The following article was posted in the February 1, 2008 Mountain News.
Firstly, I would like to advise the community of some FACTS:
1. Deanlee is paying 5 millions for this property…I think that’s a steal
and a profit margin would be easily obtainable.
2. We have submitted a pettition to the City with approximately 600
names against this type of development. (note that these are
voting individuals in the community).
3. The community voted for the type of development they could live with,
The vote overwhelmingly opted for the single family homes. The
In my opinion, the above outweighs the 14 individuals that have
expressed their interest in the type of units Deanlee is proposing.
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Brow lands development proposal not carved in stone
Developer willing to look at fewer units if return on investment not compromised
By Mark Newman
News
Feb 01, 2008
Deanlee Management is willing to look at fewer then the 750 units it has proposed for the Chedoke brow lands.
“It’s not carved in stone,” said Ron Starr, president of development at the Mississauga firm. “There’s flexibility in this process.”
Possible ways of reducing the number of units Mr. Starr offered, could include increasing the size of the single family homes, townhouses and condominium units proposed for the the site thereby requiring fewer of them or by adding luxury penthouse condos to the top of some of the proposed buildings, which would also reduce the total number of units.
Mr. Starr said Deanlee is willing to look at fewer units on the site if they can be shown to be financially viable for the company and there is planning support and justification for the change.
“Show us a solution,” Mr. Starr said. “We still haven’t seen any (alternative), we’re either had no development or limited development and we knew that from day one.”
In December, as part of the secondary planning process for the brow lands along Sanatorium Road, north of Scenic Drive, the majority of residents living near the site voted for either limited development that would see 25 single family homes on the brow lands or no development at all.
Mr. Starr said those two options are non-starters.
“It’s not even reasonable,” said Mr. Starr, who added Deanlee has been prepared since “day one” to go to the Ontario Municipal Board to seek approval for the project if a development agreement with the city and the neighbours cannot be worked out.
“I think the residents truly believe what they’re doing is the right thing, but I think they’re missing the opportunity to really come back to the owners (and) developers of the land to say this is what we’ll live with,” Mr. Starr said. “If somebody can give us some good ideas and there’s the ability to compromise and utilize the lands as we as builders think is a good compromise, we’re quite willing to listen.”
Mr. Starr estimated Deanlee will spend as much as $250 million on labour, materials and other costs to develop the brow lands. He expects most of builders and sub contractors they use will be from the Hamilton area.
“You utilize as many local people as you can because it’s cost-efficient,” Mr. Starr said.
In addition, Mr. Starr said the company expects to pay as much as $20 million in development charges and about $3 million a year in property taxes.
Mr. Starr said not all of the neighbours in the area oppose the development plans, noting Deanlee has received requests from as many as 14 people who live within “walking distance” of the brow lands to be put on a reservation list for the condos.
City planning staff are reviewing Deanlee’s proposal as well as information gathered from the residents during the secondary planning process and are expected to make their recommendation to the economic and planning committee in March or April.
On Jan. 17, Deanlee officials took a group of city planning staff and brow lands area residents on a bus tour of some developments in Toronto, Oakville and Burlington to give them an idea of the kind of buildings and surrounding landscaping they hope to construct and how some residential development has been merged with open space.
“I think some of the examples they showed us were very positive,” said John Norris, a brow land area resident and member of the group Mountainview Residents for Recreation of Hamilton.
Mr. Norris said the non-profit group is pushing Deanlee and the city to maintain as much open space on the brow lands as possible.
Their proposals include: preserving the east side of the development at Scenic Drive and Sanatorium Road (a former baseball field) as parkland; installing a set of stairs from in front of the Long and Bisby building to the rail trail below and improving pathways around the water retention pond area in the centre of the brow lands to make it a more scenic walking corridor.
About Colleen
Collean … thanks for the update on the cost of land. Why do you think it is a steal ? Did the hospital pay for all the reports and consultants applications ? I called the planiinig departments and in their estimate, she said that it could easily cost $500 to $750,000 for what the applicants have to provide to all the various reports to government bodies. Plus all th e new and improved infrastrucere costs; her guess at 2 or 3 million.I am not a builder or real estates expert but if Deanlee were to build 20 or 25 houses, are lots alone sellable for 400 or $500,000 each in this area ? But as a local business person and taxpayer, I am pleased this company will be eventually spending many millions in the local building economy: Hamilton needs construction employment and new taxes . My wife signed a petition but we would also like to sell eventually and what better choice than to move down the street? After reading the newspaper articles and looking at all the photos , I tend to think that the committee group did not provide a compromise or better solution. I have never met John Norris but at least he is providing some ideas. When did you ( Collean or others ) personally last meet with the new owners, Deanlee? Finally do you have an idea what it will cost our homeowners to go to the OMB; who pays ? Are there grants or funds in place for this? How do we handle this. My next door neighbour told me he donated to a Culumbia College hearig a few years ago and said it was a complete waste of time and his money. Are there any more meetings? Regarding the petitions, how many people in total live in this ward area? I thihk the alderman told us 55,000 . . I would be quite willing to meet with the new owners if it would help.
Dear smitty.
This isn’t a question of numbers or even money it’s simply about one small portion of land that so many want to profit from and so many want to preserve as best they can,us ,the community.
I knew from day one ,our community, said, no development and with all the meetings attended by us { those concerned } have truly not wavered.
In the defense of Collean a true proven spokes person of our interests , 660 to date [ registered ] supporters, we will be waiting for your [ registered ] votes against said preposal. Please don’t speak for the remaining 55,000 [ un-regisered ] citizens you sound like an ass.
In regards to your neighbour , integrity is never lost with a cashed cheque.
I to am a business owner and said tax payer , so what.
Smitty, it’s about design , not volume.
Volume [ density ] will easily be achieved by the density that CHS will create after the sell off remaining land. { i don’t know is it just me but if chedoke health sciences is now a corporation , who profits ?? }
As i’ve said before ,central park [ NY] was created over at least a 100 years ago , and i can only imagine what city hall was told by developers the loss of revenue they would experience ,that Smitty is what where fighting for .
It’s ours to lose not yours, you just sit and wait , smitty.