The momentum continues! Waterfront Shores moves forward in the Pier 8 waterfront development process

HAMILTON, ON – By unanimous Council vote, the City of Hamilton formally endorses Waterfront Shores Corporation as the Preferred Proponent to move forward in negotiations for the Pier 8 waterfront development.  As recommended by City staff, this decision continues the momentum of the redevelopment of the West Harbour waterfront. Waterfront Shores now receives the exclusive opportunity to negotiate the purchase and development of the Pier 8 lands, based on their submitted proposal.

To note, this development does not include the former Discovery Centre building that is also located on Pier 8 but was not included in the Request for Proposal (RFP). 

“This will be a landmark City development, as it not only continues our development of the West Harbour waterfront, but also will generate significant financial returns for the City. As a multi-use residential, commercial and institutional development, Pier 8 will become a showcase of innovative design and provide open public spaces for all. From its inception to its completion, it’s where people will want to live, work, play and visit,” said Chris Phillips, Senior Advisor, West Harbour Re-development Project.

The 5.24 hectare development site has the potential to support new residential, commercial and institutional space over nine development blocks. The City will be improving the site with roads and municipal services as well as the Pier 8 Promenade Park, the design for which was selected through a design competition held in 2017. Construction of these elements will begin in the summer of this year.

In the proposed development, 40% of the total site area will be publicly accessible open space with the addition of approximately 1.6 kilometres of additional walkable landscape connecting to the City-owned network of parks and rights-of-way at the waterfront.

Environmental sustainability is a priority with the Preferred Proponent seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification and WELL Building certification which focuses on occupants’ and users’ health and well-being. 

Another environmental goal is to eliminate natural gas consumption through wastewater heat recovery, geothermal heating and cooling, solar photovoltaics and battery storage micro-grids.  There is a proposed partnership with Ontario Centres of Excellence to incubate and fund Hamilton-based start-ups focused on intelligent-city and green technologies, inviting them to use Pier 8 as a testing and showcase platform.

The Waterfront Shores Corporation (WSC) is a single-purpose entity established by a consortium of four experienced partners for the purpose of acquiring and developing the lands on Pier 8.  WSC combines the vast residential and mixed-use development experience of Cityzen Development Corporation and Fernbrook Homes Group, the specialized soil remediation and construction skills of GFL Environmental Inc. and the real estate investment expertise of Greybrook Realty Partners Inc.

Rounding out this team are the architectural design firms of KPMB Architects, gh3 Inc., Omar Gandhi Architect and superkül. Pier 8 is a key component of a much larger West Harbour waterfront redevelopment plan that includes improvements to pedestrian access to the water’s edge, upgrades to boating and marina facilities, structural improvements to the shoreline and the installation of new fish habitats. This also includes the creation of a new waterfront commercial zone and public gathering place on Piers 6 and 7.

Watch the Waterfront Shores Corporation video

For more information on the Pier 8 waterfront development, visit www.hamilton.ca/westharbour.