A Hamilton-born entrepreneur is hoping to build a technology and medical innovation hub in what is now the back parking area of city hall.

The ambitious plan calls for two towers of 20 and 24 storeys with a combined 572,000 square feet of office space.

Paven Bratch's proposal also includes a 12-storey city expansion building with 120,000 square feet of office space.

The tech campus would place 1,350 parking spaces under the surface and include 200 spots for bikes. His plan also includes green space.

"I think this is a great opportunity for Hamilton," Bratch, who made his pitch to city councillors Wednesday, told The Spectator.

He and his firm, MetroPartners Inc., want to buy the southerly parking area behind the city hall building at fair market value.

The city would retain ownership of the existing 1960s-era municipal building on Main Street West.

In addition to the two office towers, Bratch's plan includes a 12-storey civic expansion building - in case city hall needs more space in coming years - with a gym.

Details of what that arrangement would look like would have to be hashed out with the city, Bratch said.

The proposal responds to the city's call in 2016 for developers' ideas on how to reinvent the south parking lot area, which includes elevated walkways and concrete piers. The former Canadian Football Hall of Fame building is on the eastern edge of the parcel.

During Wednesday's meeting, councillors Jason Farr and Sam Merulla circulated a draft motion calling for staff to negotiate a memorandum of understanding with MetroPartners Inc.

However, after councillors voiced concerns, they revised the motion to instead have staff study the feasibility of creating a tech hub on the southerly city hall property and report back in six months.

"We have processes in this city, and we need to follow them," Coun. Judi Partridge said, noting there were four other unnamed respondents to staff's 2016 market consultation. "At the end of the day, it needs to be open and fair to everyone."

Farr said he agreed after hearing the discussion. "We definitely follow process. Transparency is extremely important."

After council backed the revised motion, Bratch told The Spectator he remains upbeat about his pitch.

"I think it's a bit different, but we're still pretty optimistic that the city recognizes the need for this technology and their motion suggested that they buy into the vision, and I think that's exciting."

Bratch is betting the local hub can be an attractive location for large firms to establish beachheads near saturated and expensive Toronto.

He said his proposal would do this by building much-needed modern office space in Hamilton.

"I think our city has done a great job in creating a fabulous vibe. It's my argument that Hamilton is the next metropolitan city."

Bratch, 56, is the original owner of Radius, an eatery and bar on the northeast corner of James and Augusta streets, and a real estate developer.

The McMaster University commerce graduate worked for Procter and Gamble before becoming a "serial entrepreneur," mostly in marketing and technology.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Bratch estimates the revamp would draw as many as 7,000 well-paid jobs to the city and carry a ballpark cost of $250 million to build.

The proposal's renderings, by Hamilton-based Lintack Architects Incorporated, also includes a three-level, 250,000-square-foot plaza that would house a grocery store.

The plan features atriums with garden walls, a top-floor auditorium with views of the city, meeting spaces, caf�s, an indoor running track and skating rink.

Bratch said the "technology and medical innovation centre" would find synergy with the work McMaster Innovation Park is already doing.

If approved, construction on the parking structure and one tower would move forward in 24 to 36 months, he said. The second tower could be built in the next five or six years.

"I have engaged with pension funds, and other large institutional organizations," Bratch said about potential investors.

"There's a ton of money that's looking for a home, and they want to support projects like this, so I'm quite confident of that."

A staff report before Wednesday's general issues committee found there was 5.5 million square feet of office space in the downtown area in buildings that were 5,000 square feet or larger as of the last quarter of 2019.

Of that total, 667,720 square feet was empty, which made for an 11.9 per cent vacancy rate. That was 0.8 per cent lower than 2018.

"This is the first time since 2011 that the office vacancy rate has dropped below 12 per cent and is a good indicator of improving economic conditions in the (study area)," the economic development report states.

The survey also counted 26,305 jobs, an increase of 0.7 per cent for 186 more positions since 2018, in the area bounded by Queen Street to Victoria Avenue, Hunter Street to Cannon Street, James Street North to the CN railway, and James Street South to Charlton Avenue.

tmoro@thespec.com

905-526-3264 | @TeviahMoro