The future of condo development in the downtown core

Hamilton’s chief planner is expected to recommend next week that the planning committee reject the application to build two modern high-rise condominiums at the site of CHCH TV. The Toronto developer tells us, he’s ready to appeal the decision.

The city’s chief planner says the project, which includes 40 and 30 storey condos, would be “incompatible with the established character of the area.” The project’s Toronto-based developer, Brad Lamb disagrees.

“With all respect to the parties who came to that conclusion, it’s silly. The whole area that this property sits in is about to be re-zoned for 30+ stories from it’s current low-rise zoning, mid-rise zoning. So that’s going to happen and our property will be re-zoned with that.”

With the official zoning being revealed next week, ward 2 councillor Jason Farr adds that the development would still need to pass design, wind and sun shadow tests.

“So it’s not just about height, it’s about meeting all the zoning tests, which are rules, laws attached just how high you can go to a maximum of 30 storeys.”

Farr adds that the project was already ‘up against it’ by building in the historic Durand neighbourhood.

“The Lamb may have met the wolf in the Durand association. An association that was established many years ago to fight high rise development.”

But with 17 of his condos already completed across Canada, Lamb wasn’t surprised by the news. He plans to appeal to the Ontario Municipal Board on Thursday. It’s the same board that recently approved the construction of a 28-storey condo along the lakeshore in Burlington despite the city’s plea.

“We’re going to build two towers on this property, they may not be 40 and 30 storeys but they will be high rise towers.”