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The parking lots that hug the south end of Hamilton's International Style City Hall—a designated heritage building—have been targeted for redevelopment, with an eye towards creating a mix of uses on the under-utilized site. To launch this process, the City at the west end of Lake Ontario has invited prospective developers to submit expressions of interest and proposed concepts by October 14, 2016.
The massive site, which includes the former home of the Canadian Football Hall of Fame, has been of significant redevelopment interest in years past. A decade ago, the City had identified the site as a possible location for expanded office administrative space—essentially building an addition to the exiting City Hall complex. With approximately 150,000 square feet of leased space around the downtown core coming up for renewal, expanding the City's office footprint by building on the existing south parking lot is a real possibility, according to Raymond Kessler, Manager of Real Estate for the the City of Hamilton.
"The broader objective is this notion of community building," said Kessler. "This is space behind City Hall. There are a number of heritage buildings around. There's some context for the location. The immediate reaction most people would have to that space would be some form of quasi-institutional type of use. But what we're asking in terms of this consultation is really to say there's probably a higher order of uses, a broader range of uses and a mix of uses that could go onto that site than just a sterile parking lot."
The call for proposals mentions "various commercial, entertainment, hotel, not-for-profit, cultural, community service and other events venues" as possible uses for the site. "A form of residential isn't what we're looking for or expecting," said Kessler, though he did not rule out a residential component that could be incorporated into the larger fabric of a redevelopment plan. Depending on the density and composition of the site's uses, expanded parking facilities would be required. Kessler stated that the City is hoping to maintain and preferably increase parking capacity at the site, but any such expansion would likely be accommodated below-grade.
The City has amassed a strong portfolio of institutional partnerships in the health care and education sectors. There is an expectation for the City to utilize some of these existing partners—in addition to creating new ones—to make the project a reality, whether through a joint venture, land lease, or other agreements. "We're open to hosting all sorts of arrangements," said Kessler. "We want to create a mix of uses and structures that would support an active site."
Following the October 14 deadline, the City will consult with each of the interested parties and begin a dialogue. The various submitted options will be assessed to provide context and perspective for Council to weigh in. The results of the consultation, which is not a formal procurement or request for proposals process, will be presented to the General Issues Committee.
The opportunity to redevelop a central plot of land, essentially a blank canvas for creative ideas to blossom, is reflective of an urban revolution taking hold in Hamilton. A wave of investment, growth and revitalization is bringing new residential and commercial life to the core, reversing the longstanding shift to the suburbs that killed the downtowns of numerous cities across Canada and the United States. How appropriate that on the grounds of its City Hall, Hamilton's renaissance could reach its stride.
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