Plan for 45-storey waterfront tower in Hamilton moves ahead; public consultation set for March

A 45-storey waterfront tower designed by famed architect Bruce Kuwabara took a step closer to fruition Tuesday, with Hamilton city council's planning committee agreeing on a process to move it forward — despite some local objections it will block sight lines of the water, be incompatible with nearby industry and set a precedent for tall buildings that could turn the local waterfront into the "plugged" skylines of Toronto and Burlington.

The tower would be located in the northwest corner of the parcel of Pier 8 being developed into a new community, partially covering the land that is currently the skating rink parking lot. Kuwabara, who grew up in the North End neighbourhood where the development is located, told the committee that a 30-storey tower is expected to abut the taller building on that parcel of land.

"I am determined this is going to be a very good building," he said, describing an aerodynamic cylinder where designers "distinguish the top [and] really articulate the shaft… One of the things I am committed to is comfort in the pedestrian realm. It's a very windy site."

The towers are part of a larger development across the pier that will see a total of 1,645 dwellings built in a new community between Guise Street and the Hamilton Harbour. If the 45 storeys are approved – a decision the committee will finalize down the road – that will make space for more family-sized units of two bedrooms or larger across the development, said James Webb, a land-use planner working with the city and Kuwabara's firm KPMB on the project.

If approved, the building would become the tallest in Hamilton. Downtown apartment building Landmark Place has 43 storeys and sits at a slightly higher elevation, so the new building will in fact appear to be two metres lower.

Walking councillors through his firm's preliminary designs, including some models showing what the tower would look like from different parts of the city, Kuwabara said it would be visible from places including the Royal Botanical Gardens, Sam Lawrence Park, Lasalle Park in Burlington, and the McQuesten and Skyway bridges. "My hope is that through this process [we achieve] something that would be enduring; a marker; something you could look to."

Kuwabara's past local work includes the redesigns of the Hamilton Art Gallery and McMaster University's James Stewart Centre for Mathematics. His firm's work has received numerous Governor General's Awards for architecture.

The next step of the process includes a public information session on March 8 and design review panels, expected to be held on March 10 and April 27, according to the city. Participants will be asked to weigh in on three design options, providing feedback that will be rolled into the final design set to go before council in the fall.

Ward 2 Coun. Jason Farr says he's pleased to see the enhanced public engagement process for this building, which will take citizen input before the design is finalized. In an email to CBC Hamilton, Farr called the proposed tower a "unique and history-making concept from a world renowned architect who grew up a few blocks away. I'm intrigued by the plot-line so far and this will no doubt lead to some robust North End engagement."

In the meeting, he said he expected the proposal for the landmark building to generate discussion. 

"There will be a lot of tall-tower talk… not just in the North End but throughout the city."

The idea of such a massive building on the waterfront isn't sitting well with everyone. Guise Street resident Tal Srulovicz wrote to the committee, saying the building would impede waterfront views, cast shade on the neighbourhood and bring unwanted traffic to area streets.

"I  would like to understand why the city has completely forgotten about the residents of Guise St. – people that have been living along the waterfront for years," reads Srulovicz's letter. 

"The interference with the enjoyment of our property has been completely neglected as part of this redevelopment… Please understand that I am not opposed to developing the waterfront, making it more beautiful and more commercial. I understand that this is important for the city. However, in the process of this redevelopment, the residents of Guise St. have been overlooked."