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Forge & Foster Brings the Tiny Homes Movement to Ontario in a Big Way

Forge & Foster Brings the Tiny Homes Movement to Ontario in a Big Way

Ontario (various regions) – Forge & Foster Investment Management

  • Hamilton-based Forge & Foster is establishing tiny home developments across Ontario with the support of Stoney Creek-based True North Tiny Homes.
  • Tiny homes movement is growing in popularity because of soaring Ontario home prices, and environmental consciousness.
  • Tiny homes can be used as both vacation and permanent residence.
  • Developments are in Ontario vacation destinations of Niagara, Huron County, and Kawartha Lakes.
  • Sites will also feature alternative vacation accommodations such as cabins and “glamping.”Hamilton-based Forge & Foster Investment Management is bringing the exciting tiny homes movement to Ontario in a big way.

Working with True North Tiny Homes (also out of Hamilton, ON), Forge & Foster is setting up tiny home and alternative living/vacation accommodations in the beautiful, Ontario vacation destinations of Bluewater (Goderich, Huron County), Jordan Valley (Lincoln, Niagara Region), and Pilgrim’s Rest (Lakefield, Kawartha Lakes), with more to come.

Tiny Homes and True North Tiny Homes

Tiny homes are not just a housing format, but rather an increasingly popular movement to live more simply and with mobility.

The industry has grown substantially in Ontario in the past half-decade, especially in response to soaring real-estate prices and a greater focus on living sustainably.

Tiny Homes can be highly customizable, allowing for greater mobility and potential to live “off the grid,” whether as a temporary living -situation or permanent year-round.

To aid in the development of tiny homes for these alternative living and vacation destinations, Forge & Foster tapped the expertise of Truth North Tiny Homes. Based out of Hamilton Ontario, True North Tiny Homes is the brainchild of Daniel Ott and life-partner JoAnna, the homes are custom built and beautifully designed, with the influence of Ott’s interior décor and design firm, White Willow Design.

With tiny homes starting as low as $100,000, and as costs and standards-of-living change across Canada, many are increasingly moving towards tiny homes for their mobility, sustainability, simplicity, and affordability.

Similarly, many municipalities are responding to this interest by changing by-laws to permit year-round living in tiny home units.

Ontario Tiny Home and Alternative Living/Vacation Resorts

Supporting the growth of the tiny home movement with sites where they can be easily accommodated, in addition to other forms of alternative living/vacation – such as RVs or “glamping” – Forge & Foster has begun to acquire and repurpose former RV and camp resorts across Southern Ontario.

The first three that Forge & Foster are launching this year are: Jordan Valley (located in Niagara’s Lincoln township), Bluewater Village (located in Goderich, Huron County), and Pilgrim’s Rest (Lakefield, Kawartha Lakes), with more currently underway.

All acquired between 2020 and 2021, each site will be revitalized and redesigned to appeal to a higher standard of experience. Specific attention will be paid to amenities and ambience, such as horticultural growing spaces aligned with the surrounding Niagara wine region at Jordan Valley.

On these initiatives, Joe Accardi, CEO of Forge & Foster says:

“Between the pandemic and the current Canadian real-estate market, the past year has drastically shifted both how people live, how they play, and how they explore.

From living more simply, affordably, and sustainably, to getting out and exploring your own backyard – like these beautiful destinations across Ontario – we want to make sure we’re not just ahead of the curve on these trends, but directly driving the opportunities they hold for new and emerging industries.”

Adding to this, Ben Ames, CIO of Forge & Foster adds:

“Cost of living has skyrocketed for younger people.

Couple that unaffordability with the Work From Home movement; people don’t have to live in urban areas.

With wifi access scaling to rural areas, the attraction of a lower cost of living and no sacrifice to quality, we are seeing an incredible amount of demand for a more experience-based way of living.”

About Forge & Foster Investment Management

Forge & Foster is an investment and asset management firm, committed to delivering optimal returns for its investors and partners through inventively restoring and growing communities across southern Ontario.

This is done through unique property-asset investment, development, relationship and business support initiatives, including revisioning spaces, capitalizing on emerging markets and models, and forecasting future trends and opportunities.

Forge & Foster are the masterminds behind projects like the restoration of 1 West Ave. and The Ironwood, two of Hamilton’s premiere, artfully restored, vintage office buildings.

Current initiatives include leading developments in Hamilton’s up-and-coming Innovation District, cultural live-work spaces in the urban centres of each Hamilton, Brantford, Cambridge, and Paris, film industry spaces in Hamilton’s Hollywood North corridor, and tiny-homes projects in the beautiful Niagara, Kawartha Lakes and Goderich/Bluewater regions.

in Editorial, Media Posted by wpengine

Hamilton approves rezoning for 769 unit development at Corktown Plaza

This week witnessed a higher than average volume of transactions take place including a mix of all asset classes. The most expensive transaction this week was for 50 acres of agricultural land, located near Binbrook, in Hamilton for $17,000,000 or $337,435/acre. This could either indicate a future industrial development or speculative future residential development given the existing zoning. Other notable transactions include 117 John St N, which looks to be part of an assembly for the 41 Wilson St acquisition by First Avenue Investment Counsel and Broccolini Construction’s purchase of 10 acres in Cambridge, further cementing their foothold in Southern Ontario. In the news, the city of Hamilton has approved a rezoning application for a  proposed 769 unit, 27, 14 & 8 storey development by Slate Asset Management. Feel free to reach out with any questions regarding the GHA transactions or news.

Update brought to you by: Alex Manojlovich, Forge & Foster Investment Management

 

Please click the “GHA Sales Transaction Database” link below to view the most recent transaction activity.

