Vacant Burlington Hudson's Bay site 11-tower redevelopment vision reviewed in confidential meeting

Hamilton Spectator

07-05-2025

The early vision for redevelopment of the vacant Hudson's Bay at Burlington Centre mall was reviewed in a confidential City of Burlington meeting last month.
Burlington's
Urban Design Advisory Panel
, a nine-person group of architects, planners and urban designers, reviews proposals for tall and mid-rise buildings before formal applications are submitted. The panel's meetings are not open to the public.
A city spokesperson stressed the panel provides 'advice' to the city's planning department.
David McKay of MHBC planning, a consultant to the property's Montreal-based owner, said the
vision for 11 residential towers of up to 37 storeys
, with 3,476 residential units, on part of
777 Guelph Line
was presented to the advisory panel on April 24.
'They provided general commentary for us to consider,' McKay said. 'I cannot get into any further details at this time.'
A city spokesperson confirmed the proposal was reviewed in a meeting behind closed doors.
'All applications are confidential until a formal, completed application is received in full by the City of Burlington,' the spokesperson said. 'All panel members are volunteers who generously offer their time and expertise to their community. '
The city has posted
details of the early vision on its development web page
. That page is expected to be updated when new information is available.
McKay said he will meet with city planning staff 'over the next several months' before submitting a formal development application.
He said they are evaluating feedback received from the public, and the advisory panel, then will have discussions with staff from the city and other agencies that can provide comments on the proposal.
'Once we have all of this feedback, we will be reviewing the plan further and making changes thereafter,' McKay said. 'We would then undertake further public consultation once a final direction has been established.'
At a pre-application community meeting on Tuesday, April 22, McKay said they are required to take community feedback into account, and respond to the city about concerns raised by the public.
He said the project would be constructed in five phases, starting at the south end of the site at Prospect Street and moving north to Fairview Street.
'This is subject to change — both in terms of location and number of phases,' McKay said after the meeting.
Phase 1 currently includes demolishing the former Hudson's Bay, which has been vacant since February. That first phase would also include a new road connecting Prospect and Fairview streets, construction on the west side of the new road and a park.
McKay said starting with the southwest corner of the development site 'has to do with stormwater management.'
He said approximately 60 per cent of the units will be studio and one-bedroom, with the remainder being two- and three-bedroom units.
At least 31 residents spoke, sharing opinions and asking questions.
Although there was support for residential redevelopment and intensification, overall opinion was the current vision overdevelops the site, and raises concerns about increased traffic and impacts on infrastructure.
'I think we would all welcome this being scaled back,' one resident said.
Another called two proposed 37-storey buildings on the site 'overkill.'
Others suggested the development vision should be considered in relation to other nearby residential intensification already approved or undergoing review, with an eye to the overall impact on the neighbourhood and city.
'It doesn't have to be developed to that capacity,' one resident said, of the vision. 'It's nothing but a forest of highrises, an unbearable load on a small area.'
McKay noted the property is not located within one of the city's major transit station areas — designated zones surrounding Burlington's three GO Transit stations which are targeted for residential intensification — but is within a corridor connecting two GO stations.