What’s next for Eastgate Square Mall: 40-storey residential towers and a public park?

Early concept plans for the redevelopment of Eastgate Square Mall could see the former Sears store demolished and residential towers more than 40-storeys-high scraping the sky above.

Harrison Equity Partners, in collaboration with Retail Ventures CND Inc., announced their intentions back in March to reshape the 45-acre east Hamilton site into an accessible and affordable destination" that will include a mix of retail and residential spaces.

Few details were released at that time, but a formal consultation document submitted to the city in early May provides some sense of what the site could eventually look like.

In a statement to The Spectator, planning department spokesperson Michelle Shantz said the purpose of the document is to help identify the reports, studies and materials required to be submitted with a future development application should the owner wish to proceed."

Shantz said the document also aids in determining what municipal approvals would be needed for the proposed development.

So what could the future possibly hold for Eastgate?

In a letter to the city, urban planning firm Bousfields Inc. - who are consultants on the project - wrote that the plan is to urbanize" the site along Queenston Road and reimagine" the vast parking areas into a transit oriented mixed-use community anchored by a new central public park and linear park."

The southern section of the sprawling mall, including the former Sears, could be demolished, while the northern portions of the mall, which includes Fortinos and the LCBO, would be preserved.

Speaking to The Spectator, Ward 5 Coun. Russ Powers said based on recent conversations with developers, conceptual plans estimate the mall's overall footprint will be reduced to around 300,000 square feet from its current size of approximately 511,300 square feet.

The site could see the construction of at least 5,162 residential units over the span of 10 development blocks - with building heights ranging from three storey townhomes along Kenora Avenue to residential towers reaching at least 42 storeys on the southwestern portion of the property.

The plans propose a new public street that would connect Kenora Avenue and Centennial Parkway North and as well as the creation of a small park. There will also be approximately 3,481 new parking spaces.

A timeline for the project remains unknown, but the redevelopment is set to be completed in three phases.

A bulk of the proposed development concept can move through the city's site plan approvals process, while other portions will require both zoning bylaw and official plan amendments, according to the planning firm.

But, that work likely won't begin for at least a couple of years, said Powers.

It's not going to happen overnight," said Powers, who estimated the demolition of the portion of the project will get underway in 2024. It's going to be slow and progressive."

The Spectator reached out to Harrison Equity Partners for an interview, but a spokesperson for the development said no one from the team was available before deadline.

Powers did however note that the planned redevelopment of Eastgate Square is much needed - especially with the site set to be the end of the line for the incoming Hamilton LRT.

I think this development is a good start in reviving a tired site," he said.

Fallon Hewitt is a reporter at The Spectator. fhewitt@thespec.com