URBAN DESIGN BRIEF JULY 13TH, 2016 PRIMARY CONTACT Ute Maya-Giambattista Head of Urban Design Sorensen Gravely Lowes Planning Associates Inc
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CITY OF HAMILTON PIER 6, 7 + 8 URBAN DESIGN BRIEF JULY 13TH, 2016 PRIMARY CONTACT Ute Maya-Giambattista Head of Urban Design Sorensen Gravely Lowes Planning Associates Inc. 1547 Bloor Street West Toronto, Ontario M6P 1A5 [email protected] 416.923.6630 ext. 27 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 THE PROPOSAL 2 1.0 BACKGROUND + EXISTING CONDITIONS 5 1.1 EXISTING ON-SITE CONDITIONS 6 1.1.1 EXISTING TOPOGRAPHY + VEGETATION 6 1.1.2 EXISTING ACCESS, BUILDINGS + STRUCTURES 7 1.2 SITE CONTEXT ANALYSIS 11 1.2.1 COMMUNITY CONTEXT 11 1.2.2 NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT 15 1.2.3 STREETSCAPE CONTEXT 16 1.2.4 SITE CONTEXT 17 1.3 APPLICABLE DESIGN REQUIREMENTS 19 1.3.1 KEY POLICIES + GUIDELINES 19 Setting Sail: Secondary Plan for West Harbour (Adopted in 2005 and Approved in 2012) 19 West Harbour Waterfront Recreation Master Plan (2010) 20 1.3.2 URBAN DESIGN POLICIES + GUIDELINES 21 Site 22 Building 23 Landscape 24 2.0 SITE DESIGN 27 2.1 SITE DESIGN 28 2.1.1 PROMOTE A HEALTHIER HARBOUR 28 2.1.2 STRENGTHEN EXISTING NEIGHBOURHOODS 29 2.1.3 PROVIDE SAFE, CONTINUOUS PUBLIC ACCESS ALONG THE WATER’S EDGE 31 2.1.4 CREATE A DIVERSE, BALANCED + ANIMATED WATERFRONT 32 2.1.5 ENHANCE PHYSICAL + VISUAL CONNECTIONS 33 2.1.6 PROMOTE A BALANCED TRANSPORTATION NETWORK 34 2.1.7 CELEBRATE THE CITY’S HERITAGE 35 2.1.8 PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN 35 2.2 DEVELOPMENT PERFORMANCE STANDARDS 36 INTRODUCTION This Urban Design Brief is intended to provide the urban design rationale for the development of Piers 6, 7 + 8 as envisioned in the West Harbour Secondary Plan and the site Urban Design Study. This document is to be read in conjunction with the site’s proposed draft plan of subdivision and zoning by-law. The Urban Design Brief is structured as follows: 1.0 Background – provides a brief introduction to the site’s existing conditions and surrounding context including an overview of urban design policies governing the site. 2.0 Site Design – provides a description of the compatibility and fit of the proposed future development in the context of the West Harbour Secondary Plan established goals. A block-by-block development performance standard graphic guide further compliments this section. THE PROPOSAL The 15.2 ha (37.5 acres) west waterfront subject site is located in the north end of the City of Hamilton. The site is bounded by Guise Street East to the South, the Hamilton Harbour to the North, the view terminus of James Street to the West and the HMCS Haida to the East (Figure 1). LEGEND SUBJECT SITE PARK 0 30 60 120 METRES N PIER 8 D IS C O V E A R CATHARINEC STN Y K SESERVICERVICE RDRD D DOC R PIER HAMILTONHAMILTON HARBOUR ISE ST 7 GU PIER 6 N E N E E V V AV A A A N N O O S S N ST E R D ER D N A EAE L Figure 1. Overview of Piers 6, 7 + 8 The proposed draft plan of subdivision puts forward a complete and connected mixed-use neighbourhood with the following characteristics (Figure 2): 1. A mix of uses that support a diverse and vibrant community; 2. An environmentally sustainable street and block pattern that includes landscapes designed to create a low impact community footprint; 3. A community of complete streets designed for accessibility, walking, running, cycling, taking transit and driving; 4. A street and park network that creates a variety of development blocks; 5. A variety of public spaces for active and passive recreation on the waterfront; 6. The establishment of development performance standards that encourage an architecture that is varied, contemporary and compatible with the surrounding areas; and, 7. The conservation of marine and industrial elements that acknowledge the area’s history. Figure 2. Draft Plan of Subdivision amd Land Use Plan BACKGROUND +EXISTING CONDITIONS EXISTING ON-SITE CONDITIONS 1.1 1.1.1 EXISTING TOPOGRAPHY + VEGETATION Located north of the Niagara Escarpment, the The grade change at Guise Street provides a site is located at the edge of a steep slope. signifi cant opportunity to gradually transition The site is relatively fl at except for a 4-metre built form heights from lower to mid-rise grade change along Guise Street, which slopes buildings from Guise Street towards the water. towards the water. A heavily vegetated small creek remnant is located between Discovery An existing gas line easement transverses