A smaller plan was rejected by council at the end of last year. Development firm New Horizon is appealing council’s decision and putting forward an even more ambitious proposal. Photo credit: New Horizon Development Group
New Horizon Development Group’s plan for three large residential towers on Frances Avenue in Stoney Creek is now even bigger.
Their most recent proposal is for a 40-storey, 44-storey, and 49-storey building at 310 Frances Avenue for a total of 1,492 residential units. That’s up from 33, 38, and 44 storeys (1,346 units) which was already rejected by the City of Hamilton in December 2021.
New Horizon is appealing the city’s rejection decision at the Ontario Land Tribunal. The five-day hearing is set to begin on January 30, 2023.
The most recent proposal is still smaller than the original plan that was proposed approximately four years ago. The original plan called for 48, 54, and 59 storeys (1,836 units).
The main critiques of the development are related to the parking space per unit ratio and amount of amenity space per unit. The latest proposal includes 1.15 parking spaces per unit, below the City of Hamilton’s 1.5 spaces per unit requirement.
There is concern that lack of parking could result in people parking at the side of streets, something that is already a problem.
The other issue identified by the city is that the proposed amenity space per unit is 9.8 square metres, less than half of the City of Hamilton’s requirement.
New Horizon has noted; however, that the city does not factor in-unit balcony space into its amenity space calculations. The buildings would have a significant number of in-unit terraces overlooking Lake Ontario which would be larger than typical apartment building balconies.
The land at 310 Frances Avenue where the buildings would stand is currently vacant. The closest major intersection is North Service Road and Green Road.
A number of smaller residential buildings are already located nearby including The Bayliner and Waterfront Trails Condominium, although neither building comes close to the scope of the three new towers that are being proposed.
Note that the author of this article, Kevin Geenen, is running for Ward 5 City Council Hamilton (Gray Rd to Red Hill Parkway plus the Beach Strip). Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Kevin Geenen reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on social media. He is a regular contributor with The Hamilton Independent and has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. He is known for Hamilton Neighbourhood Watch crime updates and no-nonsense news graphics. 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 from Governor General David Johnston. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
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.
