News   Apr 26, 2024
 2.4K     4 
News   Apr 26, 2024
 579     0 
News   Apr 26, 2024
 1.2K     1 

400/401 Development (LFL Group, ?s, ?)

Northern Light

Superstar
Member Bio
Joined
May 20, 2007
Messages
31,914
Reaction score
89,618
Location
Toronto/EY
The lobbyist registry tells us that something significant is contemplated for the S/E corner of this interchange.

I know we've covered this area before on UT, but for the life of me, cannot find the thread.

The entry does not clearly identify which parcels are in play, however, LFL group is identified as the proponent.

LFL is the parent company of Leons which has a very large site within this area.

1706546843739.png


The nature of this block, hemmed in by 401/400 (Black Creek) and Jane is currently low density retail fronting Jane, with light industrial/big box uses such as Leons in the interior.

Aerial View w/property lines:

1706547108563.png


The overt Leon's site is the one in the middle of this photo, next the to the 400. I'm uncertain how many additional parcels, if any, are LFL owned.

Comment: I would not oppose conversion to mixed use here. The site is very challenged though, being bound in by the highways. Absent a but loop within the lands, the interior of the site is about 700M from Jane.

A huge opportunity may exist here to naturalize Black Creek, which currently flows through a concrete channel here; and perhaps, to add a multi-use path along one side of same.

A look at the current condition of the creek here can be found in this UT thread:

 
Saw this. 4000 units.


Excellent Find!

From the above:

1706548991592.png


Here's the actual press release, and we have an image of the parcels in question:


From the above:

1706549587643.png
 
Last edited:
I know MTO has long range plans for upgrades to the 401 / 400 interchange - I wonder if they need land here or not for that.

The province redesignated the site as 'regeneration', so I assume MTO is playing ball, and in the loop.
 
The province redesignated the site as 'regeneration', so I assume MTO is playing ball, and in the loop.
Yes - I imagine that at most MTO would only need a partial land take here, likely along the north end adjacent to the 401. My understanding is that the plans for the interchange are largely to increase turn radiuses on the 400-401 ramps to improve capacity - I don't imagine those changes would have large impacts on the south side of the interchange. There would probably be larger impacts on the northern side of the 401.
 
Between the police station, creek and those other Jane fronting parcels, the site access looks pretty bad.

Currrently only one road in/out.

I think a second access is probably required, said access is problematic given the constraints of the highway interchanges, and would need to bridge the creek as well.
 
Curious to find out if this site is close enough to Weston Road and all of its activity to make a difference? How far to Weston GO/UPX?
 
Unless there's a second road built to access Jane here, it's going to be an extremely bad idea to ram through a whole bunch of density on this site.

Realistically the only way they could add such a road would be to the south, and that could be tricky (though not impossible) with the 400 ramp.
 
End the 400 as a T Junction at the 401, replace the 400 ramps that extend further south to transition to a road sooner, and extend Black Creek Dr into the site. Reconnect the road network east-west, and add some more north-south roads.
 
End the 400 as a T Junction at the 401, replace the 400 ramps that extend further south to transition to a road sooner, and extend Black Creek Dr into the site. Reconnect the road network east-west, and add some more north-south roads.

I've had this very idea in the past; not one I've pushed for, as I didn't expect the City or MTO to go for it at the time, and I had prioritized lobbying for removing Allen south of Yorkdale as a stubway.

Something like this might work:

1706639366376.png


I've only illustrated roads that would run beyond the site to connect to a new grid.

I'm undecided on how I would terminate the north end of Black Creek Drive. I see 3 options, T intersection at Maple Leaf; at Rustic or curve it in to meet Jane south of Rustic.
 

Back
Top