Hamilton has become a hotbed for multiresidential development. One of its newest projects, a purpose-built rental apartment at 500 Upper Wellington St., is being developed by LiUNA, an organization playing a major role in the region.

The LiUNA Pension Fund of Central and Eastern Canada (LPFCEC) is the lead investor in the project, being built in partnership with Fengate Asset Management and Ingenuity. The site was acquired in January 2021 for an undisclosed price and ground was officially broken in May.

500 Upper Wellington will deliver a six-storey apartment with 261 units and more than 6,000 square feet of commercial space.

“The potential to provide purpose-built rental on Upper Wellington is conducive to families and individuals having close proximity to transit, nearby schools, health care and hospitals,” LiUNA (Labourers’ International Union of North America) director of public relations, marketing and strategic partnerships Victoria Mancinelli wrote to RENX in an email interview.

The building will be pursuing a LEED certification with features such as a green roof, geothermal heating and cooling, and energy-efficient systems. Plans also include integrated technology features to enable residents to manage their homes and access building services remotely.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2026.

LiUNA and LPFCEC 

LiUNA has 500,000 members across North America, including more than 140,000 in Canada, who work across various sectors — predominantly in construction. Oakville-headquartered LPFCEC was established in 1972 and has a diverse investment portfolio with more than $12 billion in assets.

Fengate manages various LiUNA investments and properties on behalf of LPFCEC.

“Our fund’s portfolio is quite extensive and we are proud to be a leading developer in the country, building in-demand infrastructure while also creating tremendous work opportunities for our members and strengthening economic activity across the country,” Mancinelli wrote. 

LiUNA involved in other developments

Ground broke in the fall of 2021 on a mixed-use development at 75 James St. S. in Hamilton comprising 34 storeys and more than 600 condominium units.

LPFCEC holds a 100 per cent interest in the development while Fengate is the investment manager, developer and asset manager. The Hi-Rise Group is the development manager and SG Constructors is the builder.

Above-grade construction of 75 James St. S. began in May and the building is expected to be completed in early 2026.

“Sales are also progressing well, with buyers responding to the building’s amenities and unit plans as well as its convenient location in downtown Hamilton — boasting a near-perfect Walk Score to vibrant lifestyle amenities and plenty of natural green spaces, and quick access to transit options, including Hamilton Street Railway bus routes, GO Transit stations, Highway 403 and future LRT stops,” Mancinelli said.

Cobalt Luxury Residences On King, comprised of two 30-storey rental apartments at 45 King St. E., should be completed in 2024. LiUNA, Fengate and The Hi-Rise Group are also working together on that project.

Fengate LiUNA Gardens Holdings LP, the owner of 522 and 526 Winona Rd. in the Hamilton suburb of Stoney Creek, has proposed a 1,212-unit development at that property.

It consists of two 24-storey buildings and two 15-storey buildings connected by a two-storey podium, as well as two four-storey stacked townhouse blocks and five two-storey townhouse blocks. 

LiUNA proposes a 12-storey, 104-unit affordable housing project at 186 Hunter St. E. in Hamilton’s Corktown neighbourhood.

LiUNA already has an extensive multiresidential investment footprint in Hamilton, including the two-tower King William Residences, the William Thomas student housing complex and others. There's more to come.

“The City of Hamilton has so much potential and we have already seen tremendous growth and vibrancy with numerous developments past and present, a growing arts and culture community, new talent and business coming to Hamilton’s core, and the transformational transit line, the Hamilton LRT, that will bring forth opportunity to build transit-oriented communities,” Mancinelli explained. 

“Growing municipalities require proactive and collaborative leadership to build reliable, resilient and affordable infrastructure such as housing. LiUNA has played a significant role in (the) growth of the city and we look forward for what’s to come.”

Other Hamilton multiresidential developments

There’s plenty more happening on the multiresidential front in Hamilton, as other investors and developers share LiUNA’s positive outlook.

Forge & Foster strategy and research director Alex Manojlovich closely monitors transaction and development activity in Hamilton. He updated RENX on what’s happening in the city of almost 600,000 residents located 60 kilometres south of Toronto.

“A lot of the interesting developments that are happening are from players that are reinvesting in the city and really believing in the growth and momentum that the city has been seeing,” Manojlovich said.

While housing prices are rising, it’s still less expensive than Toronto and has attracted many people looking for more affordable alternatives.

There have been a few recent residential land acquisitions, including Brad J. Lamb Realty Inc. purchasing a 0.7-acre parking lot at 117 King William St. 

Lamb Development Corp. is moving forward with Television City, a two-tower development at 163 Jackson St. W. that will have approximately 618 units and more than 11,000 square feet of retail space.

Fengate acquired 169 Jackson St. E. and an adjacent corner site for a development that could cover as much as 0.63 acres.

Main Margaret Inc. has proposed a 171-unit mixed-use development for 392 Main St. W. that would include commercial uses on the first floor and eight additional floors above for residential use.

DiCenzo Homes has proposed to build 751 units at 117 Jackson St. E. in two mixed-use towers of 30 and 39 storeys.

New Horizon Development Group has proposed to build approximately 1,350 residential units at 1842 King St. E., (the former site of Brock University’s Hamilton campus) in buildings ranging from four to 13 storeys. 

New Horizon also proposes 975 units at 1284 Main St. E. as part of the redevelopment of the former Delta Secondary School, which has been designated a heritage building and will be retained as part of the project.

The design includes three 14-storey additions and four blocks of townhouses at three or four storeys on the site’s perimeter.

New Horizon has official plan amendment and zoning bylaw amendment applications under review for 499 Mohawk Rd. E., where it’s proposing multiple towers from eight to 25 storeys alongside three-storey townhouses with a total of 1,995 residential units.

IN8 Developments has plans to redevelop Hamilton City Centre Mall at 77 James St. into a master-planned, mixed-use community that will house thousands of residents in multiple towers while also incorporating restaurants, bars and retail space.

Westgate on Main, an eight-storey, 108-unit condo being developed by Matrix Development Group at 415 Main St. W., is under construction and expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Emblem Developments’ sold-out 15-storey, 354-unit 1 Jarvis condo is expected to be completed early next year. Sales have launched for Emblem’s mixed-use The Design District at 41 Wilson St., which will have 931 condo units spread over three 31-storey towers.

Vrancor Group also recently completed the construction of two multiresidential projects in Hamilton.