Toronto Yonge Sheppard Centre Renovations and Expansion | 123.13m | 35s | RioCan | BDP Quadrangle

[sunnyraytoronto]

RioCan has published their interior layout if anyone is interested. It's interesting that they put the stairs going up/down inside the mall rather than outside so the existing floors remain. It also looks like none of the major restaurants have signed up, but the banks are still there.

http://www.riocan.com/docs/default-...y/riocansheppardcentre_torontoon.pdf?sfvrsn=0

There was never any proposal to alter the retail floor levels,... it's always been the same split level basement - first floor thingy from the 70's that created the moat,.... Notice the useless basement moat area just became useless storage area,...

None of the major restaurants like Boston Pizza and Mirage are gone,... not surprising since area demographics have changed. Heck, when I first moved in about 25 years ago I felt like I was the only Asian around at times,.... now, you can get almost any type of specialized Asian cuisine and snack within a 5 minute walk. Surprised that Spring Roll won't be back,..... but I noticed Basil Box (pho noodle) is new and will cater to Asians.

The TD, CIBC and BMO has been at the various corners of Yonge & Sheppard since before there was even a Sheppard Centre!

Surprised but not shocked that they basically kept the same subway passage that basically forces commuter halfway eastward into the SheppardCentre before they can get out onto Yonge Street. Not shocked because this is a retail tactic to raise foot traffic volume,... but surprised because City Planning was insisting on better pedestrian flow (especially north-south pedestrian flow) and suggested some good design ideas that would allow subway commuter quicker and easier access to Yonge Street without having to detour through the centre of the mall.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

RioCan has published their interior layout if anyone is interested. It's interesting that they put the stairs going up/down inside the mall rather than outside so the existing floors remain. It also looks like none of the major restaurants have signed up, but the banks are still there.

http://www.riocan.com/docs/default-...y/riocansheppardcentre_torontoon.pdf?sfvrsn=0

Hmmmm,.... on the second last slide with Longo supermarket,.... most of the 2rd floor of the SouthTower office building is converted to restaurant with patio terrace (built ont op of new mall structure over current moat) overlooking the intersection of Yonge and Sheppard. That's new,... something I've never noticed in any of their previous proposal,... it never specified restaurant let alone patio terrace.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

They've started putting up construction hoarding on Yonge Street in front of the main SheppardCentre entrance - blocks off sidewalk and close off curb lane for pedestrian walkway,.... all northbound Yonge traffic lane shifted west one lane over and eliminating the centre left turn lane. I'm not sure if this is only for the demolition,... but it does seems that way since the construction hoarding only going up in front of the main entrance where there's some large steet truss to take down. I do recall at community presentation meetings the city was adamant that none on the lanes on Yonge or Sheppard would be closed off and developer agreed to that. But I do recall a few months ago at North York Community Council, a motion was placed for Yonge Street detour due to construction hoarding with regards to SheppardCentre development,.... anyways,....

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Since most sane folks rarely go into SheppardCentre retail mall,.... even before construction closed off most of the mall,.... there are some decent posters with renderings of the new SheppardCentre retail mall,... some of the renderings not seen before so I'll post them here. BTW, the $200 million cost that they're claiming includes the new 39 storey rental condo tower,... if not then RioCan is getting ripped! Case in point, current EatonCentre renovation costs $120 million,.... YorkdaleMall renovation costs over $200 million and over $300 million. The SheppardCentre mall renovation only involve about 2/3 of the mall the rest of the stores will exactly the same footprint,.... ballpark I would say SheppardCentre retail mall renovations costing around $50million,.... and the 39 storey rental condo tower costing around $150 million,... keep in mind they don't need new underground parking lot, they'll using underground parking lot for SheppardCentre.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Interior demolition already started inside the mall,... especially former Cineplex movie theatre part and western part of mall. Outside: they completed and opened the Yonge Street hoarding - it runs the entire Yonge frontage block,.... likely be up for about a year (optimistic) to demolish front and put up new Yonge Street frontage,.... then another year to work on new interior of west side of mall. 2 year mall renovation time line.

 

[pipolchap]

RioCan has published their interior layout if anyone is interested. It's interesting that they put the stairs going up/down inside the mall rather than outside so the existing floors remain. It also looks like none of the major restaurants have signed up, but the banks are still there.

http://www.riocan.com/docs/default-...y/riocansheppardcentre_torontoon.pdf?sfvrsn=0

None of the major restaurants like Boston Pizza and Mirage are gone

Interior layout has been updated. Boston Pizza and Mirage are still conspicuously missing. However, Chipotle and IQ Food, in addition to Basil Box, have signed up!

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Where's the Chipotle? Interesting,... this is the same Chipotle that committed to Tridel HullmarkCentre but bailed,.... now showing up across the street at SheppardCentre,....

Over the last 6 months or so as stores closed down at Sheppard Centre due to the mall renovation,.... many of the stores and restaurants posted thank you notices for their customers,.... along with a status update of if they're coming back,....

Here is the noticed BostonPizza posted on their door when they closed,... they're not returning.

