CAMBRIDGE – The City of Cambridge has approved a significant residential development led by LJM Developments (Cambridge) Inc.
The development will transform approximately 1.94 hectares of land at 193 Water Street South and 62 Highman Avenue into five 15-storey residential apartment buildings designed to accommodate 991 dwelling units.
The site currently features wooded areas and a single-storey residential dwelling. The new development aims to provide an attractive and liveable space overlooking the Grand River, supporting anticipated residential growth and housing targets for the City of Cambridge and the Region of Waterloo.
In September 2022, the City Council voted 5-3 in favour of the staff recommendation to approve the development plan, which includes five 15-storey apartment buildings and 40 two-storey townhouse units on the site.
The approved development will include 991 residential units, 1,176 vehicular parking spaces and 693 bicycle parking spaces. The building features five levels of parking for visitors and residents.
The buildings will incorporate two-storey landscaped decks, enhancing the living experience with green spaces and recreational areas.
A public parkette was initially proposed for 62 Highman Avenue, but it has now been cut from the development, and the road has been re-designated for emergency access purposes.
Vehicular access to the site will be facilitated through easements from adjacent lands to the north and south, ensuring safe and convenient entry and exit for residents.
Most of the subject lands are currently designated ‘Natural Open Space System,’ while 62 Highman Avenue is designated ‘Low and Medium Density Residential.’
The city has approved an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) to re-designate 193 Water Street South as ‘High-Density Residential’ to facilitate the development.
The Zoning By-law Amendment rezoned the majority of the site from ‘Open Space One’ (OS1) to ‘Residential Use Class – RM2’, which permits apartment buildings.
At the same time, 62 Highman Avenue will retain its residential zoning for the new emergency access route, as previously it was proposed to be rezoned for the parkette.
Councillors had raised two main concerns regarding the number of mature trees being removed from the site and the low number of affordable units.
The following changes were made to ease the concerns:
The development will now preserve 107 mature trees of the 659 originally proposed for removal on the site.
Additionally, 50 units have been dedicated to be affordable, previously proposed as only five units. The units will be distributed as ten in each of the five 15-storey buildings.
The development signifies a substantial addition to Cambridge’s residential landscape, aiming to meet the city’s housing targets and support anticipated growth.
The project’s approval and subsequent construction will play a crucial role in shaping the future of Cambridge’s residential sector.
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