New development to reshape east Windsor: Is Costco coming?

Heavy construction equipment is seen at the site of a large box store commercial development in east Windsor. June 19, 2025. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

A development in east Windsor is being called the, “catalyst that’s going to reshape the entire neighbourhood.”

That’s according to Brook Handysides, senior vice president and sales representative with real estate company CBRE, which has announced that a deal to assemble the land and develop the infrastructure needed for a major box store commercial development in the east end has been finalized.

Handysides points to the project benefitting over a dozen vacant parcels of land in the area.

“Ultimately, how that ends up getting developed over time, it will mature effectively as this first development takes off,” he said. “It’s just going to be positive things for the East Windsor area and the Tecumseh-Lauzon retail corridor.

CBRE Windsor, on behalf of Rock Developments, worked for two years to bring together the deal on a 33-acre piece of property north of Tecumseh Road East and west of Catherine Street, just off Lauzon Parkway, behind the east-end Walmart and Home Depot.

While it has yet to be confirmed exactly what the development will be, the conceptual drawing presented to the city shows it will include the colour “Costco Red.”

In early February, city council approved over $19.6-million in funding to support land acquisition costs and infrastructure upgrades to service the project, including road work and storm and sanitary sewer additions, while the developer will contribute almost $10.7 million to the work.

The Forest Glade North Secondary Plan Area has identified the need for two new north-south collector roads to service the area north of Tecumseh Road, between Jefferson Boulevard and Lauzon Parkway.

The collector roads would extend from Tecumseh Road (Roseville Gardens Drive) and include the future westerly extension of Catherine Street, work that is also expected to open access to several other vacant lots near the east-end Walmart and RONA for future development.

Handysides said this will ultimately connect the whole grid together and allow for enhanced vehicular access.

“Lands that are effectively dormant to development until now, with them being unlocked with the services and road construction that will happen in this area to ultimately accommodate this end user,” he added.

According to Handysides, the area already has a significant retail footprint within this zone, including Tecumseh Mall, combined with residential densification around Lauzon and McHugh Street.

“Retail likes to see rooftops, and when you see more residents moving into the area and you have the road infrastructure to accommodate it, it just makes it right for continued densification. That’s ultimately why I think this deal came together,” he said.

The development calls for commercial uses that will include retail, a gas station, and restaurants, with the gas pumps expected to be part of Phase 1.

The plan also calls for approximately 25,000 square meters of floor space and just under 1,400 parking spots.

Windsor already has a Costco located at 4411 Walker Rd., not far from Provincial Road.

— Rusty Thomson/AM800 News