West Harbour Villa at Tiffany Square | ? | 8fl | Cancelled

[SteelTown]

CN agreed to this proposal as part of the OMB agreement.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

I must have missed that...pretty stunning really.

So, maybe something real can start transpiring with this project.

Wouldn't mind one of those corner units...amazing view!

[urban_planner]

Any updates on this project?

[thistleclub]

New condo development moves forward
(Hamilton Spectator, Steve Arnold, Nov 22 2013)

A long-delayed bay front condo project is finally getting under way.

Hamilton-based White Star Group has started pre-sales of 166 condo units to be built on the site of a former auto scrap yard on Bay Street North. The development is to be called West Harbour Villa at Tiffany Square.

"This is a project that's finally on the go," said Raquel Rakovac, director of business development for White Star. "This is going to offer a real live-work atmosphere."

The White Star Auto Wreckers property, bounded by Barton, Stuart, Bay and Tiffany streets, was a scrap yard dating back to the early 1900s. In 1997 owners Jack and Rose Rotstein sold it to Hamilton builder Marino Rakovac who had plans to turn the three-acre property into a 200-unit condo project.

The idea remained mired in planning processes, the near-endless West Harbour stadium debate and opposition from CN Rail until last year when an agreement before the Ontario Municipal Board finally cleared the way for development.

Raquel Rakovac said plans are to have "shovels in the ground" by 2015 with an opening in 2016.

Those targets, she added, are designed to coincide with the opening of a new GO station, a development they see as attracting potential Toronto commuters to a more affordable condo by the water.

The current plan calls for one residential tower of 166 units on nine stories at the Stuart and Tiffany intersection with four commercial-retail buildings filling out the property.

Conceptual designer Paul Vermaat said the plan calls for two buildings of two floors and two of three floors around the perimeter of the property.

"We think 2016 is a realistic time frame for the site plan process," he said. "Objections from CN and the OMB hearing were what was holding everything back, but that's over and now it's entrenched in the official plan and we're ready to go."

CN opposed redevelopment of the site for fear of noise complaints against its nearby operations.

Units in the condo tower will be between 700 and 1,500 square feet, with prices starting around $250,000 and rising to $1 million for a penthouse.

Environmental costs of the project, he added, were settled in the original sales agreement with the Rotsteins.

"In any case," he added, "they turned out to be a lot less than people had feared."

Jason Farr, councillor for the ward in which the project is located, said he's not aware of a site plan being filed with the city, but he supports the project.

"Right now, there's no site plan before me and there's nothing formally before the planning committee at least for the next few meetings," he said. "This is an exciting project and a pleasant-looking design. I'll be happy to help facilitate them through the process."

During the stadium debate in 2010, White Star offered to build a retractable-roof stadium and velodrome for the city. It has another redevelopment project at Barton and Crooks streets, and helped with the revival of the former Langley-Parisian laundry downtown.

In March, the company offered an entire city block in the King Street and Sanford Avenue area as a package for an 11-storey 120-unit apartment building.

[thomax]

I was just wondering what was going on with this project today, awesome!

I really like the new design...

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It's a lot better than the old design. I'm so glad they got rid of that weird glass wall...
• Video Link

[Dr Awesomesauce]

Yay! Looking good.

[Beedok]

I'll take that as a good sign that it's going to be building it fairly soon.

[durandy]

that's huge! Could be really interesting with the tiered design. Expect we'll see some movement at the Rheem lands next.

[matt602]

Very nice. This should be a catalyst for the development of the entire area. The North end is really humming now.

[ScreamingViking]

I agree with you all. This is great and it's awesome that it finally looks like something will happen in that neighbourhood.

The condo building looks nice and right-sized for the area, but I'm actually quite interested in the commercial element - it will create for a node of activity there. Given that the agreement with CN required a "buffer" of commercial/retail along Stuart St., this will be the beginning of a new commercial strip. The fact it isn't "big box" style is a huge plus, which future developments would be wise to continue to the west (which is what the city has planned, isn't it?)

Eventually, if that rail yard gets moved () Stuart could serve as the local commercial corridor with more residential and recreational uses along the waterfront.