GHA Sales Transaction Database
Corktown Plaza rezoned for proposed 27 storey development

Hamilton Store Fixtures building approved to be 13 storey condo

Emblem Development’s 1 Jarvis

Nokia & City of Hamilton: Smart City Innovations

Creativity and collaboration meet at Millworks

Fed’s, Province and LiUNA close to aligning on Hamilton LRT deal

Ontario plans to expand Greenbelt to include Paris, Galt Moraine and others

Toronto condos including co-working spaces

How Canada’s real estate market defied expectations

Jobs lost in 2020 hit workers with wages below Canadian average 

Canada’s life sciences sector needs more lab space

Altus Group National State of the Market 

Home renovation boom sends lumber prices to record price

Toronto set to be home to e-sports performance venue by 2025

With demise of mobile home parks in Kelowna, affordable home ownership slips away for many 

If you’re looking to keep your finger on the pulse of all Hamilton residential and commercial real estate projects and trends, subscribe to Forge & Foster’s free weekly newsletter here!

in Editorial, Thought Leadership Posted by wpengine

MIP leading the way for Hamilton’s surging innovation district

Brought to you by Forge & Foster Investment Management.

While Pier 8, the Hamilton airport, and the proposed film district have each received much-deserved attention when it comes to major redevelopment projects in Hamilton, another key area in the city’s future is quietly being assembled under the name West Hamilton Innovation District.

The scale of this district is massive and with its ambition comes the potential of becoming Hamilton’s next economic powerhouse.

Located right off the Highway 403 ramps, the West Hamilton Innovation District is split into two main components: McMaster Innovation Park & the Annex.

As the name would suggest, the McMaster Innovation Park side primarily consists of buildings from McMaster University including the McMaster Innovation Park Atrium, McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC), and the recently acquired Westinghouse Corporation factory.

Ty Shattuck, CEO of McMaster Innovation Park, referred to their portion of the West Hamilton Innovation District as a 2.8 million square foot Life Sciences ‘MegaHub’.

A long-awaited road connection of Frid Street to Longwood Road will unite McMaster Innovation Park with the rest of the innovative companies operating on the other side of Frid Street, aka the Annex, which is nearly entirely powered by investment management group Forge & Foster.

The result will be an innovation supercentre that will truly encourage collaboration between industry and academia.

With the enormous amount of activity anticipated for this district, we’ve highlighted the anchor buildings and businesses leading the charge in the West Hamilton Innovation District.

 The Atrium

The Atrium was MIP’s first multi-tenant building and is located in the only remaining office building that was part of Camco’s nearly century old manufacturing plant. The Atrium was the first structure in the master plan that showcased what this area could become.

This building now houses over 114 tenants, ranging from start-up companies and accelerators to research labs.

One of the tenants, Fusion Pharmaceuticals, recently made national headlines having received US $105 million from international investors for its cancer treatment clinical trials. That funding is on top of earlier investments of $46 million, making it the largest single investment ever in a Canadian startup.

 Hyatt House

A new six-storey Hyatt hotel located right off of Longwood has been highlighted as priority in order to offer visitors opportunities to stay on site while they are attending conferences or supporting the launch of a new business. The proposed hotel will contain 144 units.

 MARC

This existing building is known as the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre, or MARC for short, and it’s one of Canada’s leading research facilities based around electric and hybrid vehicles.

The 90,000 sqft, two-floor building allows for both collaborative and private spaces to develop, design, and test hybrid technology. Plans for the area call for greater expansion into the parking lot behind the building.

 New office buildings

Two 4-storey office buildings will be located south of Frid Street.

Gowlings law firm has publicly announced that they are anchoring one of the buildings in a move to “strengthen [Gowlings’] ability to enhance strategic partnerships by staying close to those who are driving progress – the researchers, the engineers, the designers.”

 CCRM Building

Late last year, CCRM announced that they had signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to partner in the development of a biomanufacturing campus at MIP focused on regenerative medicine-based technologies and cell and gene therapies.

The new building is envisioned to be Canada’s largest and most advanced Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO).

 Building 606 and Glass Warehouse

One of the largest adaptive reuse projects in the city will see the former Westinghouse Corporation factory site turned into a creative and collaborative work space.

Currently called Building 606 and Glass Warehouse, this 350,000-square-foot project will be flooded with natural light and effectively act as the heart of the new McMaster Innovation Park campus.

 

 

 New parking garage

The influx of people to the area necessitates more than just surface parking. As such, a parking garage containing 550 spots will be constructed.

 44 Frid St

After purchasing the former Hamilton Spectator HQ for $25.75 million, McMaster announced last March that it plans to turn the building into a life sciences innovation megahub, having already landed their first tenant.

Laurentis Energy Partners, a subsidiary of Ontario Power Generation, will be operating out of the building for at least two years as part of a research collaboration with MIP to advance nuclear energy innovations.

Expect lots of groundbreaking work to come out of this building over the coming decades.

 ANNEX70

Neighbouring the former Hamilton Spectator building, 70 Frid St contains a collection of buildings and businesses that have been servicing Hamilton for the past several years such as Gravity Climbing Gym.

With the growth of MIP, innovative businesses such as North Marketing Solutions and m-Health Solutions are beginning to call the ANNEX home.

ANNEX70 also possesses 5 acres of vacant land for future development.

 ANNEX150

Located at 150 Chatham St, ANNEX150 mostly consists of a single-storey 44,000 square foot flex building, along with a three-storey 35,000 square foot brick-and-beam building.

Similar to ANNEX70, 150 Chatham St is also witnessing a renaissance of knowledge economy people and businesses that are looking to participate in the exciting community growing from the WHID, including Mabel’s Labels.

Earlier in 2020, Hamilton’s own Lester Coloma produced an engaging mural celebrating the budding scientific change developing at the ANNEX.

