PROJECT SHOWCASE
Vista at Charlton
Address: 467 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton
Project Type: Residential
Project Scope: Minor Variance, Site Plan, Official Plan & Zoning By-law Amendment and Draft Plan of Condominium
Status: Completed 2021
Overview
467 Charlton Avenue East, also known as Vista at Charlton, is located within the Stinson neighbourhood in Hamilton, Ontario. The project began in 2017 and was completed in 2020. Being located along an important escarpment access route, the project team envisioned a set of contemporary towers with – as the name suggests – a beautiful, elevated vista of the City of Hamilton.
UrbanSolutions was retained to obtain Building Permits for three, six-storey residential towers on the 1.176-hectare property nestled near the base of Hamilton Mountain. Throughout the Building permit application process, the team at UrbanSolutions conducted liaison with City staff and the project team, compiled, submitted, and secured approvals of the Holding Provision removal application, coordinated the most cost-effective approach to the Development Charge and ERASE programs, and coordinated the submission of the required Condominium Act application.
Vista at Charlton is notable for its unique character and seamless implementation into the Stinson community. The goal of the design to provide a unique residential development that would respond to both the natural character of the site and the proximity to downtown. To the north and west, the site offers views of downtown, the Stinson Neighbourhood and Hamilton Harbour. To the south is an uninterrupted view of escarpment trees. The buildings are situated to permit a clear view of the escarpment from the north-south neighbourhood streets below, and during the design process, they were reduced in width to ensure these views were preserved and enhanced.
UrbanSolutions Office Building
Address: 3 Studebaker Place, Hamilton
Project Type: Industrial
Project Scope: Site Plan
Status: Completed 2020
Overview
3 STUDEBAKER is a 1-storey office building located at the north-east corner of Victoria Ave N. and Studebaker Place. The site is a small underdeveloped industrial pocket of Hamilton that is ripe for reinvention. Conceived as the first building in the new ‘Hamilton Central Business Park’ the building serves as both a gateway to the larger development and sets up a precedent for the urban and architectural design of the business park at large. Inspired by the raw and slightly abandoned nature of the surroundings, this project design began with a desire to recognize the local ‘steel town’ context of the development and play on this via the introduction of a ‘weathered steel’ aesthetic applied to an industrial ‘warehouse’ building typology. 3 STUDEBAKER is a unique contemporary office building that creates a strong anchor point for the new development while remaining fresh and wholly connected to its context.
Located on a 1.07-acre site, the new 18,740sf multi-tenant office has a rectangular footprint with its long side parallel to the main street. The office is pushed tight to the west property boundaries along Victoria Ave creating a strong pedestrian friendly street edge, while parking and access to the building entrances are located on the east side of the office away from the main street. The building is currently fully occupied by two tenants but is designed to be flexible enough to accommodate from one to four tenants. There is an exterior patio adjacent the north end of the building.
The Pinnacle
Address: 1670 Garth Street
Project Type: Mixed-Use (Residential + Commercial)
Project Scope: Site Plan Application
Status: Completed 2020
Overview
The Pinnacle is a 10-storey, 183-unit development of two residential towers located at the intersection of Garth Street and Rymal Road West. It is a catalyst for intensification along this major public transit corridor; in a growing area of Hamilton Mountain. UrbanSolutions joined the project in 2017 and saw it to completion in 2020.
Surrounded by established low-density single-family housing and seniors’ retirement communities, The Pinnacle offers a unique opportunity for those seeking rental options for 1, 2 and 3 bedroom living.
Designed with a central entrance lobby lounge, residents enjoy a variety of amenities including Theatre/Party Rooms, Fitness Centre, Meditation/Yoga Studio, Dog Spa and Bike/Locker facilities. Nestled amongst the landscape, The Pinnacle offers access to naturalized greenspaces, a Dog Park, vehicle-charging stations and BBQ Pavilion.
Exterior finishes support a contemporary design including EIFS, stone, aluminum and tinted-glazing. While the building’s massing along Garth is ten storeys, the Rymal tower terraces downward toward neighbouring homes to create a welcoming pedestrian experience. This project provides the opportunity for luxury rentals in an area of population growth. Offering spacious 1, 2, and 3 bedroom suites (including barrier-free units), ranging from 569 – 1,217 sq.ft. Units, feature open concept design with kitchen (incl. granite counter-tops and stainless-steel appliances), bath and access to private balcony, in-suite washer/dryer.
Scenic Trails
Address: 1 Redfern Avenue, Hamilton
Project Type: Residential
Project Scope: Official Plan & Zoning By-Law Amendment
Status: Completed 2020
Overview
The site is located immediately adjacent to the Chedoke campus of the Hamilton Health Sciences Hospital in the Chedoke Park neighbourhood of the City of Hamilton with Redfern Avenue to the north and Sanatorium Road to the east with Chedmac Drive completing the block further to the west and further to the south. The surrounding context of the development is comprised of townhomes, single-detached dwellings, and institutional buildings. Notably, the site is within close proximity to the Brow Lands area, the previous site of the Hamilton Sanitorium with deep cultural heritage roots.
The development features a double courtyard four-storey building with 144 residential units, with 30 suites on the ground floor plus 38 suites per floor on levels 2 to 4. The contemporary building design utilizes a combination of materials, textures, and elements to provide articulation to visually distinguish the base, middle and top portions of the building. The material finishes are a combination of faux-stone, red brick, and decorative cement panelling. Defined horizontal lines between the three sections will further distinguish the sections.
Green Millen Shores
Address: 101 Shoreview Place Stoney Creek
Project Type: Residential
Project Scope: Official Plan & Zoning By-law Amendment, Site Plan, Plan of Condominium
Status: Completed 2019
Overview
UrbanSolutions Planning & Land Development Consultants Inc. is the authorized planning consultant acting on behalf of the owner New Horizon Development Group (Waterfront Trails) Inc. for the property municipally known as 101 Shoreview Place, Stoney Creek. The subject lands have been redeveloped for a multi-lot residential development consisting of 479 units in total. The development consists of two apartment buildings containing 468 units, and 2 townhouse blocks consisting of 11 units. The development will also include 117 underground parking spots, and 4 above ground offered for the townhouse units.
William Thomas
Address: 46-52 James Street North, Hamilton
Project Type: Mixed-Use (Residential/Commercial)
Project Scope: Zoning By-Law Amendment, Site Plan
Status: Completed 2018
Overview
This project involved the redevelopment of the former William Thomas building, built in 1855, into a purpose-built student housing development in the historic core of Hamilton. The design provides for a 21-storey tower with a podium on James Street and a plaza area facing Rebecca Street. The project began in 2015 and was completed in 2018. The completed project has 159 residential units in the tower, and retail storefronts and residential common areas within the podium. The podium is the recreation of the William Thomas Building which provides for the historic continuation of the streetscape as it has existed since the construction of the Lister Block in the 1920’s. The project maintains the character of the historic core by utilizing the former heritage façade, while the modern residential tower is set back from the podium and treated with a combination of glass, limestone, metal and brick to create a dialogue between the old and new.
The residential tower is set back from the William Thomas Façade podium to provide a compositional separation from the heritage base. Multi-coloured transparent glass and aluminum panels enhance the visual appeal of the tower from a distance, and elements of the podium materiality are carried up into the tower to integrate the heritage façade into the new development. There is a plaza off Rebecca Street that has been landscaped with lighting, planter boxes and street furniture to animate the area and provide common amenity space for residents. Indoor amenity spaces include a lounge/games room, fitness room, convenience store, social room, study rooms, and bicycle storage.