The bones of new restaurants and apartment blocks will adorn the burgeoning Water Tower District, an area once occupied by the massive Canada Packers building, this time next year.

Shindico Realty announced Tuesday it has bought 14.34 acres of the St. Boniface development for a retail centre.

It’s the company’s latest purchase in the 165-acre community. Already, Shindico has plans to build an apartment complex on 10 acres, with Olexa Developments, the Alberta-based company behind the Water Tower District.

As many as 20 housing complexes, an independent-living facility for seniors, three parks and retail and industrial space are in the works.

The entire project could cost $1.5 billion, Olexa’s development manager said.

“We wanted to be able to get that going,” said Sandy Shindleman, Sh

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