 LRT Storage Facility

Metrolinx acquired this 14.5 acre property in 2019 as the future site of the Hamilton LRT Operations, Maintenance, and Storage Facility (OMSF).

While the LRT’s future is uncertain, the City of Hamilton’s website states that “Metrolinx and the City are working collaboratively with McMaster University to ensure the facility fits well into their vision and master plan for the area.”

In summary, West Hamilton Innovation District is poised for huge redevelopment over the coming decades and will become one of Hamilton’s strongest sources for job growth. The number of diverse companies, innovation, and research that will be concentrated into this district is staggering.

We are very confident that this new district will become a national player for Canada and we couldn’t be happier that it’s happening right here in Hamilton, Ontario.

Read the article on the Urbanicity website here.

If you’re looking to keep your finger on the pulse of all Hamilton residential and commercial real estate projects and trends, subscribe to Forge & Foster’s free weekly newsletter here!

Header image courtesy of McMaster Innovation Park.

in Editorial, Urbanicity Article Posted by wpengine

Toronto’s Hollywood North expanding in all directions

BY: WALLACE IMMEN
SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL

It’s lights, cameras and action – everywhere. While just a few months ago, it appeared COVID-19 was forcing a wrap for the film industry, there’s now so much demand for production space that studios are expanding, and new ones are being built in all corners of the Greater Toronto Area.

“What the pandemic did was force a pause in production, but we have not altered course on our expansion plans,” says Geoff Grant, general manager of Pinewood Toronto Studios, which is majority owned by Bell Media. Studio clients aren’t changing their plans either; “We’re bursting at the seams and turning away viable productions because of the lack of space available.”

READ MORE >>

in Editorial Posted by wpengine

How has Hamilton’s commercial real estate held up in 2020?

Brought to you by Forge & Foster Investment Management.

It isn’t news to anyone at this point, but 2020 hasn’t been the greatest year for a wide variety of business ventures.

Lockdowns, closures, restrictions, and uncertainties have done a number on countless Hamilton residents, institutions, businesses, and enterprises; and though a vaccine is poised to eventually mitigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we aren’t out of the woods just yet.

However, in spite of the considerable struggles of this year and a number of heartbreaking local closures, Hamilton has nonetheless seen the steady birth of numerous new businesses and a continuing rise in the investment in commercial real estate within the city, despite a downward trend when the pandemic first touched the city back in March.

To learn more about it from the inside, I spoke to Alex Manojlovich, Strategy & Acquisition Associate at Hamilton real estate investment firm Forge & Foster.

Here is what Alex had to say about the state of commercial real estate in Hamilton for 2020.

What is your opinion on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the commercial real estate market? 

Alex: From the outset of the pandemic in March and April, Hamilton witnessed the volume of commercial real estate (CRE) transactions dwindle, but it didn’t take long to ramp back up in the summer and fall months.

Initially, there was a lot of uncertainty and some skepticism, especially with businesses facing restrictions stemming from COVID-19, but the government’s fiscal policies and programs have done a good job so far of floating most local business and subsequently associated CRE value.

Thankfully, we are currently seeing a stable market for the most part.

Are there any specific trends in commercial real estate you’ve noticed this year?

Alex: This year, we’ve seen massive demand for the multi-residential and industrial asset classes and a decline in retail. We’d been witnessing this trend before COVID-19 struck, and it’s only been exacerbated now due to social distancing measures. Not just Hamilton, but all of Ontario is still facing an affordability crisis for residential living, so demand for overall living space has remained strong.

I’ve noticed a bifurcation of the industrial asset class. On one hand, the demand of e-commerce has accelerated the need for distribution, fulfillment, and overall warehousing; something Hamilton’s currently witnessing at the Hamilton Airport with the Panattoni, Amazon, and DHL developments.

On the other hand, smaller industrial spaces that once may have been a car garage or paint shop are now catching the eye of general employment and are transforming into “flex” spaces. Breweries, tech companies, retail businesses, office users, and more are looking to these spaces mainly because industrial units possess more affordable rents.

As the need for a brick and mortar retail space declines and the necessity of an online presence rises, owning a retail space on a traditional high street for triple the rental rate of an industrial space isn’t as vital. I believe in-person retail will survive, but will be buoyed by local neighbourhoods in high density areas.

To me, office space is the big question mark. The appetite for it has been paused as the work-from-home movement has produced a murky future for the necessity of office space. However, it’s my opinion that offices will be fine for the most part, as people still value social in-person interaction. It’s also great to see office developments in the core progressing, specifically Core Urban’s Olympia Club and Effort Trust’s office on the corner of Hughson Street and King Street East at Gore Park.

I’m personally getting drained by Zoom meetings and I think most people are feeling similarly and will welcome a return to some face to face time. That said, it’s my belief that the current experience of working from home will open the door for greater flexibility in the future for employees.

What were some of the biggest acquisitions of the quarter?

Alex: Overall, Hamilton’s commercial real estate market for the third quarter witnessed over $322 million transact — one of the largest quarterly volumes we’ve seen in the last several years.

The largest transaction this past quarter was by InterRent REIT’s acquisition of three multi-residential towers: 600 John Street North, 35 Brock Street and 100 Main Street East (Landmark Place) for $27 million, $33 million and $76 million respectively. 600 John Street North and 35 Brock Street are located near Pier 8, and 100 Main Street East is kitty corner to the upcoming Royal Connaught developments so overall, all three assets are located in what’s presumed to be high growth areas of Hamilton.

Another notable acquisition this past quarter was 1842 King Street East, better known as Brock University’s Hamilton campus, for $11,250,000 by builder New Horizon Development Group. Given the history of the purchaser and the price point of $1.6 million per acre, it fits to be a future low rise residential development.

What area of development in Hamilton has you most excited?

