Hospital lands slated for development


Multiple-family residences will boost city's urban density
By Daniel Nolan
The Hamilton Spectator
(Apr 27, 2007)

A development valued at $125 million to $150 million is being proposed for a former piece of Chedoke Hospital lands that overlooks the Mountain Brow on the west Mountain.

The project, consisting of townhouses and apartment buildings, is eyed for the land off Scenic Drive, between West 35th Street and the brow, and is being developed by DeanLee Management Inc. of Mississauga, which bought the surplus land from the Chedoke Health Corporation.

It's proposed to have under 1,000 units, involving anywhere from 1,600 to 2,400 new residents.

Depending on which concept is approved, it's aimed to have two areas for two-three storey townhouses, three areas for three- to four-storey townhouses, two areas for four- to six-storey apartment buildings and either three or four areas to consist of 12 to 14 storey apartment buildings. A large woodlot, known as the Woodside Inn Woods, will be preserved.

The concept for the development, which has Sanatorium Road running through it, was unveiled to about 40 residents at a public meeting last night in the Wilcox Building.

DeanLee has been working with the hospital, residents and the city over the past year to fine tune the project and is set to submit it to the city next month to begin rezoning the site from agricultural-institutional to residential. Construction could begin next year and take until 2013.

Some residents asked why the site could not just have single-family homes, but were told the land does not lend itself to such development. They were also told the city has to boost its urban density under directives from the Ontario government.

"This is going to be a quality development," said developer Ron Starr, who asked residents for further ideas on the project. "If anything, it's going to raise the value of the houses around here."

Starr said he's looking at restoring a stair link between the brow property and the Chedoke Rail Trail at the base of the escarpment. The link existed a century ago when the trail was the Brantford-Hamilton trolley line and the property was a tuberculosis sanatorium.