Mirage posted a similar message when they closed as well,... thankful for their customers that they've served over the years but it was written like the owners were retiring,... thus, they're not returning. (Can't find that image)

SpringRoll posted a similar message when they closed around August or so and encouraged customer to visit their FairviewMall location,.... and they're not returning. (Too much bother to look for that one)

Out of all the Thank You letters to customers but we're closing due to renovation and not returning,.... the one that got to me most was the one from Druxy,... they were at Sheppard Centre for 39 years,... that's right from the beginning when Sheppard Centre first opened!!!!

 

[innsertnamehere]

RioCan and its 50% partner KingSett have received zoning approval from the City of Toronto, for its application for the redevelopment and expansion of RioCan Yonge Sheppard Centre. The development plan, which will be completed in phases, includes a complete renovation and expansion of the retail portion of the property and interior of the mall. Construction of the retail renovation commenced in March 2016 and is expected to be completed by May 2018. Once complete, approximately 104,000 square feet of new retail space will have been added. The plans also contemplate the addition of a new 39 storey residential tower containing approximately 317,000 square feet of residential space comprising approximately 400 units. Construction is expected to commence in mid-2017 and is expected to be completed in mid-2019. Major tenants in the retail portion of the property will include Longo's, LA Fitness, Winners, Shoppers Drug Mart, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce ("CIBC"), Bank of Montreal, and Toronto Dominion Bank ("TD Bank").
Read more at http://www.stockhouse.com/news/pres...d-breaking-at-its-calgary#E335j7hQf7PTcKlX.99

 

[lead82]

Interesting that they are removing the moat. That will be a huge improvement to the street-scape of Sheppard. Now if only they can extend the median on Yonge from south of Elmhurst down to Sheppard that would be a nice edition. The bistro on the second floor of the south tower is suspicious. Does Rio-Can even own the towers or just the mall. They must own the entire property. There is a large daycare located on the second floor of the south tower which I guess will be kicked out and will have to find a new location.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Interesting that they are removing the moat. That will be a huge improvement to the street-scape of Sheppard. Now if only they can extend the median on Yonge from south of Elmhurst down to Sheppard that would be a nice edition. The bistro on the second floor of the south tower is suspicious. Does Rio-Can even own the towers or just the mall. They must own the entire property. There is a large daycare located on the second floor of the south tower which I guess will be kicked out and will have to find a new location.

Extending the tree lined centre median down to highway 401 and up to Finch Hydro Corridor (as originally promised to the community when the North York Secondary Plan was put in place around 20 years ago) is something the communities are still fighting for!

RIO-CAN and KingSett owns the entire SheppardCentre complex,..... retail, office and apartment buildings,.... basically, the entire block!

City Planning and Councillor office took care of the day care,.... new and improved facilities for the day care as well as a Family Service Centre at Sheppard Centre.

Attached photos shows the demolition of the former movie theatre on top of the retail area, along Sheppard where they're started,..... entire inside been gutted,.... but they seem to be keeping the I-beams and roof,.... both should still be good since the Cineplex was added on top of SheppardCentre about 20 years ago,..... 1998 if I recall. Just have to split this into 2 floors by adding a new floor in the middle along with new exterior glass-walls,...... Damn,.... they're working right above the TimHorton,.... my double-double tasted funky!

 

[Mint]

So I guess those grey, concrete office towers are still staying? They're such an eye sore and doesn't blend in at all with the concept pictures.

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

So I guess those grey, concrete office towers are still staying? They're such an eye sore and doesn't blend in at all with the concept pictures.

They are Offices! And they are staying! Yeah!!!!

Dude, in the last 18 years since amalgamation, the Yonge corridor between Highway 401 to Finch Hydro Corridor has seen over 60+ new residential condo towers open up and only 1 office tower with some token office condo storey at HullmarkCentre and 1 at EmeraldPark which are about 80% empty,...... in this condition, Beggars can not be choosers!

 

[kris]

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Attached photos shows the demolition of the former movie theatre on top of the retail area, along Sheppard where they're started,..... entire inside been gutted,.... but they seem to be keeping the I-beams and roof,.... Oops my mistake,... today they are taking apart the roof as well,.... But looking at the development plans, I think they will be keeping the I-beam frames,....

Also closed off curb lane of Westbound Sheppard Avenue for pedestrian hoarding shelters (starting)

,.....

 

[sunnyraytoronto]

Oops,.... my previous post speculated they would at least be keeping the existing I-beams since the height seems about right and all they're going do is split the former movie theatre level into 2 floors - lower floor for Longo's and upper floor for LA Fitness,.... but it seems they're taking away the I-beams as well! Probably easier to put in a load bearing floor for LA Fitness that way,..... anyway, that has only happened at the south part of the former theatre area along Sheppard,..... though, I would suspect same to happen at northern part of the former theater along Greenfield Ave,... and eventually west part along Yonge.

Second photo shows, the former rental apartments above GoodLife being taken out,.... similar rental apartments along Greenfield but they haven't been touched yet.

Third photo shows, progress of the pedestrian hoarding along Sheppard,.... it reduces westbound Sheppard Ave traffic from 3 lanes to 2 lanes,.... seems to have a negative effect on westbound traffic,....