Alex: There’s a lot to be excited about! The airport has attracted large suitors, some I mentioned before and some of which have not yet been publicly revealed. Downtown Hamilton is finally witnessing cranes in the air for Cobalt, Kiwi, and Platinum Condos and many more projects are in the pipeline.

However, for me, the most exciting area is the West Hamilton Innovation District (WHID), which is the McMaster Innovation Park (MIP) and Frid/Chatham Street lands (see header image). To the best of my knowledge, this is the only area of the city zoned for M1 – Research and Development, which permits tech and innovative uses and we’re subsequently witnessing fantastic growth in this regard.

MIP is a huge success story for the city and continues to grow with the purchase of the former Hamilton Spectator building, the intentions for 606 Aberdeen and Gowlings new office, and most recently their massive partnership with CCRM to construct a global biotech campus that “will be the first of its kind in the world“.

MIP tenant Fusion Pharmaceuticals has received over $150 USD million from international investors for its cancer treatment clinical trials. And if the LRT project ever kicks off, the WHID will also be home to the Operations, Maintenance and Storage Facility. It’s fantastic to see world leading innovation and development occurring in Hamilton and it’s only going to continue to grow.

Finally, how can people stay informed on Hamilton’s latest commercial real estate news? 

Alex: If people are interested in staying in touch on the Hamilton commercial real estate market, we create a weekly email newsletter that highlights the latest transactions, relevant news, trends and developments. The subscription link can be found here.

Feel free to reach out to me personally at alex.manojlovich@forgeandfoster.ca

Read the article on the Urbanicity website here.

in Urbanicity Article Posted by wpengine

Hollywood in Hamilton: Massive movie studio planned for West Harbour will open first building in February

By Matthew Van DongenSpectator Reporter

Hamilton’s west harbour film studio will begin making movie magic in February — to start, inside one of the city’s oldest manufacturing sites.

Aeon Studio Group trumpeted plans back in June 2019 to build a 14-acre film and TV production hub paired with a “live-work” development atop city-owned lands that were originally bulldozed for a failed stadium plan.

The COVID pandemic slowed environmental studies on the properties bounded by Queen, Tiffany and Barton streets and the land remains in taxpayer hands. In fact, the city even bought another area parcel for $3.5 million at the height of the first pandemic lockdown in April.

But the film consortium announced Wednesday that the “first decisive step” toward the Hollywood North dream — now called Aeon Bayfront Studios — will open for business Feb. 1 across the street from its planned mixed-use development, in the current home of AVL Manufacturing at 243 Queen St. N.

The size of the planned sound stage and studio space will be “a first of its kind for Hamilton,” said Aeon partner Jeff Anders, pointing to the 80,000-square-foot building’s 50-foot-tall ceilings and dedicated paint shop. “We are planting a big flag to turn (international) industry attention to this city.”

The Queen Street North factory recently churned out modified shipping containers for use as mobile COVID medical triage units. AVL head Vince DiCristofaro told The Spectator he is relocating his Queen Street operations and 100 workers to another factory on Sherman Avenue.

“We’re staying in Hamilton and more employment is moving in here, so it’s a real win-win for the city,” said DiCristofaro, who plans to sell the property to Aeon and its local real estate partner, Forge and Foster. The 7.5-acre property has had a factory on it since Great Western Railway rerolled worn out rails there in 1861. Now, it will be making movies.

Hamilton hands out 800 filming permits a year — including to well-known productions like “The Umbrella Academy” — but has been criticized for a lack of stage and postproduction space. The city markets itself as the third-largest “film cluster” in Canada, estimating 9,000 people worked in the industry.

AEON Studio Group partner Mike Bruce said, "There are only a few facilities in southern Ontario that can cater to productions requiring large ... stages with high ceilings and significant outdoor space,"

At full build-out, the film hub is supposed to add 1,000-plus new jobs. Aeon partner Mike Bruce said more than 100 people could work out of the first building at any one time. Aeon also plans to offer a film shoot location service for Hamilton.

The building still has to be retrofitted, but Ander said building tours for prospective tenants will begin soon.

Anders said work also continues on a purchase and development agreement with the city for the 14 acres of barren land across the road. No timeline or purchase price has been made public, so far.

Coun. Jason Farr expressed confidence Wednesday the new studio building shows the consortium is committed to following through on the larger west harbour development. “I think success breeds success,” he said Wednesday. “Hopefully this provides the financial impetus to grow and expand across the street.”

Hamilton originally bought 20 homes and businesses a decade ago in the Barton-Tiffany block for a planned West Harbour football stadium that ended up being built elsewhere. Over time, taxpayers have spent around $13 million on those and more recent land purchases in the area.

Matthew Van Dongen is a Hamilton-based reporter covering transportation for The Spectator. Reach him via email: mvandongen@thespec.com

in Editorial, Thought Leadership Posted by wpengine
Construction

Residential highrise market looking up in downtown Hamilton

A survey of residential construction in downtown Hamilton published this month reveals a very healthy market for highrises 20 storeys and up in the sector.

Research by commercial real estate investment firm Forge and Foster determined there are six projects of that height currently under construction in and near the downtown and 10 more either approved, in permitting or in pre-construction.

Forge and Foster is not involved in the residential new-build market, Manojlovich explained, rather it specializes in value-added projects — identifying neglected low-rise buildings and securing the financing needed for rebuilds. It is one of the few commercial real estate investment firms based in Hamilton, so it keeps informed on trends in all sectors, he said.“Everyone has their opinion on density and heights, but it is encouraging to see, especially in the downtown core which has been an underutilized area for quite some time. It is fantastic to see the growth,” commented Alex Manojlovich, an associate involved in strategy and acquisition with the firm.

