By the summer of 2014, a new financial institution and professional medical centre should be open for business on a prime piece of land along Victoria Avenue.

Construction is slated to begin this fall on a major portion of the former Fleming School property (now called Sioux Valley High School), which is owned by local developer Kirk Brugger.

My wife Robyn and I are very happy that were finally moving forward on this, Brugger said. Im very happy that Im working with Brandon University, Im past alumni president so Im very happy about working with them on getting their part of it done as well.

Bruggers commercial plan includes two separate, two-storey buildings. On the eastern side of the property at Victoria Avenue and 23rd Street will be a 15,000-square-foot financial institution.

On the western side near Victoria and 25th Street will be a roughly 30,000-square-foot medical centre.

There will be a number of businesses in the professional centre, but the financial institution on the eastern half will be just one entity, Brugger said.

The project has been a few years in the making. Back in 2011, Bruggers attempt to rezone a parcel of the property into commercial land was rejected by the Brandon and Area Planning District board. At the time, many people in the neighbourhood spoke out against rezoning the green space into commercial property. Mayor Shari Decter Hirst was a vocal opponent, due to the desperate need for affordable housing in Brandon.

Later that year, Brandon City Council approved a proposal from Brugger to develop the land along Victoria Avenue for commercial use on the condition that the remaining available land be used for affordable housing projects.

Brugger continued on with his vision, which evolved to include an affordable housing portion for mature Brandon University students.

In 2012, the university signed a memorandum of understanding with Brugger and the City of Brandon to develop non-profit housing on 2.2 acres of the property.

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Developer gets down to business on Victoria Ave.