[thistleclub]

Via City of Hamilton:

Public Meeting: Enhancements & Improvements for James, Barton, Kenilworth Areas

Hamilton, ON – November 25, 2013 – The City of Hamilton is inviting the public to a special launch meeting about enhancements and improvements to the areas of James Street North, Barton Street, and Kenilworth Avenue North on December 4 from 6:30pm – 9pm at LIUNA Station (King George Ballroom, 360 James St. N).

Although these projects take place in specific areas of the City they positively impact all Hamilton residents and businesses because these studies help determine how everyone can connect to the downtown, waterfront and beyond as well as create a City with even more great places to live, do business, and visit.

The meeting will provide an overview of the: Barton-Tiffany Urban Design Study, the New James Street North GO Station Study, and Barton Street-Kenilworth Avenue Commercial Corridor Study. Following the main presentation there will be an opportunity for separate group discussions for each of the three projects. The December 4, 2013 meeting is the first meeting for each of these projects and subsequent meetings will be held in 2014, which will provide additional updates and opportunities for input.

The public can RSVP for the event by emailing planningteam@hamilton.ca or calling 905-546-2424 Ext. 4498.

PROJECT DETAILS:

Barton-Tiffany Urban Design Study
The purpose of the study is to determine what future development will look like in this area. The Urban Design Study will determine things such as:

Location of buildings, their height and setbacks from the street
Transportation (roads, transit, bike lanes, sidewalks, and trails)
Parks and open spaces
Access and linkages to downtown, waterfront, and existing parks
Location of parking, loading, utility, and service areas

[KDP]

Sorry to disappoint you Viking, but to my knowledge that railyard isn't moving. If anything it is being expanded by a few extra rails and a turning circle thingy (which has caused friction with Dundurn as the turing circle is planned to eat up space on their land, the exact spot which is archeologically most sensitive as well).

[Pearlstreet]

Originally Posted by KDP

Sorry to disappoint you Viking, but to my knowledge that railyard isn't moving. If anything it is being expanded by a few extra rails and a turning circle thingy (which has caused friction with Dundurn as the turing circle is planned to eat up space on their land, the exact spot which is archeologically most sensitive as well).

'I love train track turning circle thingy's and hate castles' - something no one has ever said.

Where did you read of this?

Push it into the industrial areas, what difference would it make to them?

[KDP]

I have no difference what difference it would make, but that's what CN wants. And with the hurried expansion of the GO in time for the Pan Am Games, city staff are not putting up much of a fight and CN is basically getting what they want.

[matt602]

CN has been in that spot for decades upon decades and what they are opposing is new residents who will raise noise complaints against a rail yard which has been there for a long, long time. I really want that area to rejuvenate and become filled out, but I can see where CN is coming from too. Either way, that rail yard has nowhere to move to. It is the central holding place for all of the rail cars from the industrial areas in Hamilton and there's nowhere East or West that they can locate it at. A lot of big, successful cities have railyards in their urban areas... I think this is one that Hamiltonians will have to get used to.

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by matt602

CN has been in that spot for decades upon decades and what they are opposing is new residents who will raise noise complaints against a rail yard which has been there for a long, long time. I really want that area to rejuvenate and become filled out, but I can see where CN is coming from too. Either way, that rail yard has nowhere to move to. It is the central holding place for all of the rail cars from the industrial areas in Hamilton and there's nowhere East or West that they can locate it at. A lot of big, successful cities have railyards in their urban areas... I think this is one that Hamiltonians will have to get used to.

Exactly. This rail site is over a century old and not going anywhere, due to the amount of land required and the prohibitive costs a relocation would cost. As the West Harbour evolves from industrial to commercial and residential use it will have to work around the CN yard.

[Dr Awesomesauce]

I think the best we can hope for is that the City works with CN to beautify the area and to perhaps reduce noise and anything noxious that might emanate from the site - the latter isn't terribly likely, I'm afraid.

[HamiltonBoyInToronto]

not sure how I feel about the new design ... something about it looks very 90's ... I preferred the original design (minus that hideous window curtain wall) ... it was more in line with an industrial area design (kind of similar to the distillery district in Toronto) it would be nice to create a similar theme on Hamilton's waterfront to pay homage to the beautiful history of Hamilton's Harbour ..

[SteelTown]

http://dpai.ca/projects/32

[Beedok]

I think that last render is a little crooked.