The response to the demand for housing that UrbanToronto normally covers is not restricted to the Greater Toronto Area,​ but leapfrogs the Greenbelt into the neighbouring cities of the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Waterloo is another city seeing huge demand for housing, both for students at its universities, and for the many grads who stay in the area to to work predominately at the tech startups and giants that the area fosters.

The City of Waterloo's response, like Toronto's to the demand for more housing, has been to set goals towards greater density and the creation of affordable housing strategies, with Council pledging to enable 16,000 new homes by 2031. Now, in the Northdale neighbourhood about a kilometre northeast of the University of Waterlloo's main campus, landowner Prica has submitted Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment applications for the southeast corner of Albert Street and Hazel Street.

An aerial view looking east to the Steelcraft Lands Redevelopment, designed by PG Design Studio for Prica

The Steelcraft Lands Redevelopment, a proposed mixed-use project at 446 Albert Street, is designed by PG Design Studio for Prica. This ambitious project aims to transition a historically industrial space into a dynamic community, blending market-rate rental, affordable rental, and commercial elements.

Looking east from Albert Street to the current site, image from Google Maps

The redevelopment site spans approximately 47,150m². It is a space that has long been characterized by the Clemmer Steelcraft manufacturing facility. This past usage has left the site with soil and groundwater contamination, minimal landscaping, and encirclement of barbed wire fence. The new vision for this site is a stark contrast to its industrial past, poised to offer thorough site remediation and a fresh identity to the area.

The site and surrounding context, image from submission to City of Waterloo

The redevelopment proposes 13 towers ranging from 8 to 30 storeys, with the tallest reaching a height of 96.8m. The diversity in building heights is not just an aesthetic choice regarding a varied skyline, but a strategic one too, facilitating an active, pedestrian-friendly environment and intending a smooth transition in the built-form relationship to adjacent properties. The development, in its entirety, would offer 2,833 residential units spread across these buildings. This adds up to 3,138 bedrooms, and up to 97 affordable housing units, a crucial component in today's housing landscape.

Aerial view of Steelcraft Lands Redevelopment, designed by PG Design Studio for Prica

The residential Gross Floor Area (GFA) would total 208,487m², with 5,254m² allocated for non-residential use. This space is intended to be flexible, accommodating a mix of service commercial, retail, office, institutional, and light employment uses. This blend of residential and commercial spaces aims to provide both new housing opportunities and employment prospects within the same footprint. The commercial GFA is envisioned to include a variety of shops, restaurants, and office spaces.

Plans include 1,366 parking spaces, with 1,112 for residents, 144 for visitors, and 110 commercial spots, located within the podium levels. In addition, there would be 1,748 bicycle parking spaces, including 46 commercial spots.

Ground floor plan, image from submission to City of Waterloo

Approximately 11,127m² of area is dedicated to amenities, offering a mix of outdoor, indoor, and balcony spaces. Beyond the buildings themselves, the design includes a new city street in a "woonerf" style, which prioritizes pedestrian movement and interaction, a central landscaped area, and enhanced streetscapes along Albert and Hazel Streets. 

Central landscaped open space, image from submission to City of Waterloo

The redevelopment is situated 500m west of the Research & Technology station on the ION LRT, placing it within its Major Transit Station Area (MTSA), an area undergoing a significant transition from strictly a tech-focused employment area into a mixed-use, transit-supportive community. Nearby, the University of Waterloo acts as a major employment and economic generator in the region and a significant driver for housing demand.

The site and surrounding recent and proposed developments, image from submission to City of Waterloo

Adjacent parcels are also seeing redevelopment. To the east, 435 King Street North proposes 7 buildings ranging from 12 to 35 storeys, while 475 - 485 King Street North calls for 8 buildings up to 28 storeys. To the south, 143 Columbia Street West is set to introduce 3 buildings, each at 25 storeys. These developments collectively represent a significant densification in the urban fabric of Waterloo close to ION stations.

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

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UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.