Nine-tower housing development planned for would-be casino site

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London’s latest mega-development is in motion. And believe it or not, this one’s not in the city’s booming northwest.

Proposed for Wonderland Road near Bradley Avenue is a five-building, nine-tower housing development promising 2,001 units. Each of the five buildings would be a podium supporting the nine towers: two 22 storeys, two 20 storeys, two 18 storeys, two 16 storeys, and one 14 storeys.

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Two years ago, the plug was pulled on a new $75 million casino from Gateway Casinos and Entertainment Ltd. at the property at 3334 and 3354 Wonderland Rd. S., prompting the pivot to housing, the landowner told The London Free Press.

“When one door closes, you try to open another door and look at what the best use for the property is,” said Walt Spivak, president of the Spivak Group. “Being such an important corridor . . . it’s the perfect location to have housing.”

The development also would include a central courtyard and rooftop amenity space, along with 482 square metres of commercial space, 2,025 parking spaces underground, in the podiums, and at ground level. Also included are 2,006 bicycle parking spaces.

Fronting Wonderland, near a sizable commercial strip, close to highways 401 and 402, and with a relative lack of housing in the area, Spivak said the project “touches a lot of bases.” Available land in the city’s south for a project of this size also is limited, he said.

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“It’s just that need for housing and the community that we want to build there is very unique and very attractive to not only first-time renters, but people that want to simplify their life and live in an incredible community,” he said.

It will be several months before city staff make a recommendation on the project, and while he wants to see more information to make a decision, Ward 10 Coun. Paul Van Meerbergen said he is open to it for many of the same reasons.

“It’s addressing the needed housing that we require the area, it’s not like it’s disruptive in the sense that it’s right in the middle of a subdivision, and it’s close to the regional transportation networks,” he said. “At this stage, I’m neutral and open-minded about it.”

He wants to see the transportation impacts for Wonderland and the area, but also to make sure the city has the sewer and water capacity for such a dense development.

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Ward 8 Coun. Steve Lehman, chair of council’s planning committee, is of a similar mind. Sewer and water infrastructure is the biggest impediment to building the much-needed housing for the booming population of London in a timely manner.

He believes the Bostwick area’s infrastructure can handle the new housing, but is awaiting city hall’s recommendations. He also hopes the bike parking and proximity to shops will mean not every resident will need or use their car, lessening the traffic impact on Wonderland.

Lehman compares the scale of the project to housing plans for the site of the former London Psychiatric Hospital, and said massive projects are needed to meet London’s housing goals.

“The top level viewpoint is fantastic. We have a very ambitious goal of 47,000 homes to handle the immense growth in London, and developments like this are needed, quite frankly, to to get us to that point,” he said.

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“We’ve done as much as we can in the north and the northwest, and now I think the next opportunities are in the east, especially for infill, (and) definitely south.”

The proposal will go to the planning committee for its May 21 meeting, where members of the public also will be able to weigh in.

jmoulton@postmedia.com

@JackAtLFPress

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