City Council recently approved Official Plan amendments and zoning changes to allow for a 12-storey rental building at the site of Binkley United Church just west of McMaster University.
The existing church will be demolished to make way for the building, which will have 176 units and a ground-level cafe.
The proposal was put forward by Kindred Works, which is a partner of the United Church of Canada.
The property is about half an acre and is located at 1570 Main Street West between Kingsmount and Cottrill streets.
It is across the street from the Fortinos Main Street plaza.
KPMB Architects is involved in the project, which is set to have 135 one-bedroom units, 26 two-bedroom units, and 15 three-bedroom units.
There will be 74 parking spaces in a two-storey underground parking lot, 124 long-term bicycle parking spaces, a playground, and community gardens.
Notably, the property is approximately 550 metres west of the planned McMaster University LRT terminal.
The property is also close to stops for the King (Route 1) and Delaware (Route 5) city bus routes.
The building will be constructed using mass timber and will reportedly have “high-efficiency, all-electric geothermal heating and cooling systems and a high-performance building envelope for enhanced thermal comfort and lower heating demand.”
It will also include solar panels, and the units are being advertised as “low-carbon rental homes.”
Kindred Works is aiming to start construction in 2027, with expected occupancy in 2030.
The organization also has a track record of achieving an average of 35 per cent affordable units in its projects.
The application faced some opposition from community members and was not recommended by city planning staff since the application did not comply with city intensification policies or with the neighbourhood secondary plan.
The neighbourhood secondary plan, which was created in 2005, set a limit of three stories for the property.
However, Hamilton City Council approved amendments to the plan and zoning changes to allow for the development, provided that the proponent works with staff regarding massing, shadows, wind impacts, and ensuring affordability.
Notably, the local councillor for the area, Maureen Wilson (Ward 1 – Chedoke-Cootes-Westdale), supported the development.
“I support and recognize the need for density along this corridor. It is in very close proximity to a transit stop, a future transit LRT stop, it is in close proximity to a very proud post-secondary education institute, and I am very buoyed by the design elements which lean into sustainability,” Wilson told Council.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
