There is a new condo proposal in South Windsor and it is already getting attention.

The City of Windsor has selected a $33.5 million development for the Roseland Golf Course parking lot. The plan calls for a 48 unit, four storey condo building with underground parking, led by Valente Development Corporation and Bear Construction and Engineering.

On the surface, this is a pretty straightforward project. It is not a high-rise. It is not overly dense. It is the kind of low-rise development that typically fits into an established neighbourhood like South Windsor.

And yet, there is already pushback.

Concerns around traffic, density, and neighbourhood character have come up quickly. If you follow local development conversations, this is not surprising. We tend to see the same themes any time a new project is introduced, regardless of scale.

What makes this one interesting is that it checks a lot of the boxes people usually ask for.

• It is modest in height.
• It is located on an existing parking lot, not carving up a residential street.
• It adds housing without dramatically changing the look and feel of the area.

More importantly, it fills a real gap in the market.

There are a lot of homeowners in South Windsor who would consider downsizing but do not want to leave the neighbourhood. Right now, there are not many options for them. A project like this creates that opportunity. It allows people to stay close to their schools, their routines, and their community, while freeing up larger homes for the next buyer.

That matters more than people think.

When those larger homes come back to market, it helps ease pressure on supply at the entry and move up level. It is not a silver bullet, but it is part of how a healthy housing market functions.

The bigger issue this brings up is something we are seeing across Windsor-Essex.

There is broad agreement that more housing is needed. That part is not debated anymore. Where things start to break down is when a specific project is proposed in a specific location.

That is when the conversation shifts.

Everyone supports new housing, as long as it is not in their backyard.

The reality is, if projects like this struggle to move forward, the alternatives are not necessarily better. Either we build nothing and supply stays tight, or we are forced into higher density developments in fewer locations, which tend to create even more resistance.

This Roseland proposal sits in the middle. It is a measured, low-rise addition to an established area.

Curious where people land on this one.

Is this the kind of development Windsor should be supporting, or is the pushback justified?

If you live in South Windsor or spend time around Roseland Golf Course, I would be interested to hear your take.