Toronto 675 Progress Avenue | ?m | 49s | SvN

[urbandreamer]

http://app.toronto.ca/DevelopmentApplications/navigatePlanningApp.do?method=next&reportType=2

675 PROGRESS AVE
OPA / Rezoning 10 287207 ESC 38 OZ Ward 38
- Scarborough Oct 28, 2010 Application Submitted Oct 28, 2010 Residential Apartments 30,101 207,184 237,285 2,448 45,780 --- --- Crooks, Russell
(416) 396-7040
Proposed redesignation of lands currently designated "Emplyment Areas" to "Mixed Use Areas" and to incorporate the lands into the Scarborough Centre, to permit a mix of residential, commercial, and office uses. A total of 2448 residential units are proposed in buildings ranging from 8 to 43 storeys, as well as 27,093 square metres of office and commercial space. Two new public roads are proposed to break up the 4.57 hectare site into four blocks.

Looks like more industrial land around that wasteland area is going to go residential highrise, not surprising.

 

[urbandreamer]

More info via urbanation:

Sandra Lee Investments submits application for 2448 units in multiple bldgs ranging from 8 to 43 storeys at 675 Progress Ave, E of McCowan.

 

[sodapop]

great news, i hope this goes through

 

[Northern Light]

This does not strike me as good news.

My initial reaction is that this should be turned down.

This is the AGS Automotive site.

http://www.agsautomotive.com

They are an autoparts/metal stamping manufacturer.

This site is not only an active 250,000 sq ft factory but also their corporate office.

Exactly the type of jobs we want to keep in the City.

I'm not clear on any intention to close or move this site. If such an announcement has been made, I couldn't find it in their press releases.

But I want to see the City retain this type of employment use.

Sure its not that pretty; but its good for the economy.

I would rather see this development go on the Scarborough Town Centre parking lots and where the big box stuff has gone in on the north side of progress, west of Scott House.

If the jobs can be retained in the community and the head office too, I might be open to rethinking my position, but I'm still inclined to say there are better places in SCC for this type of development.

 

[street meet]

Big Box store retail jobs are the industrial jobs of these times.

It's interesting to see the change in Scarborough, from strip malls, factories and bungalows. To condos, town homes, and big boxes.

The Golden Mile is another example of change. My understanding is that it was originally planned as a mecca of industry.
Now it's Walmart-ville.

 

[Solaris]

Retail jobs do NOT equal industrial jobs, retail jobs are lower paying and much lower contributors to the GDP ... that is why in the Provincial Policy Statement and the Growth Plan, conversion of employment land for retail commercial purposes is prohibited unless intiated by the municipality (following a comprehensive OP review) ... this has been demostrated and defended at the OMB

while I'm all for growth, density and new condos at SCC ... conversion of employment lands is not the way to achieve this objective ~

 

[street meet]

Solaris, I didn't mean to say that retail jobs were in any way equal to industrial jobs in pay, or in their contribution to our society. In fact I completely agree with your synopsis, that retail jobs are lower paying, and lower contributors to the GDP. My point was we are losing industrial jobs, and gaining retail jobs. Immigrants to Scarborough in the 1940's up until the '80's had the option of good paying industrial jobs. New immigrants to Scarborough don't have that option as much anymore, and they have to take on less paying, less respected retail jobs.

I'm just an observer, and it seems that twenty years ago there were a lot less big box stores. I suppose the land they occupy wasn't previously industrial. I'm pretty sure The Golden Mile was originally zoned as industrial though, and it's now covered in retail commercial. Did that slip by the OMB?

 

[egotrippin]

Big Box store retail jobs are the industrial jobs of these times.

It's interesting to see the change in Scarborough, from strip malls, factories and bungalows. To condos, town homes, and big boxes.

The Golden Mile is another example of change. My understanding is that it was originally planned as a mecca of industry.
Now it's Walmart-ville.

Indeed the Golden Mile was Canada's first model industrial park. It's still quite industrial, but yeah it's quickly turning into Big Box-ville. I've been witnessing it first-hand, as I work in the area (not in big box retail though, thank god) and it's pretty bleak.

 

[Edward Skira]

^ The former GM plant is now a sea of big box stores on the south side of Eglinton.

 

[egotrippin]

Yeah, and the entire north side from Pharmacy to Thermos Road is big box/"smart centres", with the exception of an office building and an Esso. Oh, and of course that zany communications tower and building. They just keep on building them.

 

[Solaris]

City Planning Preliiminary Report

This will be a pretty big development (if approved)...

As considered by the Planning and Growth Management Committee on March 24, 2011:

http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/pg/bgrd/backgroundfile-36623.pdf

Proposal

This application pertains to lands located at 675 Progress Avenue (currently occupied by the A.G. Simpson heavy metal stamping plant, which is scheduled to cease operation in the spring of 2011). The site is surrounded by the Scarborough Centre Secondary Plan area (and therefore lands designated Mixed Use Areas) on three sides. Given the site’s location and context and the intended cessation of the industrial use on the property, the owners are seeking that the site be incorporated into the Scarborough Centre. The owners have filed an official plan amendment (OPA) application that proposes to change the identification of the site on the Urban Structure Map from “Employment Districts†to “Centres†and to redesignate the land use from “Employment Areas†to “Mixed Use Areasâ€.

The owner intends to redevelop the site from its current industrial use to mixed use development including residential and commercial (retail and office) uses, similar to the mixed use development of the Scarborough Centre. The plans submitted with the application contemplate a total of 2,448 residential units within low, mid and high-rise buildings (3 to 43 storeys in height), a total gross floor area of 236,693 square metres including commercial (retail and office) uses at grade, and new public roads that connect to the existing road network. Subject to approval of the OPA, the owner intends to submit a zoning by-law amendment application(s) to permit development of the site.​

 

[ProjectEnd]

From planningAlliance' website:

 

[interchange42]

Huh. Scarborough finally grows up!

42

 

[Uncle Teddy]

Inner street looks cool but what's the street level going to be like along Progress? SCC needs some big help.

 

[whatever]

What a bizarre plan. I mean, I like it, but it's like a tiny little oasis of urbanity amidst a sea of industrial wasteland. It's jarringly out-of-context, but in a good way, I guess?