News   Mar 27, 2024
 1.1K     1 
News   Mar 27, 2024
 1.1K     2 
News   Mar 27, 2024
 635     0 

Scarborough Town Centre Redevelopments

A few observations:

Existing Sears redeveloped, new Cineplex is adjacent on former parking deck site. The two are not connected, though they are only separated by a modest sized pedestrian only space.

Cineplex bldg includes resto use; will have parking on lower level, and 2-storey above.

Other retailers not named, but layout is shown w/sq ft.

Several very large spaces suggest substantial pre-leasing.

48k, 37k on lower level. 4 units appears to be 2-level, and ranging in the 20k neighbourhood (exact foot prints vary).

Then maybe 15 or so smaller stores.

Existing Cineplex to be demolished.

Mall exterior to remain profoundly ugly. LOL

Documents note this is Phase I.
 
there's also a pretty impressive master plan for the site - Looks like the city may be getting the density they want around the subway.
 
there's also a pretty impressive master plan for the site - Looks like the city may be getting the density they want around the subway.

Yes, the Block Context Plan submitted is the juiciest of all the documents submitted. From the document:
STC Block.JPG
 
Yes, the Block Context Plan submitted is the juiciest of all the documents submitted. From the document:
View attachment 165248

Good Find!

Certainly better than what is there now.

However, N-S and E-W circulation still aren't great.

If Oxford had any imagination, the mall would go to 3 floors, but shrink its foot print.

Also, the draft masterplan seems to show Progress still flying over McCowan, contrary to what planning has been hoping (at grade).

But it also seems to suggest Progress (western Branch dead ending at Borough Drive and the northerly branch seems disconnected ) Am I misreading this?
 
Very cool. Although, I am generally supportive of this, I would think there should be way more green space, with less intersecting roads. That would set the stage for adjacent build-out west (past Brimley Road) and east (past McCowan).
 
Looks like the tallest proposed building in that plan is a 65 storey residential building in the southeast corner.
 
Good Find!

Certainly better than what is there now.

However, N-S and E-W circulation still aren't great.

If Oxford had any imagination, the mall would go to 3 floors, but shrink its foot print.

Also, the draft masterplan seems to show Progress still flying over McCowan, contrary to what planning has been hoping (at grade).

But it also seems to suggest Progress (western Branch dead ending at Borough Drive and the northerly branch seems disconnected ) Am I misreading this?

While the mall is still there (and enlarged towards the new subway station) E-W and N-S circulation will suffer. What the plan shows is generally in line with what was approved by the City in May as part of the Scarborough Centre Transportation Master Plan OPA. The existing Progress flyover over McCowan is a bit surprising as the proposed at-grade intersection was approved. I believe commencing an EA for this was recommended by staff and approved. Maybe the existing flyover is shown until the EA is done? A local community group/residents association has been pushing hard to keep the flyover, because, you know, got to get to/from Highway 401 fast.

You are reading the plan correctly regarding the western branch of Progress ending at Borough Dr. That was part of the Transportation Master Plan. I'm not too concerned about that. I'm not sure how much traffic there currently is on Progress around the mall to make much of an impact.

My immediate reaction to this Context Plan (which is very preliminary!) is the number of residential buildings to office buildings. I counted 35 residential towers at 25 storeys or more compared with 1 office building. Office/employment uses generate much higher ridership than residential towers, so more office space around the subway station would help justify the extension just a little bit.
 
Does it matter if you put 1 office building or 20? Nobody is going to build office space here anytime soon. Going to have the NYCC situation. Empty lots forever or developers pushing to replace office with residential. Looks like they recognize the reality.
 
A few observations from the Block Context Plan, which seems to reveal what Scarborough Town Centre will look like in the end:
1. Progress Ave. reconfigured (curve straightened/realigned north towards the Real Canadian Superstore)
2. Walmart isn't in the mall anymore (existing area now corridors) -- makes sense, given the unpolished exterior (old exits turned into emergency exit doors)
3. Missing exterior stores (unclear where Best Buy and outside restaurants went)

Also, the first phase does not seem to include the rumoured Nordstrom (and unsure if it has a place in the final picture), given that the addition is the Cineplex and the remainder is stores. We could probably speculate what some of those stores are from the square footage and tenants at other Oxford/OMERS properties.

Looks like a great plan overall and will hopefully bring the mall closer to Square One level (Yorkdale level might be wishful thinking), if some of those new loops/corridors are a luxury wing and surface parking converted to parkades. I'm sure the picture isn't final and lots of things will be shuffled around the mall, as is required for retail to constantly adapt.
 
177658
177659


 

Back
Top