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At the western extreme of the Greater Toronto Area, a proposal for a 27-storey mixed-use development would further the intensification of Downtown Burlington at 2030 Caroline Street. Designed by Chamberlain Architect Services for Carriage Gate Homes and Inaria Burlington Inc., the project would be within walking distance of the Downtown John Street Bus Terminal.
Currently serving as a temporary city-operated commercial parking lot, the site spans 2,781m² at the southeast corner of Caroline and John streets. This parcel represents the final piece in the redevelopment of its city block, flanked by a mix of residential high-rises and commercial buildings. The application notes Downtown Burlington is poised for higher density and growth, with existing high-rises from the 1980s, like those on Maria and Elizabeth streets, along with numerous projects proposed and under construction.
Initially approved between 2010 and 2014 for an 8-storey medical office building and a 6-storey parking structure, the project faced feasibility challenges, leading to a decade-long vacancy. In 2019, the southern portion of the block saw the completion of The Berkeley, a 17-storey mixed-use building, as part of what was originally planned as a two-phase development for the entire block. The recent acquisition of the site by Inaria and Carriage Gate Homes in November, 2023 has set the stage for this new proposal.
The developers have submitted applications for an Official Plan Amendment and a Zoning By-law Amendment, outlining a 27-storey mixed-use tower standing 94.55m. It entails 302 residential units, including two-storey townhomes fronting Elizabeth Street, with the tower’s three-storey podium adjacent to its six-storey above-grade parking facility.
The Gross Floor Area (GFA) would be approximately 20,215m² with a Floor Space Index (FSI) of 8.59 across the site. At grade, 382m² of commercial and office space is planned, enhancing the pedestrian experience along both Caroline and John streets.
The design allocates 470m² for indoor amenities and 657m² for outdoor amenities. With three elevators planned, there would be approximately one elevator for every 101 units, indicating reasonable wait times for residents.
Two levels of underground garage would complement the above-grade parking. This arrangement calls for a total of 277 vehicle parking spaces, as well as 100 bicycle parking spaces.
The site is a 400m, or approximately a five-minute walk, from the Downtown John Street Bus Terminal, and a one-minute walk to the main transit corridor on Brant Street. Burlington Transit bus routes link to multiple GO Stations such as Aldershot, Burlington, and Appleby, as well as the 407 GO carpool parking lot. The Burlington GO Station is a 25-minute walk from the site.
There are other projects and proposals in the area. Northwest of the site, Brant Plaza is planned to feature four buildings ranging from 11 to 17 storeys, while 551 Brant Street is proposed at 25 storeys. To the southeast, a cluster of developments including 2085 Pine Street at 11 storeys, 407 Martha Street at 14 storeys, and the under-construction Martha James Condominiums also at 14 storeys, with 409 Brant Street proposed at 18 storeys. Closer to Lakeshore Road, greater verticality is seen with Nautique Lakefront Residences and BeauSoleil under construction at 26 and 29 storeys respectively. Meanwhile 2096 Lakeshore Road and The Burleau are both proposed at 27 storeys, and 2020 Lakeshore Road proposes 31 and 36-storey towers.
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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