“We have really noticed a boom in the past five years,” he said of residences in the downtown, noting that Hamilton has benefited from Toronto’s status as one of the fastest-growing cities in North America.

“The underlying theme is that Hamilton is a mid-sized city, you still get that city vibe and the lifestyle that you get by living in downtown,” he said, comparing Toronto to Hamilton. “People are recognizing now you can achieve somewhat of that lifestyle in Hamilton for virtually double the space and half the rent. That is why you are seeing the allure of Hamilton.”

Of course, the pandemic has changed a lot.

Manojlovich noted that with uncertainty over the future of the office and retail sectors, and immigration to the GTA down, and other factors, the demand for high-density residences in downtown Toronto is trending to cool down. But he is not seeing that in Hamilton, he said, and he has not heard that any developers of the upcoming crop of downtown highrise projects are backing away.

“You are seeing the opposite happening here,” he said of the Toronto trend. “You are seeing the migration from Toronto looking at the 905 region, and you are actually seeing in Hamilton slight bumps in rental values. So that shows where people are coming in from. That shows how stable our market is in Hamilton.”

Below are residential projects 20 storeys and up either underway or in the planning stages for downtown Hamilton as reported by Forge and Foster early in November:

 

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

  • Platinum Condominiums, 15 Queen St. S., 282 units, 24 storeys, Coletara Development, completion expected 2021, under construction
  • 354 King St. W., 25 storeys and 12 storeys, Vrancor Group, completion expected 2023, under construction
  • 154 Main St E, 267 units, 25 storeys, Vrancor Group, completion expected 2021, under construction
  • Cobalt, King St. E., King William Street and Hughson Street, two 30-storey towers, 525 units, LIUNA, under construction
  • McMaster Graduate Residence, 191 King St. W., 644 beds, 30 storeys, Knightstone Capital, completion expected 2023, under construction
  • Marquee Residence, 20 George St., 203 units, 32 storeys, Vrancor Group, near completion

 

PRE CONSTRUCTION/PERMITTING STAGE

  • Beasley Park Lofts, 134 Mary St., 366 units, 20 storeys, Stinson Developments, completion expected 2023, pre-construction
  • Television City, 163 Jackson St. W., 642 units, two 32-storey towers, Lamb Development, approved
  • Hamilton City Centre, 77 James St. N., 2,068 units, three 30-storey towers and one 24-storey tower, IN8 Developments, under review
  • 71 Rebecca, 437 units, 30 storeys, Sonoma Development Group, under review
  • 235 Main St. W., 331 units, 23 storeys, Belmont Equity, under review
  • 41-61 Wilson St. E., 962 units, three 29-storey towers, Parcel Developments, under review
  • The Connolly, 98 James St. S., 315 units, 30 storeys, Hue Developments and LCH Developments, under review
  • Corktown Plaza Tower, 225 John St. S., 769 units, two towers of 27 and 14 storeys, Slate Asset Management, under review
  • Metro Condominiums, 307 John St. S., 773 units, three towers of 22, 24 and 25 storeys, Spallacci and Sons, under review
  • Royal Connaught Phase 3, 112 King St. E., 36 storeys, Spallacci Homes, under review

 

Follow the author on Twitter @DonWall_DCN.

in Editorial, Thought Leadership Posted by wpengine
Photo of Hamilton's upcoming tower projects

A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF HAMILTON’S UPCOMING TOWER PROJECTS

Brought to you by Forge & Foster Investment Management.

If you’ve noticed an uptick of cranes in the downtown core, you’re not alone.

In recent years, Hamilton has attracted the talents of many developers – both local and international – who will be adding some much-needed density to Downtown and the surrounding area.

Below is a list of noteworthy projects coming to Hamilton’s lower city as of October 2020. Towers outside of the lower city have been excluded from this list.

Kiwi Condos

Location: 212 King William St, Hamilton
Size: 266 units
Height: 14 storeys
Developer: Rosehaven Homes
Completion: 2023
Current status: Under construction
More info

Platinum Condominiums

Location: 15 Queen Street S, Hamilton
Size: 282 units
Height: 24 storeys
Developer: Coletara Development
Completion:  2021
Current status: Under construction
More info

Beasley Park Lofts

Location: 134 Mary Street, Hamilton
Size: 366 units
Height: 20 storeys
Developer: Stinson Developments
Completion: 2023
Current status: Pre-construction
More info

354 King St W

Location: 354 King St W, Hamilton
Height: 25 storeys & 12 storeys
Developer: Vrancor Group
Completion: 2023
Current status: Under construction
More info

154 Main St E

Location: 154 Main Street E, Hamilton
Size: 267 units
Height: 25 storeys
Developer: Vrancor Group
Completion: 2021
Current status: Under construction
More info

Gore Park Lofts

Location: King St E & Catharine St
Size: 40 units
Height: 6 Storeys
Developer: Scholar Properties Ltd. and The Effort Group
Completion: 2021
Current status: Under construction
More info

Cobalt

Location: The block fronting King St E, King William St & Hughson St
Height: Two 30-storey towers
Size: 525 units
Developer: LiUNA
Current status: Under construction
More info

McMaster Graduate Residence

Location: 191 King Street W, Hamilton
Size: 644 beds
Height: 30 storeys
Developer: Knightstone Capital
Completion: 2023
Current status: Under construction
More info

Television City

Location: 163 Jackson Street W, Hamilton
Size: 642 units
Height: Two 32-storey towers
Developer: Lamb Development Corp.
Current status: Approved
More info

Locke Street Lofts

Location: 85 Poulette Street, Hamilton
Size:  27 units
Height: 4 storeys
Developer: Dawn Victoria Homes
Current status: Under construction
More info

282 MacNab Street North

Location: 282 MacNab Street N, Hamilton
Size: 89 units
Height: 10 storeys
Developer: St. Jean Properties Inc. and Durand Development Corporation
Current status: Approved
More info

