Mohawk College is purchasing 21 acres across Fennell Ave
- Jayson Koblun
- 08 May 2018
Mohawk College is buying the land Century Manor sits on — a deal that preserves a historic Mountain structure and builds more affordable housing for Hamilton.
Infrastructure Ontario is planning on selling to the city 21 acres (8.5 hectares) of former Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital land on the Mountain brow. The city will then sell the land to Mohawk College for $9.51 million and use the proceeds towards a new downtown tower for residential and retail use.
The province says that the deal concerning the Fennell Avenue West property is going through despite whatever comes out of this June’s government election, which will keep anything from getting in the way of the plans for the new tower set to be built at 191 York Blvd, too.
20% of the space within the new tower will be designated to affordable housing. The space is currently the home of Community Living Hamilton, an agency that helps care for those in the city with special needs. The agency will be offered space in the new building.
Hamilton-area MPP Ted McMeekin says just how affordable the housing will be has yet to be determined.
The announcement was made on Thursday, May 3 and has taken three years of discussion and planning to get this far. Mohawk’s land purchase also helps people see what’s to come of the old Century Manor — a building that’s long been a favourite of heritage lovers.
“We have to keep that building there,” Mohawk president Ron McKerlie told CBC news. “We’ve committed to that.”
This Century Manor story just keeps on ticking. People love to read about this place. I do too! http://t.co/f4XHBq3OaH @SaveCentury
— Samantha Craggs (@SamCraggsCBC) March 24, 2015
McKerlie says Mohawk is still deciding what to use the old manor for — whether a student residence, administrative building, or something else, no one is quite sure, but the college hopes to begin restorations by 2019. What we do know so far is that Mohawk will spend $9 million restoring it.
The full provincial investment is estimated to be $15 million.
Let us know in the comment section what you would like to see Mohawk College do with Century Manor!
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