waterloowarrior
Senior Member
news release
http://www.townofajax.com/Page6449.aspx
ppt
http://www.townofajax.com/AssetFactory.aspx?did=11327
staff report
http://www.townofajax.com/AssetFactory.aspx?did=11328
streetview
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=bayly+...q2MZyuY7uQPFFpwdqwetcw&cbp=12,208.57,,0,-0.76
Public square and 1,800 residential units slated for Ajax site
Town approves agreement to develop southwest corner of Harwood Avenue and Bayly Street
http://www.durhamregion.com/news/article/180951
Jul 08, 2011 - 02:26 PM
REKA SZEKELY
AJAX -- A Mel Lastman Square-type public space and six towers containing more than 1,800 residential units are slated for the southwest corner of Harwood Avenue and Bayly Street in a deal between developers and the Town of Ajax passed at a council meeting on Thursday.
At issue is an undeveloped nine-acre property that the Town expropriated in 2009 after the former owners submitted plans for drive-throughs to be built there. At the time, councillors decided that plan was not in line with their vision for the downtown and with the expropriation, they went in search of a developer who could meet the vision of an urbanized, densely populated mixed-use space.
On July 7, councillors both announced and approved an agreement to sell the land to Medallion Corporation for $9 million. The company will build six towers ranging in size from nine storeys to 25 storeys, a two-storey office building and a public square similar to Mel Lastman Square with a water feature in the centre that will double as an outdoor skating rink in the winter.
The plan is to build a total of 1,838 residential units which will be a mix of condos and rental apartments. The first phase, including the public square, is slated to be complete in late 2014 or early 2015.
The square will be named in honour of Pat Bayly, Ajax's first mayor.
During the Second World War, Pat Bayly served in Camp X in Whitby, a training camp for spies and covert operations. There, Mr. Bayly worked on code deciphering and after the war he went on to start an engineering firm in Ajax before becoming mayor in 1955.
"He was a true pioneer in this community; like Ajax he was born in war and made a community after the war," said Mayor Steve Parish.
Because the project is part of the Town's downtown revitalization plan, Ajax will provide $22 million in incentives to Medallion through the course of the project. These include rebates on 80 per cent of the increase in property taxes on the site until 2025, exemptions in planning and development fees and development charge exemptions. Medallion must still pay the Region of Durham's portion of development charges.
Mayor Parish acknowledged the incentives were substantial.
"Of course if you didn't have the incentives you wouldn't have the development or you'd have a strip plaza," he said.
When the project is complete in 2026, it's expected to bring in $1.4 million annually in property taxes. As it stands, the property brings in about $55,000 in taxes per year.
Medallion still has to go through the site planning process, including public consultation, and Mayor Parish said there won't be cranes at the site tomorrow. He commended council for the decision to expropriate the land and said he was excited about the project.
"It means a vibrant downtown, it means a very considerable addition to the Town's revenue base, it will certainly create jobs and other spin-off jobs and I think it's a win-win for our economy," said the mayor.
One outstanding issue is the final price after the expropriation. Ajax assessed the land value at $5.5 million at the time but the land owners disagreed and now it's up to the Ontario Municipal Board to decide the price. Mayor Parish said at one point the former owners were asking for as much as $13 million.
Representatives from Medallion were on hand when council approved the agreement. The company is currently building a subdivision in Ajax at Rossland and Audley roads and has built multi-residential units in Toronto and London.
Howie Paskowitz, senior development manager of Medallion, said he was looking forward to the opportunity to partner with the Town in this project and pointed out his company was making a long-term commitment to the community as Medallion would continue to own and operate the apartment buildings after the development is complete.
"The opportunities for projects of this magnitude don't come around very often," he said.
The incentives provided by the Town were key to the deal.
"The project could not happen without those incentives," said Mr. Paskowitz.
As to the phasing, Mr. Paskowitz said the first two buildings constructed will likely be apartment units, with condos built in the later phases. The proposed start for the second phase is 2016 and 2020 for the third phase.
"With condos, before you can start you need presales," he said.
Mayor Parish said he expects there may be some resistance from residents regarding the project as there has been in other Durham communities when condo towers were proposed, but he thought most residents would understand it's the appropriate spot for dense buildings.
"I think the one place most people say yes this the place for it is in the downtown," he said.
