By Pepper Parr
March 11th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
It is pretty clear that we are going to build more city; there are construction cranes poking up into the sky in several places in the city and literally dozens of project in front of the Planning department and even more in the board rooms of those developers active in the city.
Some of those projects are mired in the Ontario Municipal Board bureaucracy.
The first of five towers going in on Fairview has reached its full height. Changing the sky line.
Two that are coming along very nicely in the downtown core are the Molinaro Paradigm project on Fairview road next to Walmart and the Bridgewater project that is not above grade yet on Lakeshore Road and Elizabeth.
Some might suggest that Paradigm is not in the downtown core and they would not be wrong – watch the downtown core grow north to Fairview. The projects in the works for Brant street all but guarantee that.
The five tower Paradigm project has reached full height for the first tower – we now know what the skyline along Fairview is going to look like going forward. That project will add some 2000 people to the population of the city and change the Fairview street we used to know to something much more active. It will also change the product offering at the Walmart which is a parking lot away from the five towers that will eventually rise.
The Bridgewater project has been in the works since 1985 – was approved by city council in 1995. Scheduled to open in late 2018
Bridgewater, which will be the toniest residence in the city is big hole in the ground right now with the four level garage being built and the base put in place for the three structures that will rise out of the ground. A singe garage will serve all three buildings.
Upper left oblong is where the 22 storey condominium will be, bottom left is where the four star hotel is going to be with the seven storey condominium in below the hotel.
The 22 storey condominium the nine storey hotel and the seven storey condominium that will be at the southern part of the property a couple of football fields away from the Pier.
Once the city and the Adi people work out their differences in front of the Ontario Municipal Board we will know what to expect in the way of structures on the north side of Lakeshore Road. If Adi gets the nod from the OMB expect to see at least one more tower on the lots to the immediate east of what Adi wants to do and then some eye popping proposals for the property between John and Brant streets.
There are many wondering just what the city means when they say they intend to Grow Bold; new office at 1455 Lakeshore Road.
If I were a betting man – I’d give odds on the Adi Development being turned down completely. The OMB hearing officer will give it a two thumbs down.
At some point in this discussion around intensification we all need to “get real” for a minute….and especially the minions at City Hall.
No small businessperson running a variety store, hairdressing salon, restaurant, dry cleaners, etc., is ever going to be able to build a sustaining business in one of these retail spaces. The key word in the preceding sentence is “sustaining”. First, the rents will be way too high. Second, deliveries of products will be an issue. Third, there is no immediate parking in the vicinity. Fourth, as businesses turnover because the proprietors can’t make a go of it they will be unable to develop a strong, loyal clientele.
Walk up Brant Street. Count the number of restaurants, bars and businesses that have changed hands in the last five years. Then go to one of the small neighbourhood malls and do the same evaluation. Take Eastway at Walkers Line and New Street. It certainly is not the most attractive venue in the City. However, most of the stores that are in that mall (e.g. Marilu’s, Silver and Gold, Scottish Bakery, etc.) have been there for years. Why? Because the rents are reasonable, deliveries are easy, parking is plentiful and accessible, and the businesses have been able to develop a strong clientele by virtue of their service, reputation and loyal customers. These businesses have been around for years, and customers will follow them wherever they go.
Burlington is fixated on building a downtown architectural landscape that is not only expensive, alien and untested but is short-sighted and financially irresponsible. Lavish condominiums with dozens of “For Lease” signs on main level shop windows is not what I would define as a successful urban development strategy.
1455 Lakeshore Road – what is this? Grow bold.ca takes you straight to COB website. Why is the city taking up prime retail space at about $25 per sq. ft.? What are they selling – Grow Bold Lego sets so you can assemble your own Tall Building? Is this going to be staffed? At what cost? Funding courtesy of the taxpayers? So many questions, how about some answers COB ?