By Pepper Parr
August 14th, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The earth just may have moved – a little bit.
Drawings of what the developer wanted the buildings to look like. View is from Lakeshore Road looking south.
The development of that 22 storey condo on Lakeshore Road along with the smaller seven storey condo and the planned hotel have been “in the works” for years. The project was being talked at Council when Walter Mulkewich was Mayor – he gets the nod for approving the project while he was Mayor – something some of his colleagues seldom let him forget.
The Gazette got a note from a citizen advising us that trees were being cut down on the east side the of the Waterfront Hotel on Lakeshore Road
A note was sent to the writer who had expressed a concern about the recent tree removal along Elizabeth Street. The ward councillor’s office explained:
The tree removals were approved by Council in 2006 as a part of the re-zoning of the Bridgewater site and related reconstruction of Elizabeth Street. The required compensation and approvals are in place and include new street tree planting along the reconstructed street, as well as tree planting in the new park area along the shoreline.
In addition to this tree planting, compensation has been provided to allow tree planting in other areas of the City.
Does the cutting of the trees suggest that there is going to be some construction movement ?
Other than the construction of a sales office on the site – there hasn’t been any activity. Maybe that is because there may not have been enough activity on the sales side?
There hasn’t been a peep from the planning department on just where this project is in terms of development.
With the financial demise of the original developer (fancy word for bankruptcy) and the acquisition of the project by Jeff Paikin and his New Horizons organization some people thought the project would go forward with a little more energy.
Selling condominiums often means working with people who see the property as a long term investment. There are people at the Region and city hall who maintain that Burlington’s rental market is the result of condominiums that were purchased by investors.
The 22 storey structure that is due to be built on the waters edge will forever change the look of the city. The plan is for a three structure development
The market for condominiums is wicked in Vancouver and almost out of control in Toronto. All this while financial analysts talk of a correction in the housing market – which makes it very difficult for the private sector that takes the risk when the starting putting shovels in the ground and cranes on the skyline.
Interesting times. The taking down of those trees at the bottom of Elizabeth street suggest there just might be some movement.
