Development in Burlington: Property along Fairview is being scooped up at feverish pace - said the barber.

background 100By Pepper Parr

June 1st, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

For woman it is the hair salon – for men it is the barber shop.

That’s where the scoop and the gossip get exchanged.

A loyal and reliable Gazette reader got a haircut yesterday. He has been going to the same barbershop for years and as our reader said: “My guy has had these people as clients for years.”

The people he was talking about are those who own property on the north side of Fairview from the Burlington GO station o Guelph Line

Map

Hottest property acquisition spot in the city. The Walmart development years ago started the trend. When the Molinaro’s began the five tower Paradigm project and the city began the push for the mobility hub concept there was no stopping the developers.

Liz at Home

The shop is said to have to be vacated by the end of the year – according to the barber.

“I think he said that Liz at home on Fairview has just redecorated and doesn’t really want to sell, but maybe the price isn’t right yet.

“Holland Park sold for $45 million, after bickering.

“Better Bitters is said to have sold for $15 million.

“Offered 10, come back at 20, settlement 15.

Fairview and Guelph Leggat

Everything between Brant and Guelph that isn’t already being developed is being bought up. The Leggat dealership on the eastern end of the block of property could become an anchor, said the barber.

“Developers  after Leggat’s property too but Doug Leggat is said to not want to sell – or that’s the story, maybe not right.

“Objective is to get the whole GO block from the GO station west to Guelph Line.”

Downtown the things are close to frantic – surveys are being done, renovations are being stalled. All the big money players in the game are moving rapidly – getting agreements in place with plans for nothing but growth.

The city has said the development is going to take place around the GO stations. These locations are being referred to as mobility hubs and the developers appear to be saying – that’s OK with us.

Speculation is rife.

At the same time there is a group looking for a way to appeal the decision that was made by city council to approve the 421 Brant project.

But it is all barbershop talk of course.

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12 comments to Development in Burlington: Property along Fairview is being scooped up at feverish pace – said the barber.

  • Marlene Ribble

    Burlington used to be a very special place to live….well thanks to the greed it is no longer that way anymore….what on earth is going on at our city council….we still only have one hospital which in itself is ridiculous with all these people.,,.shame on city council…our beautiful Burlington will be no more…now they are destroying our downtown……

  • Susie

    My comments are not meant to be discriminatory, so please don’t choose to go that route! Life is actual, factual, and it is reality that Burlington, Ontario, Canada as a whole are planning on huge immigration to fill these sky scraper apartments and condos. I personally “could not afford” any more than two children with the cost of living that exists today. How are new comers with 5 children+ going to survive other than with government assistance (which is you and I paying the subsidies)?? Language, education, jobs, have already created a “homeless” situation in Toronto because our life style is so high, again, needing assistance that we are paying for! Someone has to “shake their heads” and look to the future as to whether intensification in the magnitude that we are seeing going forward, is going to be the end of our lifestyle that we inherited and want to keep. The picture is pretty dismal in my eyes and we are met with deaf ears with our governments. Both Federal, Provincial, and Regional governments are coming up for election, lets hope people TAKE THE TIME to personally TO THINK ABOUT THEIR FUTURE before they put an “X” to a name on the ballot. Thank you!

    • Jeff Cripps

      Susie, your comments couldn’t be closer to the truth. My kids are almost old enough so we can sell and get out of the GTA completely. The roads and infrastructure has not kept up with the population density intensification. If there is a problem on the 403 or sky way then Burlington city roads become a parking lot. Just the increase in traffic after the summer makes me want to run to the hills asap!

  • Marshall Bowen

    I hope that a new council in November will still be able to reverse some of the damage done by the present council and their interpretation of intensification. Downtown will be destroyed and with Fairview in grid-lock in the evening, nothing will move and Aldershot will be isolated from the rest of the city. From east Burlington, the new Oakville hospital is closer when downtown is grid-locked at 5:00 pm.
    I also can’t understand why the mayor and most of the councillors are so eager to get the OP approved.

