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Construction is now underway for Legacy Village on the lands of the former Regional Mental Health Care London facility that closed in 2014.

The project, located at 850 Highbury Ave. N., is spearheaded by Old Oak Properties (OOP) who bought the property from the province in 2019 for $17 million and marks the largest residential development in the City of London’s history.

The site covers approximately 57 hectares and the approved plan will deliver roughly 8,400 residential units, in a mix of low-, medium- and high-density buildings, including up to 10 towers and supporting mixed-use commercial space.

“This will be the largest development in London’s history, and we’re proud to invest in one of the city’s core areas at a time when housing is needed more than ever. This project will bring new homes, new jobs and new life to a site that means so much to London,” said OOP CEO Robert Bierbaum of the development that will be constructed in phases over the next two decades.

According to the OOP website, the design integrates open-space and heritage features, a village core surrounding four existing provincially-heritage-designated buildings as well as a heritage-designated treed allée.

The neighbourhood is adjacent to the future Rapid Transit East London Link along Highbury Avenue North and Oxford Street East; and plans include incorporating active-transportation infrastructure such as bike lanes and multi- use pathways linking to transit and pedestrian networks.

“London is growing, and we must ensure our city grows in a way that respects our values: accessible housing, better mobility, connected neighbourhoods and preserving our rich heritage,” said City of London Mayor Josh Morgan.

“With Legacy Village, we are turning a long-under-utilized site into a community filled with opportunity and taking important steps toward our housing targets.”

The development aims to help the City of London meet the provincial housing pledge to build 47,000 new homes by 2031 as part of the provincial “More Homes for Everyone” initiative.

It’s estimated with the first phase underway, the approximately 400 units would go towards London’s 2025 housing goal.

The city’s 2025 target under the Federal Housing Accelerator Fund was 3,991 units and that has been surpassed by issuing 4,284 building permits between September 2024 and September 2025.

OOP also says it will bring new commercial opportunities and jobs during �鶹��ýӳ�� and in the longer-term through mixed-use services.

“When complete, Legacy Village will provide homes for roughly as many people as the town I grew up in. With park and school space, commercial and community space, it will be a huge draw to live, play and work in east London,” said City of London deputy mayor Shawn Lewis.

Work on the first and largest phase is now underway – a 32-storey, 386-unit tower. Construction is expected to take a few years to complete. It’s reported the developer hopes it will be ready for tenants to move in by 2029 or 2030.

“Through strong partnerships with major developers like Old Oak, faster permitting, and innovative incentives, we’re making it easier to build and grow in London,” said Morgan.

Neither OOP or the City of London would confirm the project cost or give a breakdown of funding sources.