Photos: New rental townhomes in Hamilton highlight modern finishes, big backyards and porches
Published October 17, 2023 at 4:52 pm
Over a dozen of the newly built stacked townhome rental units in east Hamilton near Gage Park will be ready for residents by Nov. 1.
The Lawson Towns’ upscale, two- and three-bedroom unfurnished units are located at 276 Dunsmure Rd. on the historical site of the Lawson Lumber Yard. Lawson Lumber was a family owned business that opened in 1910.
The townhomes are a short walk away from Gage Park, Tim Hortons Field, and the shops and restaurants of Ottawa Street. It’s also close to the Main street bus line and future LRT route.
The project has 64 total rental units with upscale, modern finishes, nine-foot ceilings, “efficient and effective layouts,” optional parking spots and “free” unlimited, high-speed Wi-Fi included with the rent, according to the Toronto developer Tibro Properties. It plans to have a few electric-car charging parking spots by early next year.
Construction of the project began in October 2022. The first block of townhomes with about 18 units will be ready for residents on Nov. 1. The block has 10 lower suites (basements and main floors) and 10 upper units (the second and third floors). The developer hopes to have a block of units ready every 30 days. It plans to fully finish all suites by January or February of next year.
“One of the reasons why we’re building rentals is we believe a lot of current rental stock is old. Something as simple as air conditioning is not available for a lot of old rental units,” said Sarit Chandaria, president of Tibro Properties in Toronto, in a phone interview with inthehammer.com today (Oct. 17).
Chandaria said Tibro, which describes itself as a lifestyle company that builds and provides rental living units, is not building affordable housing because it’s not feasible right now, but his company hopes to increase the rental stock.
“We’re not affordable housing. That’s not the intent of the project. We would be comparable to other newer townhouses in Hamilton. We’re definitely building a higher end project — it’s a nicer product,” he said. “I wish we could (build affordable housing). Unfortunately, it’s not feasible and it’s a difficult environment right now with high interest rates. Our interest rates are high just like homebuyers. When we borrow money for projects, we have the same issues as somebody getting a mortgage.”
COURTESY OF TIBRO PROPERTIES
One of the developer’s goals is to level up the rental stock, he said.
Units have open-concept kitchens with hard-surface countertops, stainless steel appliances, wide-plank floors, dishwashers, stacked washing machines and dryers, and specially designed acoustic dampening features to minimize sound between units.
“We’re trying to raise the standard of what it means to rent in Hamilton and bring it up to today’s quality of new builds,” he explained. “We do believe in supporting the increase of the rental supply in Hamilton. We think it’s a stable market (and) there’s a big demand for housing in Hamilton. Hamilton is a beautiful city that has a lot to offer, from parks and restaurants and schools. There’s a lot of proof of people moving to Hamilton from other municipalities because it’s a nice place to live. So demand is increasing so we’re trying to help keep supply up to date as best we can.”
For two-bedrooms that are 1,060 square feet, rent goes from $2,695 to about $2,800.
Three-bedrooms, which are 1,230 square feet, has rent ranging from $3,153 to $3,200. End unit options are available.
Parking (optional) costs $100 per month for both types of units. Utilities including hydro, water and heat are separate costs.
Chandaria said units that are pricier have “very large backyards” or they’re located on the upper levels, which have better natural light and views.
Units either have their own backyard or an upper porch that’s “quite large,” allowing people to have BBQs, Chandaria said.
Those who join the early bird mailing list qualify for free Wi-Fi upon signing a lease.
Tibro Properties advertises the Lawson Towns as a rental building that it professionally manages in-house.
“We are owners and operators that strive to be a part of the community and provide safe and comfortable living spaces for Hamiltonians to call “home,” Tibro wrote on its website.
One of its selling points is having no third party manager, which it says means residents won’t worry about “being left in the dark with maintenance or administrative concerns.”
Unlike its other new rental building The Delta Lofts, the Lawson Towns doesn’t have geo-thermal technology to heat and cool the units but it uses “some sustainable materials,” Chandaria said.
The Toronto developer Tibro describes itself as a lifestyle company that builds and provides rental living suites.
“With a long-term hold strategy and a goal for stable cash flows, we aim to own and manage strong, stable, and proud communities. We strive to have tenants for life,” it wrote on its website.
The company said its mission is to address the national rental housing shortage by filling the “long term demand for new, high quality and well-priced rental housing stock.”
With much of Hamilton rental stock built in the 1960s and 1970s and the influx of immigrants to Canada, Tibro said it aims to offer “the quality of living” renters demand. The current rental apartments lack “modern finishes, technologies, amenity spaces, measures for sustainability and are not designed for the future,” it said.