Fast facts on the Medallion project at Harwood and Bayly
- Six building complexes ranging in height from nine to 23 storeys
- 1,838 residential apartment and condo residential units and a population of 3,190
- Parking will be underground
- Public square to be located at the corner of Harwood and Bayly with 844-metre square reflecting pool doubling as outdoor skating rink
- Ampitheatre seating in the square for public performances
- Retail stores at ground level and two-storey office building planned
- Pedestrian walkway connecting Pat Bayly Square and Ajax Community Centre
- Upon completion office and retail will employ about 246 employees
- Residents in buildings expected to spend $71.6 million annually, some of which will go to nearby businesses
http://www.townofajax.com/Page6449.aspx
ppt
http://www.townofajax.com/AssetFactory.aspx?did=11327
staff report
http://www.townofajax.com/AssetFactory.aspx?did=11328
streetview
http://maps.google.ca/maps?q=bayly+...q2MZyuY7uQPFFpwdqwetcw&cbp=12,208.57,,0,-0.76
Public square and 1,800 residential units slated for Ajax site
Town approves agreement to develop southwest corner of Harwood Avenue and Bayly Street
http://www.durhamregion.com/news/article/180951
Jul 08, 2011 - 02:26 PM
REKA SZEKELY
AJAX -- A Mel Lastman Square-type public space and six towers containing more than 1,800 residential units are slated for the southwest corner of Harwood Avenue and Bayly Street in a deal between developers and the Town of Ajax passed at a council meeting on Thursday.
At issue is an undeveloped nine-acre property that the Town expropriated in 2009 after the former owners submitted plans for drive-throughs to be built there. At the time, councillors decided that plan was not in line with their vision for the downtown and with the expropriation, they went in search of a developer who could meet the vision of an urbanized, densely populated mixed-use space.
On July 7, councillors both announced and approved an agreement to sell the land to Medallion Corporation for $9 million. The company will build six towers ranging in size from nine storeys to 25 storeys, a two-storey office building and a public square similar to Mel Lastman Square with a water feature in the centre that will double as an outdoor skating rink in the winter.
The plan is to build a total of 1,838 residential units which will be a mix of condos and rental apartments. The first phase, including the public square, is slated to be complete in late 2014 or early 2015.
The square will be named in honour of Pat Bayly, Ajax's first mayor.
During the Second World War, Pat Bayly served in Camp X in Whitby, a training camp for spies and covert operations. There, Mr. Bayly worked on code deciphering and after the war he went on to start an engineering firm in Ajax before becoming mayor in 1955.
"He was a true pioneer in this community; like Ajax he was born in war and made a community after the war," said Mayor Steve Parish.
Because the project is part of the Town's downtown revitalization plan, Ajax will provide $22 million in incentives to Medallion through the course of the project. These include rebates on 80 per cent of the increase in property taxes on the site until 2025, exemptions in planning and development fees and development charge exemptions. Medallion must still pay the Region of Durham's portion of development charges.
Mayor Parish acknowledged the incentives were substantial.
"Of course if you didn't have the incentives you wouldn't have the development or you'd have a strip plaza," he said.
When the project is complete in 2026, it's expected to bring in $1.4 million annually in property taxes. As it stands, the property brings in about $55,000 in taxes per year.
Medallion still has to go through the site planning process, including public consultation, and Mayor Parish said there won't be cranes at the site tomorrow. He commended council for the decision to expropriate the land and said he was excited about the project.
"It means a vibrant downtown, it means a very considerable addition to the Town's revenue base, it will certainly create jobs and other spin-off jobs and I think it's a win-win for our economy," said the mayor.
One outstanding issue is the final price after the expropriation. Ajax assessed the land value at $5.5 million at the time but the land owners disagreed and now it's up to the Ontario Municipal Board to decide the price. Mayor Parish said at one point the former owners were asking for as much as $13 million.
Representatives from Medallion were on hand when council approved the agreement. The company is currently building a subdivision in Ajax at Rossland and Audley roads and has built multi-residential units in Toronto and London.
Howie Paskowitz, senior development manager of Medallion, said he was looking forward to the opportunity to partner with the Town in this project and pointed out his company was making a long-term commitment to the community as Medallion would continue to own and operate the apartment buildings after the development is complete.
"The opportunities for projects of this magnitude don't come around very often," he said.
The incentives provided by the Town were key to the deal.
"The project could not happen without those incentives," said Mr. Paskowitz.
As to the phasing, Mr. Paskowitz said the first two buildings constructed will likely be apartment units, with condos built in the later phases. The proposed start for the second phase is 2016 and 2020 for the third phase.
"With condos, before you can start you need presales," he said.
Mayor Parish said he expects there may be some resistance from residents regarding the project as there has been in other Durham communities when condo towers were proposed, but he thought most residents would understand it's the appropriate spot for dense buildings.
"I think the one place most people say yes this the place for it is in the downtown," he said.
Fast facts on the Medallion project at Harwood and Bayly
- Six building complexes ranging in height from nine to 23 storeys
- 1,838 residential apartment and condo residential units and a population of 3,190
- Parking will be underground
- Public square to be located at the corner of Harwood and Bayly with 844-metre square reflecting pool doubling as outdoor skating rink
- Ampitheatre seating in the square for public performances
- Retail stores at ground level and two-storey office building planned
- Pedestrian walkway connecting Pat Bayly Square and Ajax Community Centre
- Upon completion office and retail will employ about 246 employees
- Residents in buildings expected to spend $71.6 million annually, some of which will go to nearby businesses
