Kraft Bakery recently announced the closing of its 625,000 sq. ft. factory located at 2150 Lake Shore Blvd West and Park Lawn, slated for the fall of next year. 

Kraft Canada Inc., 2150 Lakeshore Blvd. W., image by wikimapia

Alvaro Cuba, VP Operations for Mondelēz Canada, said it was a difficult decision but a necessary one due to "operating contstraints." When the factory first opened in 1948, the area was largely industrial. Over the past 60 years, however, this location has been steadily surrounded by residential development. Just to the west of the factory, at 2183 Lakeshore Blvd West, is the site of the Eau Du Soleil Condos developement, with 45- and 66-storey towers. 

Eau du Soleil Condos, image courtesy of Empire Communities

While the closing will result in the loss of over 500 jobs, it opens the site to what could be an exciting redevelopment project. Discussions have flourished regarding the possible new use for the huge parcel of land (28 acres) located at the west gateway to Toronto. It could be home to a variety of developments, from a "Shops at Don Mills" style outdoor mall to condos, office buildings, GO station and even a casino! 

Stay tuned, we'll be reporting on this more  the coming days and weeks.