Hamilton City Centre

Location: 77 James St N, Hamilton
Size: 2,068 units
Height: Three 30-storey towers and one 24-storey tower
Developer: IN8 Developments
Current status: Under review
More info

71 Rebecca

Location: 71 Rebecca St, Hamilton
Size: 437 units
Height: 30 storeys
Developer: Sonoma Development Group Inc
Current status: Under review
More info

235 Main St W

Location: 235 Main St W, Hamilton
Size: 331 units
Height: 23 storeys
Developer: Belmont Equity
Current status: Under review
More info

1 Jarvis

Location: 1 Jarvis St, Hamilton
Size: 375 units
Height: 14 storeys
Developer: Emblem Developments
Current status: Under review
More info

41-61 Wilson St E

Location: 41-61 Wilson St E, Hamilton
Size: 962 units
Height: Three 29-storey towers
Developer: Parcel Developments
Current status: Under review
More info

The Connolly

Location: 98 James St S, Hamilton
Size: 315 units
Height: 30 storeys
Developer: Hue Developments and LCH Developments
Current status: Under review
More info

Corktown Plaza Tower

Location: 225 John St S, Hamilton
Size: 769 units
Height: Two towers of 27 & 14 storeys
Developer: Slate Asset Management
Current status: Under review
More info

Metro Condominiums

Location: 307 John St S, Hamilton
Size: 773 units
Height: Three towers of 22, 24 & 25 storeys
Developer: Spallacci & Sons Ltd.
Current status: Under review
More info

Jamesville Lofts

Location: 15 Cannon St W, Hamilton
Size: 40 units
Height: 6 storeys
Developer: Areacor Developments
Current status: Under construction
More info

The House Theatre

Location: 434 King St W, Hamilton
Size: 9 units
Height: 6 storeys
Developer: Lyrical Investments Inc.
Current status: Proposed
More info

Onyx Condos

Location: 17 Ewen Road, Hamilton
Height: 10 storeys
Developer: Coletara Development
Current status: Under review
More info

McMaster Undergraduate Student Residence

Location: Main Street West & Traymore Avenue, Hamilton
Height: 15 storeys
Developer: Knightstone Capital
Completion: 2024
Current status: Under construction
More info

1107 Main Street West

Location: 1107 Main Street W, Hamilton
Size: 310 units
Height: 15 storeys
Developer: IN8 Developments
Current status: Under review
More info

Columbia International College Student Residence

Location: 925 Main Street W, Hamilton
Size: 456 units / 910 beds
Height: Two 15-storey towers
Developer: Plaza Imports Limited
Current status: Under review
More info

600 James St N

Location: 600 James St N, Hamilton
Size: 55 units
Height: 8 storeys
Developer: Pinemount Holdings Ltd.
Current status: Under review
More info

16 Cannon St E

Location: 16 Cannon St E, Hamilton
Size: 134 units
Height: 16 storeys
Developer: Birch Tree Developments (16 Cannon) GP Inc.
Current status: Under review
More info

Royal Connaught Phase 3

Location: 112 King St E, Hamilton
Height: 36 storeys
Developer: Spallacci Homes
Current status: Under review
More info

Effort Trust Offices

Location: 46-50 King Street E, Hamilton
Height: 6 storeys
Developer: The Effort Group
Current status: Under construction
More info

Gore Block Apartments

Location: 18-30 King St E, Hamilton
Height: Five buildings, each of 5 storeys
Developer: Wilson Blanchard Management
Current status: Under review
More info

Royal Oak Dairy

Location: 225 and 247 East Ave N Hamilton
Size: 95 units
Height: Six storeys
Developer: Indwell
Current status: Preconstruction
More info

James & Strachan

Location: 225 and 247 East Ave N, Hamilton
Size: 113 units
Height: Six storeys
Developer: Indwell
Current status: Preconstruction
More info

The Brockton

Location: 117 Forest Ave & 175 Catharine St S, Hamilton
Size: 78 units & seven 3-storey townhouse units
Height: 10 storeys
Developer: The Effort Group
Current status: Under review
More info

Barton & Wellington

Location: Barton St E & Wellington St N, Hamilton
Size: 79 units
Height: 7 storeys
Developer: 467052 Ontario Limited, c/o Steven Joyce
Current status: Under review
More info

77 Leland

Location: 77 Leland St, Hamilton
Size: 124 units
Height: 5 storeys
Developer: Prica Global Enterprises Inc.
Current status: Near completion
Completion: 2021
More info

Marquee Residence

Location: 20 George St, Hamilton
Size: 203 units
Height: 32 storeys
Developer: Vrancor Group
Current status: Near Completion
More info

Vista Condos

Location: 467 Charlton Avenue E, Hamilton
Size: 153 units
Height: Three towers of 6, 6 & 5 storeys
Developer: Van Kleef Group
Current status: Near completion
More info

Waterfront Shores

Location: Pier 8, Hamilton
Size: 1,292 units w/ 95,981 sqft of commercial and institutional
Height: 19 buildings varying in height between 4 to 8 storeys
Developer: Waterfront Shores (Cityzen Development, Fernbrook Homes, GFL Environmental)
Current status: Under construction
More info

On the Radar

220 – 222 Main St W
Tivoli Theatre
Beverly Hills Apartment Addition
The Oxford

If you’re looking to keep your finger on the pulse of all Hamilton residential and commercial real estate projects and trends, subscribe to Forge & Foster’s free weekly newsletter here!

Read the full article on the Urbanicity website here.

in Editorial, Urbanicity Article Posted by wpengine
Murals

HAMILTON’S MURAL ARTISTS SEE THE CITY AS THEIR CANVAS

 

Brought to you by Forge & Foster Investment Management.

