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In this week’s instalment of the UTPro Instant Report, we look westards to investigate the emerging trends in development in the heart of the third largest city in Ontario: Hamilton. Sourcing statistics and information from UrbanToronto’s exclusive data service, UTPro, we have generated a Custom Report that compiles a list of all projects located within 800 metres of any given address.
For today’s purposes, that address is 60 James Street North, a central position in Hamilton’s burgeoning Downtown, containing some of the city’s landmark locations such as Gore Park, the AGH, and First Ontario Place, but which has several holes in its urban fabric after years of disinvestment. As the area boasts Hamilton’s central GO Transit Station, and will soon enough enjoy service from the upcoming Hamilton LRT, traveling east-west along Main Street with stops at James and Queen streets, with its central positioning and the promise of improved connectivity, the area has become the preeminent redevelopment hub in Hamilton with a wide spread of uses and scales coming forward in proposals.
Our Custom Report came back with a list of 47 total projects located within 800 metres of 60 James Street North. 10 of those projects are listed as complete, with another 10 currently under construction; the remaining 27 projects are all in the planning or marketing/sales stage.
Among the completed projects, one of the most recent is 154 Main Street. The 26-storey residential development was completed last summer, with occupancy now underway for its 284 market rate rental units. Standing 82 metres, the project is in the lower middle of the height spectrum compared to the assortment of planned high-rises, but for the current context, the building represents a working model for residential intensification in the Downtown.
One of the projects that stands out in the active construction group is the mixed-use development 75 James Condos. Approved at 34 storeys, the project is the tallest among the active projects, and is on its way to delivering 635 new units in a three-volume massing that also incorporates an existing building into the podium. Offering commercial, retail, and residential uses, the project will activate the central site throughout the day.
In the pre-construction group we have 77 James Street North, the project that could become the largest development in the area in terms of density. The proposal contemplates the redevelopment of the now closed City Centre Mall with four towers standing from 28 to 30 storeys, offering a total of over 2,000 units. Approval would mark the start of the largest construction project the Hammer has seen in decades.
Of interest in the supporting statistics generated by our Custom Report is the gross floor area (GFA) distribution. While the majority of programmable floor space has been slated for residential uses, the need for commercial and retail programming in order to have a vibrant downtown is being recognized. Referring to the graphic below, we can see that commercial GFA makes up just over 29% of the total.
Looking at the slate of active and completed projects, it’s clear that Downtown Hamilton is now an established hub for redevelopment, and we can expect it to continue expanding in scope — and with the coming transit infrastructure improvements and continued development pressure, we might expect more ambitious proposals in terms of scale in the coming years.
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As UrbanToronto continues to refine its role in the GTA development industry, our data services have evolved to become one of our defining elements and we want to share those capabilities with our community. The UrbanToronto Pro Instant Reports is just one of the ways our data can be applied to provide quick and convenient insights on the development trends of any area in the GTA, with filters for Wards MLS Zones, and Custom Areas.
| Related Companies: | Bousfields, Graziani + Corazza Architects, Harlo Capital, Platinum Condo Deals, Smart Density |
