1518-1540 Upper Sherman Avenue | ? | 4 x 6-8 fl | Approved

[thomax]

Condo towers proposed near Hamilton's Billy Sherring Park

Housing development would add 489 units in 8-, 9- and 11-storey buildings

By Mark Newman | 12/13/17

The landscape next to Billy Sherring Park could be in store for a big change.
Sonoma Homes is looking to build four residential condominium buildings ranging in height from eight to 11 storeys on three parcels of land it owns at 1518, 1530 and 1540 Upper Sherman, near Acadia Drive in the Butler neighbourhood.

At 1518 the plan calls for two 11-storey buildings that will be joined, while an eight-storey building is slated for 1530 and a nine-storey building at 1540.
The development would include 489 units in total.

Currently, the area is made up of mostly single family homes, some commercial businesses, Billy Sherring Park and St. Jean de Brebeuf high school.

Sonoma consultant Glenn Wellings agreed the proposed development will have an impact on the character of the community.

“But whether that’s a positive or negative impact is certainly in the eye of the beholder,” Wellings said.

He noted neighbourhoods all over the city are changing.

“You are getting intensification, which we’re directed to do, and we’re directed to provide the range of housing types that accommodate everybody’s needs,” Wellings said. “The fact that you don’t have something like this out there now doesn’t make it wrong.”

Wellings said the current infrastructure in the area can accommodate the new development; the planning justification report for the project that was filed with the city in October states Cartier Crescent will be extended about 90 metres to Acadia Drive.

That includes water main and storm water system work and catch basins.
The proposed development is not sitting well with some area residents.

“This is monstrous,” said Alan Wilson, who estimated the development is going to add more than 1,000 people to the area. “The project is outrageous.”

Andre Courchesne, who has been living in the area for 23 years, said the condo buildings will change the look of the neighbourhood.

“It would be way too overpowering for the rest of the area,” he said.
Courchesne said they always knew development was coming, just not of the size and scope that Sonoma Homes is proposing.

“If this eight-storey building goes up, I’m going to lose my backyard, I’m going to lose my privacy, I’m going to lose the sun, I’m going to lose basically everything I’ve had over the past 20 years.”

Tom Beaudin, who has been living in the area for the past 25 years, said he’s concerned about increased traffic and more garbage blowing down the street.

“It’s going to be a mess,” he said.

The three men added they are open to development that is more in keeping with the character of the neighbourhood.

According to the planning justification report, the stepped nature of the three condo buildings north of Acadia Drive will result in only minimal shadowing to the north and east depending on the time of year and those buildings will be located 15 to 22.5 metres away from the single family homes.

The report also projects an additional 208 motor vehicle trips in the area each day during the morning peak hours and 257 trips during the afternoon peak hours.

A public meeting on the proposed development is in the works for mid- to late-January, at which time the developer and consultants will be on hand to answer questions from the neighbours.

The proposal is being reviewed by city planning staff and could go before the city’s planning committee sometime in 2018.

Wellings said it could be a couple of years before any construction begins.