Like any other urban centre, much of Hamilton’s geography is a sea of blasé building facades, unremarkable cement exteriors, and bare brick walls.

Some locals may see them as little more than the utilitarian structures they are. But for Hamilton’s multitude of muralists and visual artists, they become colossal canvases with limitless creative possibilities.

Today, Hamilton has become a hotspot for countless public murals – from stunning painted landscapes to eye-popping abstract or conceptual renderings – created by a vast variety of local independent artists and art collectives.

“Fox” by Richard Mace

You may have even been lucky enough to stumble upon one of the city’s visual artists at work, balanced on scaffolding and using their tools of the trade to turn drab buildings into one-of-a-kind visual gems with their own unique stories to tell.

One such prolific practitioner is Lester Coloma, a local award-winning mural artist & illustrator and graduate of the Ontario College of Art & Design (OCAD) who’s left his mark on multiple parts of the city. Born and raised right here in the Hammer, Coloma has been an active visual artist since he first picked up a brush and created his first murals in 1996; but his first creative impulses came much earlier.

“Communicating visually was always a strong interest since my early childhood,” says Coloma, adding that his father was one of his first influences in teaching him the fundamentals of composition, proportion, and perspective.

Even if you don’t know Coloma’s name, there’s a good chance you know his eye-catching work. Locals who eat at King William Street’s ever-popular taco restaurant The Mule are readily greeted by some of Coloma’s visual flair with a striking, atmospheric mixed media art piece on the wall featuring painted renderings of man and woman with vibrant sugar skull heads surrounded by blazing halos of light.

“Raise” by Lester Coloma, located at 1 West Ave, Hamilton

Coloma is also one of the creators behind Raise, a gorgeous visual representation of Hamilton’s reputation as an ambitious city built on scrappy hard work. Designed by Coloma’s brother Norman and realized by both artists on the three-storey building at 1 West Avenue South, the towering mural depicts workers hoisting rope to the heavens against a stark white backdrop.

But most recently, Coloma was commissioned by Hamilton’s Forge & Foster to create murals at 400 Wellington Street North and 150 Chatham Street. The former, a Nikola Tesla themed work, was inspired by Tesla’s innovations in electricity supply and Hamilton’s reputation as the first Canadian city to be powered by an electrical grid.

With Coloma’s ambitious concept to “represent Tesla in a Prometheus-like manner,” the mural features grey diagonal shapes wrapping around the building to represent the wires that originally carried electricity to Hamilton from the Decew Falls Generation Station in St. Catharines.

In contrast, Coloma’s mural at 150 Chatham pays homage to local innovation and discovery via the beauty of the city’s more natural elements, capturing the aesthetics of the Bruce Trail and the Chedoke area’s famous waterfalls while depicting images of a forest worker, lab technician, and craft brewer.

Mural by Lester Coloma, located at 150 Chatham, Hamilton

“The added illusion of depth with painted cast shadows gives the plant imagery a lived-in look, harmoniously unifying nature with technology,” explains Coloma.

Of similarly prolific note in Hamilton’s robust street art scene is Richard Mace, the artist behind Street Art Hamilton whose work features prominently at numerous notable locales including the Mexican-inspired murals adorning the walls inside Mezcal Tacos & Tequila and the gangster-themed graffiti within the soon-to-be-open Dukes Pub Pasta & Pizzeria on Barton Street.

Though much of Mace’s art is unmistakable for its vivid and busy bursts of colour, one of his most striking recent works is the minimalist mural art on the exterior of 140 Caroline Street South, now home to the brand new Chantilly Lace Bridal Boutique; and it also happens to be one of Mace’s personal favourites.

“I wanted to create something for the neighbourhood that would lift spirits and inspire optimism,” he explains. “The return of more birds of prey to the Hamilton area in the last 10 years is a remarkable story, and I view their re-emerging as representative of Hamilton’s rebirth and reinvention.”

A stark white background sits under massive monochromatic birds with wings spread in flight, accompanied by typewriter-style typography capturing messages such as ‘I told you that we could fly. We all have wings.’ 

Mural by Richard Mace, located at 140 Caroline St S, Hamilton

This artwork has struck a chord with countless Hamiltonians, including building tenant Chantilly Lace’s owner, Chantel Powley, who commissioned a replica of the outside mural to be painted by Mace on the interior walls of her brand new bridal boutique.

But Coloma and Mace are just two of many examples for Hamilton’s bursting visual art scene. Hamilton public artists, from individuals like Coloma and Mace to collaborative cohorts such as Clear Eyes Collective and Vermillion Sands, aren’t just responsible for brightening up the city’s neighbourhoods; they also help to cultivate local pride and unity.

“Public art and murals can help develop a sense of pride and ownership which, in turn, builds strong communities,” says Coloma. “Many people approach me as I work to convey their feelings of pride and happiness towards the mural. They also relate their personal stories of their first-hand experiences pertaining to their neighbourhood.”

Artwork by Richard Mace

In many ways, the continued rise of street art and mural work in Hamilton feels like a perfect cultural match for the city’s own scrappy, gritty identity.

It brings bursts of colour, local history, and evocative imagery to otherwise blasé and utilitarian storefronts, alleyways, tunnels, residences, restaurants, breweries, and businesses. It chips away at visual art’s most pretentious preconceptions, giving the joy and soulfulness of art to the people of Hamilton in ways that are truly public and fully accessible to anyone.

Hamilton’s public art is loaded with distinct personality. Just like the city itself.

Lead Photo by Robyn Gillam

If you’re looking to keep your finger on the pulse of all Hamilton residential and commercial real estate projects and trends, subscribe to Forge & Foster’s free weekly newsletter here!

