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Five multidisciplinary development teams have been shortlisted to imagine transformative concepts for the Pier 8 lands in Hamilton, Ontario. The group of architects and builders are now being asked to submit detailed proposals for the 5.24-hectare waterfront site that the City is banking on turning into a mixed-use community overflowing with residential, commercial and institutional space.
The upcoming urban neighbourhood is set to contain approximately 1,500 residential units and 13,000 square metres of commercial and institutional space, all served by over 1,400 parking spaces. The shortlisted bidders — a mix of local firms and partners based in the Greater Toronto Area — come with an arsenal of experience. The teams headed to the next stage of the competitive process:
- The Daniels Corporation, currently spearheading the massive revitalization of Regent Park in Toronto, is collaborating with CORE Architects;
- Urban Capital Property Group, Core Urban Inc., and Milborne Real Estate Group have appointed Saucier + Perrotte and RAW Design to their team;
- GulfDream is comprised of Great Gulf Enterprises, Dream Asset Management Corp. and Hariri Pontarini Architects;
- Waterfront Shores brings together Cityzen Development Corp., Fernbrook Homes Group, GFL Environmental Inc., Greybrook Realty Partners Inc. and KPMB Architects;
- Tridel Builders Inc. is partnering with architectsAlliance.
The selected teams were evaluated based on a number of criteria, including their respective alignment with the City's vision for Pier 8, their financial capacity and ability to execute a large-scale, multi-phase development, and their previous track record of developing projects with similar characteristics. The teams will now develop concept proposals and submit their financial bids for the site. The request for proposal process is expected to conclude in 2018 with the selection of the successful team.
The announcement comes a few short weeks after the selection of a proposal for a 30-metre-wide promenade park that will wrap around the buildings in the Pier 8 development. The design from Forrec Limited recalls the marine and industrial heritage of the city, and includes a beach, games terrace, playground, and cafe set within a ship-like containment made from steel. It also sees the installation of a pavilion and crane-like apparatus where festivals, markets and movie nights are to be held. Forrec competed with five other shortlisted teams for the honour. Construction of the park is expected to begin in the spring of 2018.