  • Dennis Walker

    Made the mistake of trying to drive from our house at Lakeshore and Guelph Line to a restaurant on Plains road at Hidden Valley Friday at 5:30 p.m.
    Every east-west street blocked from Lakeshore to Fairview
    And at that time no active construction or lane narrowing nor any accidents.
    *(Niagara bound entrance to Skyway has been closed for two weeks)
    With new construction for the next 10 years and the regular planned summer events -complete complete gridlock will be the reality .
    Ambulance and fire trucks headed to the Joseph Brant will need some type of extraordinary solution (a dedicated emergency route that is closed to all but local traffic at rush hour?)
    This will require real problem solving even at present levels of intensification .

  • Michael Hribljan

    So it appears that we have traded urban sprawl for vertical sprawl? Our official plan talks about sustainability, how are 20+ story condos on the north side of Fairview Street sustainable? Traffic is already congested, those that are not commuting home from work know to avoid this corridor at all cost during the afternoon rush hour now – what do we expect in 5 or 10 years? What about community services to support is growth, parks, library, YMCA, recreation facilities? What is the cost for the land needed for these services? Is it affordable with rampant speculation? Oh yes, that is part of the secondary plan, or in other words we’ll figure this out later. Thank you Mr. Mayor and the 6 that voted yes to this plan.

  • HELENE SKINNER

    Lynn,

    It’s easy to understand why 6 out of 7 are pushing the intensification…tax money!!!!!

    • Gary Scobie

      Helene, it’s an old myth that residential development pays for itself in taxes. It only pays for about 80% of the cost to service the buildings over time. The rest of the taxpayers have to subsidize new development.

      Commercial and industrial developments are the ones that support the city with the biggest tax revenues. That’s the real development that Burlington needs, but alas we have many hectares of vacant land that no businesses are interested in. That’s what Councillors should be focusing on for tax revenue.

  • Lynn Crosby

    It’s sad indeed that Burlington refuses to heed the warnings that we keep hearing from cities that have gone this route before. This is our chance to really decide what kind of vision we want to have for our city in the future, and carefully and specifically set it out in the OP, with as much input from as many people as possible. Why would we risk getting it wrong when we could do so much better?

    I’m offended by how often I read from Mary Lou Tanner and the council members who voted to rush the unfinished and widely disliked OP through that they had a large amount of citizen engagement on the issue. Notice is not the same as engagement. Regardless of how long they’ve been talking about this, or how many open houses or notices they sent out, the fact remains that most citizens woke up to the realities only recently, and they have been saying loudly and clearly and in great numbers that they don’t like what they are seeing.

    Certainly I understand the developers’ motives. What I don’t understand is why 6 out of 7 council members, including the Mayor, and the senior City staff appear so eager to allow this and rush it through so urgently, and why they seem so angry to hear from citizens who oppose it.

  • William

    Likely true – if there’s money to be made, the moneyed will make more money. There are the true believers (and self-interested) who repeat the fantastical statements by Ridge, Tanner, Goldring and the rest of council that the revised OP will produce affordable housing. Instead, the land speculation rife in the city will ensure the millennials can only afford the 450 square foot condo and live in debt for the rest of their lives.

  • Gary Scobie

    This is all so predictable. Mobility Hubs mean condos with nail salons in the in latest fad podiums below. The developers are pouncing while the pouncing’s good. Happened downtown in our so-called “Anchor Mobility Hub”. Will happen in every other Mobility Hub and designated growth area in Burlington. Will likely come to or near your neighbourhood eventually, what with the new Official Plan endorsed by all of Council save one.

    Unless something changes at Council with the election this fall, the Burlington we know and love will transform to Mississauga west. Welcome to the new world of over-intensification.

    • Philip Waggett

      Sadly, Gary, that Burlington is already gone! While I love my quiet neighbourhood in South Burlington, I’m finding Burlington not a very good place to live–too many special interests are allowed to pursue their agendas irrespective of what the community finds desirable. Fortunately, I’m semi-retired and I’m currently researching Ancaster, Oakville and London. The quality of the city and the hospital (I’ve too many negative stories about JBMH to rest easy as a senior living in this community) are key factors for me.