Ontario Construction News Staff Writer
A plan to bring three record-breaking residential towers to the heart of Milton’s transit hub is moving toward its next phase of public engagement as the town grapples with unprecedented intensification.
The proposed development at 130 Thompson Rd. S., led by the Greenpark Group and Trinity Point Developments, would see the construction of twin high-rise towers that are set to become the tallest buildings in the town’s history. The project is part of a broader vision for the Milton GO Station “Mobility Hub,” an area identified for significant density to meet provincial growth targets.
The proposed structures include 29,30 and 32 storey towers.
Project scope and design
The development, marketed as Thompson Towers, is situated at the southwest corner of Thompson Road South and Drew Centre. According to planning documents filed with the Town of Milton, the proposal involves three high-rise residential buildings in total.
The project is slated to include 802 residential units, a significant increase from earlier 31-storey iterations of the plan approved in 2019. The towers will sit atop a multi-storey podium designed to “activate the Thompson Road South and Drew Centre frontages” with ground-level commercial and retail space, according to a Town of Milton development update.
The architectural firm Graziani + Corazza Architects has been tapped for the design, which features a modern glass-and-steel aesthetic and a signature “Thompson Club” on the third floor, providing residents with rooftop pools, fitness facilities, and outdoor social spaces.
Strategic intensification
The push for the high-rises represents a major leap in density for Milton, a municipality historically characterized by low-rise suburban development. The site is located within a Protected Major Transit Station Area (PMTSA), where the province and the town are encouraging high-density, transit-supportive growth.
In a 2020 Mobility Hub Study (Report DS-028-20), town planners noted that the area surrounding the GO Station needs a “local planning framework that is fit for purpose” to prevent intensification from occurring in a “disjointed and haphazard way.” The study specifically identified the rail corridor as the appropriate location for the town’s tallest buildings to minimize impacts on established low-rise neighbourhoods.
Milton is currently striving to meet a density target of at least 200 people and jobs per hectare within its Urban Growth Centre by 2031, up from just 40 people per hectare recorded in 2020.
Technical challenges and noise mitigation
Building adjacent to an active rail line presents unique engineering challenges. In March 2023, Milton Council reviewed report DS-014-23, which recommended classifying the 130 Thompson Rd. S. site as a Class 4 Noise Area under provincial guidelines.
“A Class 4 Noise Area classification allows for higher daytime and nighttime sound level limits… mitigated by specified noise control measures,” the report stated.
The developer has agreed to environmental noise mitigation requirements, including specific building orientations and sound-attenuation materials, to ensure residential comfort despite the proximity to the CP Rail corridor.
Public consultation and milestones
The project has seen several rounds of public engagement. Most recently, the Town of Milton has integrated the discussion of high-density nodes like Thompson Road into its broader “We Make Milton” Official Plan review.
While the developer has already begun marketing the “Sienna” and “Spring” towers with estimated occupancy beginning in late 2026 or 2027, an upcoming statutory meeting represents a final opportunity for the community to comment on the policy framework supporting such record-breaking heights.
“These towers are poised to stand as Milton’s tallest structures, boasting an unbeatable location,” the Greenpark Group stated in its marketing materials.
Residents interested in the project can view the full planning documents through the Town of Milton’s Development Services department at Town Hall or via the town’s “Uptown Development” portal.
A spokesman for Milton says “the Official Plan Statutory Public Meeting has been pushed back to the April 13 Council meeting.”
