It has been just shy of two years since we covered the plans to redevelop an aging strip mall near Ajax GO station into a new mixed-use, master planned community that aims to create a new downtown for the suburban city to the East of Toronto. Since then, the site has changed hands and is now owned by LeMine Investment Group, who are spearheading an adapted version of the original plan. The project now features a new design by Kirkor Architects Planners, and has been rebranded with the moniker 'Central Park Ajax'.

Rendering of Central Park Ajax, image courtesy of LeMine Investment Group

LeMine is now gearing up for the project's sales launch with the construction of a presentation centre at the northeast corner of the site, occupying a portion of the surface parking lot serving the strip mall at the southwest corner of Station Street and Harwood Avenue. With the presentation centre's opening just a few weeks away, we were given the opportunity to preview the space as work continues on finishing touches.

Inside the project's presentation centre, image by Jack Landau

The space combines high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling glazing on the south, east, and west exposures to create a light-filled environment. At the centre of the presentation centre, a scale model of the development's first 10-storey phase—created by Myles Burke Architectural Models—will help visitors visualize the completed development. The model, which we will cover in greater detail in a follow-up article, also highlights the project's generous contributions to the public realm. In an area currently dominated by cars, creating walkable environments is a crucial 'step' in fostering a more vibrant public realm. 

Scale model at the Central Park Ajax presentation centre, image by Jack Landau

Another prominent feature in the presentation centre is the large sixteen-screen display. Among the first things visitors will see upon entering—the wraps were literally just coming off when we were there—the display shows a selection of promotional videos highlighting the surrounding neighbourhood and the project's architecture.

16-screen display at the Central Park Ajax presentation centre, image by Jack Landau

Visitors can also get a preview of the suite finishes via two semi-enclosed vignettes, one displaying a kitchen layout and another displaying a bathroom layout. At the time of our visit earlier in the week, work on the vignettes' finishing touches was nearly complete.

Kitchen vignette at the Central Park Ajax presentation centre, image by Jack Landau

We will be back soon with more information about the project. In the meanwhile, additional information and renderings can be found in the project's dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment using the space provided at the bottom of this page.

Related Companies:  Milborne Group, Zeidler Architecture