Read the full article on the Urbanicity website here.

in Editorial, Urbanicity Article Posted by wpengine

The Hamilton condo boom has arrived

The below article was originally written in Urbanicity, a Hamilton-based news outlet, by Robert Cekan as part of a series of sponsored articles focused on the future of Hamilton and the ambitious city builders continuing its urban resurgence.

The Toronto condo boom that started in the 90’s has made its way to Hamilton.

For the past three years, Hamilton has seen an explosion in its demand for condominiums, both new and old.

According to data from the REALTORS® Association of Hamilton-Burlington (RAHB), since September 2017 the average price of apartment-style properties have increased from $290,575 to $377,004. That increase is equal to 22.9%, which is significant for a Hamilton real estate class that has seen very modest growth for the past two decades.

While this data is a strong indicator of the overall trend toward apartment-style living, what it fails to account for are the sales figures of pre-construction condominiums yet to be completed. This is because the data from RAHB almost exclusively deals with resale properties.

In the Hamilton region, there are at minimum 19 apartment-style condominium projects actively being constructed or selling. There are at least 7 more similar projects currently in registration.

From a city whose skyline has remained unchanged since the 1970s, the 2020s will be the decade Hamilton finally grows tall.

Much of the initial demand for increased housing in Hamilton began in the mid-2010s from Toronto-based families who were priced out of their local market.

As immigration fueled and continues to fuel steady demand for the Toronto metropolitan area, the fastest growing metropolitan area and city in North America, a spillover into surrounding communities forced many residents to travel down the QEW for a price and location better suited to their lifestyle.

The COVID-19 pandemic’s rise in work-from-home offices has opened up many new housing options for those that have GTA-based jobs who no longer feel the need to live close to their workplace. GTA homeowners are using the opportunity to cash out and relocate to nearby cities where their dollar goes farther.

For renters paying over $2,000 per month in rent for a one-bedroom apartment, Hamilton’s average price of $1,500 for the same one-bedroom is mighty attractive when commuting to work is a non-factor.

When looking at Golden Horseshoe cities that offer a lifestyle that’s similar to Toronto, the City of Hamilton truly stands out. It offers historical charm, a vibrant restaurant scene, nightlife, rec centres — all amenities Torontonians are used to and would expect, just on a smaller scale.

Hamilton is also home to the Niagara Escarpment, which has created a network of trails, waterfalls, and outdoor amenities — features many residents of the GTA find persuasive after living amongst busy streets of concrete and glass.

But as is the case of all growing cities, there comes a time when demand exceeds supply and the notion of everyone owning a detached home is no longer feasible. Limited land and the need to be in close proximity to amenities necessitates high-density towers. There’s no way around it — condominium towers are the best answer in accommodating the swaths of incoming residents to Hamilton.

When asked why condo living has become so popular, Rudi Spallacci Jr., Project Manager of Spallacci Group and developer behind the Residences of the Royal Connaught, said that he believes people are looking at ways they can simplify their lives.

“I believe some people like the convenience of not having to maintain and clean their own yards, I believe some people enjoy having amenities at their doorsteps (gyms, theatre room, party room, outdoor skydeck) without having to drive to those amenities if they live in a home,” said Spallacci. “Not having to drive long distances to run errands or do the things you enjoy simplifies a person’s life.”

On a price per square foot basis – the most commonly used metric of an apartment’s value – the argument is even more compelling.

As of September 1st 2020, there are exactly 247 condominiums in Toronto with an average price per square foot of $1,000 or higher with average prices maxing out at $1,876 per square foot.

Now compare that to Hamilton where the most expensive condominium – 101 Locke Condos – sell on average at just over $800 per square foot, according to recent RAHB stats. This building in particular began its occupancy mid-2019, making it a healthy benchmark for luxury apartments in Hamilton.

The GTA area as a whole averaged $1,108 per square foot in 2019, for comparison. That may indicate that Hamilton is severely underpriced relative to it’s 416-area code counterparts.

In Hamilton, the stretch of King Street E between Wellington Street and James Street has particularly caught the attention of many developers. Along this corridor (or very nearby) can be found the construction sites of KiWi Condos and 1 Jarvis right beside it (currently in review), Residences of the Royal Connaught Phases 3, 4 and 5, Cobalt Towers, Gore Park Lofts, and The Connolly.

Further west at the corner of King & Queen Streets is the site of Coletara’s new 24-storey Platinum Condominiums with Vrancor’s new hotel and residential complex located at the opposite corner. South of this site is Brad J. Lamb’s upcoming Television City condos on the site of the former CHCH headquarters, originally planned to be a 40-storey and 30-storey tower, now revised to be two twin 32-storey towers.

Over the course of the next decade, a community at Pier 8 will slowly take the shape of the winning development Waterfront Shores, which will completely overhaul the city’s waterfront premiere waterfront destination to an area filled with residential, commercial, and recreation all in one. The plans call for 1,292 condo units including 65 affordable housing units spread across 20 buildings. The harbourside community will have themed street-level retail while ensuring that each building is architecturally diverse.

Toronto has set a high watermark for how expensive condos can rise, and as more people discover the amazing quality of life Hamilton has to offer, it won’t be long until we too pass that $1,000 per square foot benchmark.

If you’re looking to keep your finger on the pulse of all Hamilton residential and commercial real estate projects and trends, subscribe to Forge & Foster’s free weekly newsletter here!

Author: Robert Cekan
Editor-in-chief: Robert Cekan
https://urbanicity.com/

What is Urbanicity?
We are Hamilton’s community hub, publishing news you can use and curating Hamilton’s best local activities. Use Urbanicity to discover everything the city has to offer and make Hamilton truly feel like home

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Read the full article on the Urbanicity website here.

in Editorial, Urbanicity Article Posted by wpengine

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