The much-anticipated new Downtown Hamilton YMCA is getting nearer to approval, with a progress announcement expected this week.
The partnership between the YMCA of Hamilton, Burlington and Brantford, and Collecdev-Markee Developments proposes to build a 30-storey tower with 487 units of co-op rental housing alongside a new 85,000-square-foot YMCA facility, on Main Street West, west of James Street.
Collecdev-Markee submitted its first official concepts to the City of Hamilton on May 22, 2026, revealing a proposal now reduced to a single residential tower and a larger YMCA facility.
The latest revision proposes only one tower, instead of an earlier plan for two 32-storey towers. The square footage listed for the Downtown Hamilton YMCA facility has increased from 55,000 square feet to 85,000 square feet.
The City quickly processed the May 22 concept submission as an affordable housing priority application, with over a dozen internal staff reviewing and providing comments on the proposal within two weeks, and provided a listing of recommended changes on June 5, 2026.
The City is now awaiting revised plans from Collecdev-Markee before scheduling a Design Review Panel meeting to provide peer-review suggestions. The City hopes the project will be a catalyst for revitalization in a part of downtown that is presently surface parking.
This publication received a copy of Collecdev-Markee’s submission and the 155 pages of staff comments responding to it, as part of a Planning Act public records request.
The staff comments are mostly positive, with feedback primarily focused on the interaction of the proposal with the public realm.
Urban design staff have noted the current four-storey parking podium does not comply with City requirements that all parking be internal to the building and that residential units must be placed on the exterior of buildings.
Additionally, urban design staff comments state: “Staff would like to see increased interaction at street-level on the street corner of Jackson and MacNab – a retail unit or restaurant/café would bring more active use to support the transition of Jackson Street to a denser urban property.”
The recently constructed YMCA on Richmond Street in Toronto is cited by staff as an example of good urban design with pedestrian realm amenities.
Collecdev-Markee’s first submission did not include the Downtown Hamilton YMCA facility portion of the development. City staff responded to the developer by noting that, without those details, comments provided were preliminary. The City is seeking further information regarding how many of the proposed 249 parking spaces within the residential building are intended for the new recreation facility.
The proposal will require approval from City Council because the YMCA is a Social Services Establishment use, which is not permitted within the existing D2 zoning. The proposal also requires the City to transfer a public alleyway.
The redevelopment project is a multi-year partnership involving the YMCA of Hamilton, Burlington and Brantford, St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church, and Collecdev-Markee Developments. In June 2025, the trustees of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church entered into a conditional sale agreement for its non-heritage church hall at the rear of 70 James Street South, adding the land to the adjoining development properties. The YMCA has a conditional agreement with the developer that allows the project to move through the municipal planning process while ensuring the existing downtown facility remains fully operational.
The federal government included a funding commitment for the Downtown Hamilton YMCA facility in its November 4, 2025, budget. The YMCA component of the project is estimated at $72-million.
Collecdev-Markee did not reply to a request for comment.
Aisling Higgins, director of marketing and communications for the YMCA of Hamilton, Burlington and Brantford, said Wednesday, June 17, that the YMCA is “planning an update on the Hamilton Downtown YMCA project next week.”
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Published: June 21, 2026
Last updated: June 21, 2026
Author: Joey Coleman
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