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Two separate development proposals are poised to make an impact within 100m of each other in Downtown Brampton. At 23-29 Mill Street North, a 48-storey mixed-use tower designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects is proposed by Amdev Property. Across the street from it to the northwest, Algoma University is set to enhance its educational footprint with a new 11-storey student residence at 60 Nelson Street West, crafted by Sweeny &Co Architects Inc. and developed in partnership with Greenwin. Both are just a 5-minute walk away from the recently ponderously renamed Brampton Innovation District GO station (formerly simply Brampton GO station), which provides quick access across the Greater Toronto Area.
The Amdev development site at 23-29 Mill Street North comprises five contiguous parcels, covering a total area of approximately 0.23 hectares. These parcels, municipally addressed as 23, 25, 27, and 29 Mill Street North, along with 53 Nelson Street West, are currently developed with a series of one-and-a-half to two-storey residential dwellings. The site at 60 Nelson Street West, spanning around 0.2 hectares and designated for Algoma University's student residence, features a similar urban mix within a few blocks' walk of the school’s Brampton Campus. These parcels are embedded within a neighbourhood featuring commercial and institutional uses, along with mid-rise office and emerging high-rise residential developments.
The Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications for 23-29 Mill Street North envision a 48-storey residential tower reaching up to 159.81m. The design features a four-storey podium that aligns with the streetscape, creating a harmonious transition between the tower and its urban surroundings. Approximately 15% of the existing site area would be conveyed publicly to the City of Brampton, facilitating the potential widening of both Mill Street North and Nelson Street West. These modifications are intended to improve traffic flow and pedestrian accessibility. The design entails a total Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 38,401m², with a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 19.42 accounting for the road widening.
The building would feature 1,534m² of indoor and 960m² of outdoor amenities, placed on the second and fifth floors. The building's 549 units would be supported by five elevators or approximately one elevator per 110 units, indicating longer wait times than optimal. A four-level underground garage is set to provide 70 spaces for residents and an additional 111 spaces for visitors, along with three visitor spaces at grade. The design also incorporates substantial bicycle parking facilities, with space for 275 long-term and 55 short-term spots.
Meanwhile, the site at 60 Nelson Street West was previously part of a broader land assembly effort by Greenwin aimed at expanding high-rise residential development in Downtown Brampton, known as the Park-Nelson Assembly. This massing exercise set the stage for the current student-focused development.
Algoma University, an institution of higher learning based in Sault Ste Marie, Ontario, is set to expand its presence in Brampton with a forward-thinking residential project designed to enhance the student experience. As the only university in Ontario to cap classes at 75 students, Algoma U maintains an intimate learning environment with an average class size of 30. Now with three campuses (Timmins is the other one), Algoma offers a broad range of academic programs through its Faculty of Business and Economics, Faculty of Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Faculty of Cross-Cultural Studies. In Brampton, the school’s campus features three buildings near the intersection of Main Street and Queen Street, about 500m east of the site for the student residence.
The new 11-storey residence, slated for completion in the 2028-29 academic year, will offer between 500 and 600 beds in a mix of single and double bedrooms, organized into four- to six-bed suites. Each suite is designed with two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a living space, emphasizing community living. The residence aims to be a decolonized and Indigenized space, aligning with Algoma's Special Mission to encourage cross-cultural education.
Both development sites benefit from their proximity to the Brampton Innovation District GO station and the adjoining Downtown Brampton Transit Terminal, situated 350m east, placing them in Downtown Brampton's Major Transit Station Area. This hub is a key component of the local and regional transit network, offering GO Transit bus and rail routes, including the Kitchener GO Line and multiple bus routes. Additionally, the area is serviced by several ZUM BRT routes along Queen and Main streets, facilitating easy access across Brampton and to neighbouring cities.
Near both sites, several projects of varying scales are underway, reflecting the area's growing appeal as a dense urban centre. To the east of the planned student residence, the Brampton Centre for Innovation is set to reach 9 storeys and would feature a public library and spaces for post-secondary institutions including Algoma University. To the south, 115-123 Queen Street West is proposed at 11 storeys. More in line with the verticality of 23-29 Mill Street North, 55 Park Street is slated for a 30-storey residential tower to the north, while to the east 31-33 George Street North is set to introduce towers standing 34 and 42 storeys, also designed by Sweeny &Co. To the south, 118 Queen Street West is set to stand 50 storeys, while closer to the GO station, 35 Railroad Street calls for towers at 50, 52, and 54 storeys.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on these developments, but in the meantime, you can learn more about them from our Database files, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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| Related Companies: | Gradient Wind Engineers & Scientists, Graziani + Corazza Architects, Sweeny &Co Architects Inc., VIP Condos Toronto |
