Essex re-issues RFP for former Harrow District High School property

Harrow District High School (Photo courtesy of Google Maps)

Essex is re-issuing a request for proposals (RFP) for the former Harrow District High School property.

The town re-issued the RFP Monday morning that calls for the purchase and redevelopment of the former high school site at 45 Wellington Street in Harrow.

As AM800 news reported last month, the previous RFP received no bids, but five developers did a walkthrough of the site.

Mayor Sherry Bondy said the latest RFP removes the previous requirement that 20 per cent of the development be designated for affordable housing.

She said the affordable housing component is no longer required but said the site is intended to be developed for high-density residential use.

“We pulled that affordable housing component off and now we’re looking to see if there’s developers interested,” she said.

“We would love to see multi-residential there and if they want to throw in some affordable housing, of course we’ll take it, but now it’s no longer a requirement.”

Bondy said the town tried to get a developer interested in building housing and having an affordable housing component there.

“The reality is right now, the cost to develop is expensive and it’s a lot to ask of developers to put in a 20 per cent affordable housing component without grants or without the province and the feds at the table,” said Bondy.

She added the site is unique and has a lot to offer.

“That doesn’t mean people or developers can’t bring us unique out of the box ideas,” she said.

“It would certainly give more weight to council’s decision if they said, ‘hey instead of 20 per cent of affordable housing, maybe we’ll put five.’ We still would hope to see some affordable housing, but at the end of the day we know it’s sometimes not always financially feasible.

The previous RFP closed on March 31, 2025.

Developers have until July 9, 2025, to submit their proposal for the new RFP.

The school closed in 2016 and was purchased by the town.

Bondy said only the school site is part of the RFP and the surrounding green space would remain as municipal property.

- Written by Rob Hindi/AM800 News.