Amid a housing crisis, Farhi's Ridout project approved by London, Ont., council in 2021 has yet to start

Almost four years after it was approved by city council, the site of a planned 40-storey tower across from Museum London remains as it was back in June 2021: A group of empty buildings.

Owned by Farhi Holdings Corp., the properties at 435-451 Ridout St. N. were the subject of a development application to construct a mixed-use tower and add 280 badly needed residential units to the core of the southwestern Ontario city. 

At the time, the application raised eyebrows. Farhi is better known for holding downtown London properties, many of them untenanted. 

After debates in council chambers over flooding concerns, the tower's height and worries about preserving the heritage properties, the building was approved by a 12-2 vote. 

Stephen Turner, one the two then councillors who voted against Farhi's plan, was skeptical the site would ever see a shovel.

"I don't have a lot of faith this building will ever get built," said Turner, who did not seek re-election in the 2022 municipal election. "I say to the applicant, 'Prove me wrong,' but I'm not quite convinced." 

In March, CBC News reached out to Farhi Holdings Corp. for comment about the status of the project.

The company declined an interview, but said in a statement they've been "meticulously advancing the 451 Ridout project for over 15 years." 

CBC also asked for an update this week but his staff declined an interview.

The March statement to CBC said a number of factors have delayed the start date, including the city's construction of the Downtown Loop bus rapid transit route, the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic and an appeal filed by heritage advocates, which has since been dropped. 

"Currently, we are focused on finalizing our site plan application, an essential step before beginning construction. Unfortunately, there are a number of barriers to project initiation beyond the site plan approvals required." 

Among the barriers listed in Farhi's statement:

The city's planning office confirmed to CBC that no site plan application has been submitted for the property, a step that comes before building permits are issued and construction can begin. Also, the city hasn't received a heritage alteration permit for that property, which is required because the yellow brick buildings on the property are heritage-designated. A heritage alteration permit would be required before a building permit could be issued.

Farhi's penchant for sitting on properties in London was the focus of a feature story in the Globe and Mail last week.