the Drive and Catharine Street North (Figure 3). site towards the east (Figure 4). Figure 3. Figure 4. LEGEND SUBJECT SITE EXISTING VEGETATION GAS EASEMENT 0 30 60 METRES N D IS C O V E A R CATHARINEC STN Y D DOCK SERVICE RD R HAMILTONHAMILTON HARBOUR E ISE ST GU N S S N T N T T E E S S T N N K S K I S N N N RI R C O N A SO S HN STHN N H S HA H BRO S E M A Figure 5. Existing site vegetation JAMESSJ BUBUR N ST E DR R E N D T BACKGROUND + EXISTING CONDITIONS N 6 T AN S S E B L Y A A B N C MA 1.1.2 EXISTING ACCESS, BUILDINGS + STRUCTURES ACCESS The subject site is currently accessed from Guise Street at the north end of the site. Discovery Drive also provides Discovery Dr, and Catharine Street. access to the sites various structures. Discovery Drive is a grand local road, fl anked by a Catharine Street is a local road providing access to the prominent fl agpole at the intersection with Guise Street site’s easterly most structures and the adjacent Friends of (Figure 6). This road leads to the Discovery Centre towards the Haida federal building compound (Figure 8). Figure 6. Discovery Dr. Figure 7. Discovery Dr. at Guise St. Figure 8. Catharine St. LEGEND SUBJECT SITE DISCOVERY PARK CENTRE INTERNAL DRIVEWAY SYSTEM VEHICULAR, PEDESTRIAN, & CYCLING ACCESS 0 30 60 METRES N D IS C O FRIENDS OF THE V HMCS HAIDA E A R CATHARINEC STN Y RD D DOCK SSEERVICERVICE RD R HAMILTONHAMILTON HARBOUR E ISE ST B GU T T N T T E E S S S T N N K S K K I S N N N N RI R C C O N T A O S HN STHN N H S HA H R HSO H BRO B S E M A Figure 9. Catharine St. JAMESJ ST N BUBUR N ST E DR R E N D T BACKGROUND N + EXISTING CONDITIONS 7 T AN S S E B L Y A A B N C MA BUILDINGS + STRUCTURES The subject site has a series of institutional, The Discovery Centre building reinterprets recreational/retail and industrial buildings and the Harbour’s industrial architecture legacy structures as follows (Figure 10): by resembling a large shed with minimum fenestration towards the interior of the site, Existing Pier 8 site structures include the a sweeping arched lobby and generous Discovery Centre located next to a small fenestration along the water (Figure 15 - 16). recreational and retail node on the northwest end of the site; at the end of Discovery Drive. The surrounding concession buildings, while The recreational and retail node houses two more modest, also resemble industrial, nautical restaurants, public restrooms, a surface parking related shed buildings. The form, massing and lot, and a small recreational plaza, which above all the use of these buildings make for includes a skating rink (Figure 11 - 14). a signifi cant and important citywide attraction further complimenting the area’s existing and future recreational amenities. LEGEND SUBJECT SITE DISCOVERY PARK CENTRE EXISTING BUILDINGS 0 30 60 METRES N HARBOUR MARINE SERVICES D I S NAVY LEAGUE C BREWERS' OF CANADA O MARINE FRIENDS OF THE V HMCS HAIDA E SUPPLY A R CATHARINEC STN Y D DOCK SERVICE RD R HAMILTONHAMILTON HARBOUR HARBOUR-WEST MARINA E HAMILTON ISE ST GU N S S N T N T T E E S S T N N K S K I S N N N RI R C O N A SO S HN STHN N H S HA H BRO S E M A Figure 10. Existing buildings and structures JAMESSJ BUR N N ST E DR R E N D T BACKGROUND + EXISTING CONDITIONS N 8 T AN S S E B L Y A A B N C MA Figure 11. Figure 12. Figure 13. Figure 14. Figure 15. Figure 16. BACKGROUND + EXISTING CONDITIONS 9 Further east, the site houses tree large Piers 6 + 7 currently house three storage sheds warehouses, the one-storey offi ces of Brewer’s related to the marina. Marine Supply (at the intersection of Discovery Drive and Guise Street), and the one storey The site’s industrial warehouses are challenging Navy League at the intersection of Catharine to retrofi t; however their form and massing St North and Guise Street (Figure 17 - 19). ought to be reinterpreted in the design of future buildings. Figure 17. Figure 18. Figure 19. BACKGROUND + EXISTING CONDITIONS 10 1.2 SITE CONTEXT ANALYSIS 1.2.1 COMMUNITY CONTEXT The site is located within the City’s old west harbour the entire City south to the airport. Furthermore, the site where residents have come to play, taking advantage of is located in close proximity to the City’s Downtown Urban the beauty and protected waters of the harbour since the Growth Centre (Figure 21). 1860’s. With much of the industrial uses gone, the lands have been envisioned as a new mixed-use neighbourhood The area is characterized by tightly knitted neighbourhoods with an extensive open space/recreational network with small low-rise residential buildings.