The Ontario Land Tribunal has formally approved the settlement agreement between the City of Hamilton and developer New Horizon Development Group (NHDG) to permit the redevelopment of a 3.9-hectare shopping plaza site at 499 Mohawk Road East.
The property has now been rezoned to permit 1,850 residential units in three 20-storey buildings, two 16-storey buildings, one 14-storey building, seven 3-storey townhouse blocks and three 3-storey back-to-back townhouse blocks are approved, with the tall buildings focused on the southeast portion of the property at the intersection with Upper Sherman Avenue.
The zoning amendment states there will be 1,912 parking spaces.
Affordable Housing and Multi-Bedroom Units Key to Deal
The City of Hamilton secured a minimum of “17 affordable dwelling units” as part of the deal.
The City is requiring a minimum of 23.0 percent of the units to be two or three bedroom units. 3.1 percent of the units shall be three-bedroom units. [Of the total 100 percent, not a sub-set of the 23.0 percent]
The deal is similar to what City Council required in September 2024 when it approved a 20-storey building at 1600 Upper James (the northwest corner at Rymal Road West). In that rezoning, Council required three “affordable rental units” and that 18 percent of the units be two—or three-bedroom units.
Production Details
v. 1.0.0
Published: March 28, 2025
Last updated: March 28, 2025
Author: Joey Coleman
Update Record
v. 1.0.0 original version
I’m curious on what they classify as “affordable”? with the large amount of dwellings being built the most that the city could secure was 17?
The city has a few options regarding these units. For example, it can transfer them to Habitat for Humanity or to a social housing provider such as Kiwanis Homes.
As for the number of units, there is a balancing involved because the cost of these units is absorbed into the project and ultimately that cost is passed onto new condo purchasers.
Had past Councils been securing a few units in each development, there be more affordable units across the City. Over time, a few units here, and a few units there, will add up to a more meaningful number.
Thanks for the comment,
Joey
Fantastic, but there should be a shuttle or bus going down the center of this thing, with a comfortable shelters like they have in Mississauga/Brampton, that connects directly to Fortinos and Lime Ridge.