Shopping, office space part of innovative design for Burlington storage facility

A development project is now officially on the table to bring an innovative, multi-use facility to an under-utilized industrial area of Burlington.

The proposed Dymon Centre Facility at Harvester Rd. and Appleby Line would see a five-storey storage facility as its prime usage, but plans also call for the building to house rental office space and a retail outlet on the main floor.

When the project was first announced last year a consultant for the project said the project is much more than a storage facility.

“All of these components are integrated into one building and all of those pieces are a part of it,” explained David McKay of MHBC Planning at that time. “And the retail and office component provide a face to the main street so that there will be active usage on all sides.”

The Dymon concept started in Ottawa and has been sprouting in other locations in Ontario with the closest being in Etobicoke. The concept has earned praise for its unique approach of injecting much-needed vibrancy into areas that traditionally generate little public engagement.

The proposed Burlington location is a case in point. The Harvester location near Appleby Line has sat vacant for a long time.

“The public has been very accepting of these projects,” McKay said in 2023. “(The plan) is very unique and it ticks off a lot of boxes that cities like to see such as active employment generation in an area that has been dormant.”

When the facility is built, more than 250 jobs will be added to the area, according to plans submitted by Dymon.

While other Dymon locations have even included residential units, that won’t be the case in Burlington due to zoning regulations.

However, McKay said if the project proceeds as planned what the public will see is an impressively designed structure that will be primarily used for storage by both the public and business. He said the office space will be high-end and the retail will be a Dymon store featuring a full range of home decor and storage products and custom kitchen and closet designs.

A Tim Hortons and Wendy’s restaurant that are currently located on the site will remain.