A milestone for a notable local development was reached late last month when the Bluewater View Condominiums welcomed their first residents.
And while developers of the project no doubt welcomed their first residents with open arms and a sense of accomplishment, the boxes and move-in trucks may represent an even bigger development for the region as a whole.
Several multi-story residential towers stand on the Canadian side of the St. Clair River, their residents offered clear views of Michigan and downtown Port Huron. But that’s not the case on the American side of the river — it should be noted that Sarnia, Ontario is more than twice the size of Port Huron, to be fair.
Still, the Bluewater View condos are a first for St. Clair County, representing a potential new kind of development for the region: The luxury high-rise.
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“This development is one that intrigues me the most because it will ultimately decide if the market for that kind of development exists here. There’s seven or ten high-rises across the river in Canada but this is the first one here,” says Jeff Bohm, District 5 County Commissioner for St. Clair County.
“From a development standpoint, if it works here then there’s a lot of room for more development. The county and the city own a lot of property and it would be a great opportunity to build our tax base and help our downtowns.”
The development itself is an eight-story high-rise located between the northern edge of downtown and the Blue Water Bridge. The 29 residential units are complemented by an indoor pool and sauna, rooftop deck, fitness center, and more.
For St. Clair County stakeholders, a successful Bluewater View condos could mean that the luxury high-rise is a bellwether for future development in the region.
“This will answer a question that has long been asked here,” Bohm says.
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