WATERLOO — The city’s skyline may soon transform dramatically with a massive land development proposal unveiled at 525 and 565 Conestogo Road West.
The ambitious plan, submitted by Solowave Investments Ltd. (65 Northfield Drive Inc.), seeks approval to subdivide the lands to create nine new blocks for development, accompanied by a municipal road network through Draft Plan of Subdivision.
Two manufacturing/warehouse buildings occupy the subject lands with a total gross floor area of 81,000 square metres. The site has an area of 10.71 hectares with approximately 550 metres of street frontage on Conestogo Road West and 224 metres of frontage on Northfield Drive West.
The proposal, which requires both Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment approvals, aims to redefine the land’s designation from ‘Business Employment’ to ‘Mixed-Use Community Commercial.’
The change is set to introduce significant alterations to the land use, density, building height, and non-residential space permissions.
The proposal includes a plan for a mixed-use high-rise development comprising four buildings housing 12 high-rise towers, with heights ranging between 18 and 35 storeys.
The proposed development boasts an impressive unit count of 3,353 residential units. With 5,197 bedrooms, the development aims to accommodate varying household sizes and preferences.
The plan also incorporates a minimum non-residential area of 8,000 square meters, ensuring a vibrant commercial component complementing the residential units.
One of the key features of the proposal is the emphasis on providing ample parking space. A staggering 2,675 parking spaces have been planned.
Furthermore, the proposal includes provisions for Privately Owned Publicly Accessible Spaces (POPS) totalling 1.1 hectares, enhancing residents’ access to recreational areas.
Additionally, the development concept outlines future community parks and a multi-use trail, contributing to the overall livability of the area.
The sites are within the Conestoga Station Area (a Major Transit Station Area). The Northfield LRT Station and the Conestoga Mall LRT Station are within appropriate walking distance from the development.
The proposed plan has undergone several revisions to address regulatory and community concerns, including reducing the unit count from 3,980 and the tower count from 15.
The requested Official Plan amendment includes but is not limited to increasing the maximum density to 950 bedrooms per hectare and permitting a maximum building height of 35 storeys and 8,000 square metres of non-residential area.
Similarly, modifications to building heights and setbacks aim to optimize space utilization while maintaining aesthetic and functional standards.
Examples of the requested modifications include but are not limited to permitting a residential parking rate of 0.75 spaces per dwelling unit for both residents and visitors, whereas 1.0 space per dwelling unit is required (0.9 spaces for residential and 0.1 for visitors).
In addition, the proposal includes a request to Permit structured parking on the first floor within Block 3 of the development. However, structured parking is not permitted in the first storey.
Multiple street line setbacks are also requested, ranging from 2-3 metres for above and below-grade parking structures, the new street, the existing streets, and the Hydro Corridor.
The applicant has also proposed a holding provision on the subject lands until necessary technical studies and materials are submitted and approved by the City and Region.
The applicant received approval for the amendments in December 2023 but appealed to the Ontario Land Tribunal. A date has yet to be set to discuss the development.
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