Corktown highrises to replace plaza’s ‘sea of parking’

A developer plans to transform a sea of parking" at Corktown Plaza into a 769-unit residential complex with retail offerings.

But local residents are concerned a grocery store will be left out of a mix that involves three buildings of 27 storeys, 14 storeys and eight storeys.

When the John Street South plaza is demolished, the local Hasty Market and coin laundry will go with it.

Noting Corktown is barren" when it comes to grocery options, Coun. Jason Farr asked Slate Asset Management representatives Tuesday if they could commit to a micro-grocery store."

It's very difficult to commit to anything that's five or six years out," vice-president Steven Dejonckheere told the planning committee.

But they are valuable amenities" for the community and the firm, Dejonckheere said.

Slate's initial pitch in 2018 included two buildings - 34 and 31 storeys - and left room for a full-sized grocery store, which Corktown residents had identified as a priority.

But a reconfigured design after back-and-forth with city planning staff landed on three buildings and less retail space.

I am very dependent on the grocery store in Corktown Plaza. Corktown is rather a food desert, with few grocery stores and not many affordable restaurants," Rev. Terry Brown wrote in a letter to councillors.

Farr said the plaza isn't the prettiest block" in the downtown area, but many Corktown residents make use of it.

Stuart Hastings, a planning consultant working with Slate, said the project will result in a more pedestrian-friendly" space than the sea of parking" at the one-storey strip mall.

The site right now is extremely automotive oriented," Hastings said. There's nothing really about the site that addresses the pedestrian realm."

The development will have about 930 square metres of commercial space that's close to the street rather than separated by a big parking lot, he noted.

The plan calls for 462 underground parking spaces and 385 long-term bike spaces.

Residents will live by bus routes, the Hunter Street GO station and the bike lanes that lead up to it, Hastings noted.

The landscape envisions street trees, pedestrian pathways between buildings and rooftop amenities.

Bricks from two Victorian-era houses on the parking lot are to be incorporated into the future buildings.

This is a much better utilization of a square block in the heart of downtown," Farr said.

He and other councillors at the planning committee backed changes to the city's official plan and zoning to allow the development to go ahead.

The decision awaits final approval at council next week.

The surrounding neighbourhood is a mix of housing types, including single-family homes and highrise apartments.

Other developers have plans for the area, too.

Spallacci & Sons Ltd. aims to build 773 units in towers of 22, 24 and 25 storeys on John Street South and St. Joseph' s Drive. The Metro condo complex is to replace a five-storey apartment building on a sloping lot where John Street South meets Arkledun Avenue, which turns into the Jolly Cut.

Teviah Moro is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: tmoro@thespec.com