News, but a letter to the city says the facility is being built with an eye to future growth and may accommodate other tenants until Mayne requires use of the full facility.

The company has asked the city to be able to provide fewer parking spaces than otherwise permitted through Abbotsford鈥檚 zoning bylaw. That request, which is supported by city staff, was moved along to a public hearing set for June 12.

Braun said staff didn鈥檛 contemplate 鈥渕egabuildings鈥� when creating the currently bylaws, which tie parking spaces to a building鈥檚 square footage. The company says it will employ a maximum of 150 staff per shift, so the required 427 parking stalls aren鈥檛 needed. Instead, the facility, as proposed, would have just over 300 parking spaces.

The building will be three storeys tall, except for a small section that will be 30 feet taller than the rest of the facility. That section will accommodate a 鈥減rogrammable industrial crane鈥� used to sort and stack materials.

In addition to the manufacturing space, the two buildings will each include offices for staff. The main facade and office area will be located along Clearbrook Road.

As part of the project, the city is it owns just north of the facility that will be used for parking.

tolsen@abbynews.com
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