Massive Affordable Housing Development One Step Closer in Hamilton

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Published September 24, 2019 at 8:39 pm

The City of Hamilton has zeroed in on its development team for the Jamesville site in the West Harbour neighbourhood.

The City of Hamilton has zeroed in on its development team for the Jamesville site in the West Harbour neighbourhood.

The CityHousing Hamilton (CHH) Board announced on Tuesday (Sept. 24) that they approved a report recommending Indwell and the Jamesville Redevelopment Corporation as the qualified team following the Request for Proposal (RFP) process.

Indwell is an established Hamilton-based Christian charity that develops affordable housing across Ontario and the Jamesville Redevelopment Corporation is comprised of Marz Homes, FRAM + Slokker, Melrose Investments and Homes by DeSantis.

This project will replace the existing 91-townhouse complex with a 46-unit, rent-geared-to-income (RGI) apartment building that will continue to be owned by CHH, as well as an additional affordable housing rental building of more than 45 units.

“I am committed, as both the CHH Board Chair and City Councillor, to do everything I can to address the growing need for affordable housing in our City,” said councillor Chad Collins in a press release announcing the board’s decision. “Through this unique project, we will see a 100 per cent return of the Jamesville land value to CityHousing Hamilton for reinvestment into affordable housing.”

The massive redevelopment project of the 2.2-hectare Jamesville site will create a medium density, mixed-income community in Hamilton’s North End. The project, the press release says, will “combine innovations in land-use planning, building design, financial structure and community benefit.”

The project will also feature private market ownership units that combine to form a mixed-income community.

“This Jamesville redevelopment is an unprecedented opportunity for social housing in the City of Hamilton,” said Jamesville’s ward councillor Jason Farr. “Since visiting the mixed-income community of Regent Park in Toronto in 2011, I have been strongly advocating for the same in Ward 2.

As some elements of the development project are still under negotiations, there is currently no price tag for the project.

A portion of the report that the board approved, however, points out that the city will be getting, “A 46-unit replacement CHH building at a fixed cost of $0: for which any cost escalations are carried by the proponent, so that irrespective of cost increases CHH will receive a building at no cost.”

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