London's mayor has flexed his muscles to try and create new housing in the city's core.
Josh Morgan announced on Wednesday that he'll be using the so-called 'Strong Mayor' powers given to him by the province to ask city staff to look at city-owned parking lots that could be used as space for high-density housing.
"The redevelopment of City-owned parking lots will allow us to not only increase available on-site parking, they will also add significant residential density within new high-rise structures above the redeveloped parking facilities,” Morgan said in a news release. “A partnership utilizing City land, and the expertise of local developers on strategically selected sites, has the potential to deliver hundreds of new parking spaces, and thousands of new residences in our downtown."
Morgan's office says that a list of parking lots that might be considered is expected to be finalized "in the coming months."
The Mayor also said 185 Queen's Avenue - near London Music Hall and One London Place - is already on the list for potential development.
A request for proposal has been issued by the city, which will allow developers to propose a building that could include affordable housing and a public parking garage.
“I am committed to ensuring we do everything we can to accelerate local housing development,” Morgan said. “The transformation of surface parking lots into vibrant, high-density housing is one of several ways we can further revitalize our downtown.”
The proposals for the 185 Queen's site will be "evaluated based on the number of public parking and reserve spots created, along with the number of affordable housing units provided," according to the news release from the Mayor's office.
Morgan's plan to redevelop city owned parking lots was first mentioned in his State of the City address in January.
"A partnership utilizing city land, and the expertise of local developers on strategically selected sites, has the potential to deliver hundreds of new parking spaces, and thousands of new residences in our downtown," Morgan said in that speech. "This strategy will contribute to an unprecedented renewal of London’s core over the next decade."