Toronto 4665 Steeles East | ?m | ?s | LeBANC Development

Since they haven't starting building Splendid China Tower, who knows what it'll end up looking like, especially if the hotel portion falls through. The whole complex, right now, is just a converted Canadian Tire store.
 
Splendid China Tower.

Link to article

Big rival malls want to get bigger


Competition from Markham could `eat us alive,' says Scarborough councillor as proposals weighed
Oct 03, 2007 04:30 AM
John Spears
City hall bureau

Rival Asian malls north and south of Steeles Ave. duelled for the right to proceed with major expansions yesterday at Scarborough community council.

And Scarborough politicians said it's time to stand up for their community in the face of aggressive competition from Markham that threatens to "eat us alive," in the words of Councillor Norm Kelly.

"We want to co-operate with Markham," Kelly said in an interview. "But in order to do that I think we've got to get their attention."

At issue is a proposal by Splendid China Square Inc., the 96,000-square-foot shopping centre on the Scarborough side of Steeles, to nearly triple in size. It hopes to add 197,000 square feet – enough for an Asian mall with 600 shops – plus a five-level parking garage.

But staring Splendid China in the face are the 270,000-square-foot Pacific Mall and 300,000-square-foot Market Village, which recently filed its own plans for a 300,000-square-foot expansion.

Lawyers for the Markham malls said the area around Kennedy and Steeles Aves. is already clogged with traffic. Studies submitted by Splendid China ignore development north of the Toronto boundary, and that's "unrealistic and irresponsible," said Market Village lawyer Barry Horosko.

"I'm not saying: `Turn these people down,'" Horosko told councillors. "I'm saying there is missing information."

Signe Leisk, lawyer for Splendid China, said Market Village's proposed expansion is a tactical gambit. "This application was submitted just last week, and it was not a complete application," she argued. "This has been put forward just for the purpose of trying to delay the Splendid China application."

Councillor Brian Ashton was skeptical of claims by the Markham malls that their main worry is traffic. He argued they were simply engaged in a "race for density."

The Markham malls say there's no race, because they're already zoned for growth and only need detailed site plan approval. Splendid China is still seeking the needed zoning.

Councillor Mike Del Grande noted that Splendid China has agreed, in its application, to pay for new road work to ease congestion, as well as a community centre in an area designated high-priority.

The city gets no such benefit from the Markham malls, he said, even though the traffic they generate affects Toronto as well.

Kelly said Markham has been aggressive in allowing high-density developments.

In effect, they're asking Toronto to tailor its development to suit Markham, he said.

Councillors voted to support Splendid China's proposal at an Ontario Municipal Board hearing in December. Markham and the rival malls will also have standing.
 
This mall rivalry is a good thing...Splendid China Mall is currently not at all splendid.

Shockingly, traffic in the area has marginally improved over the years...McNicoll didn't used to go straight through, there was no 407, etc. There's now a signalized intersection east of Kennedy, whereas left turners between Kennedy and the GO line (both from Canadian Tire and the malls) used to absolutely cripple the roads. The proposed Silver Star and Milliken extensions will help, as would over/underpasses at the GO line, particularly for Steeles.
 
Border Town morphology

It's fun to chart the changes parts of the city go through. I remember back in the day when that intersection had a Cullen country barns and a Canadian Tire. I don't think anyone 20 years ago could have predicted it would become the centre for the suburban chinatown.

I would have one request for the area though, it's to make it a little more pedestrian friendly. The Pacific mall parking lot is a pretty crazy place on the weekends.
 
Link to article

Big rival malls want to get bigger


Competition from Markham could `eat us alive,' says Scarborough councillor as proposals weighed
Oct 03, 2007 04:30 AM
John Spears
City hall bureau

Councillor Mike Del Grande noted that Splendid China has agreed, in its application, to pay for new road work to ease congestion, as well as a community centre in an area designated high-priority.

What does 'road work' refer to hear? Will they be paying for Steeles to go to 4 lanes in each direction? The amount of development in this area already causes major traffic tie-ups - it's all rather amazing what people will put up with sometimes. Steeles Avenue in this area is the perfect example of where planning needs to be coordinated over municipal boundaries.

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Splendid China Mall Phase II (new design)

4_125.jpg
 
^wheres the GO station? I dont understand this render at all...doesnt help that you can heardly read it
 
Splendid China Mall Phase II (new design)

4_125.jpg

In this rendering ... Steeles is seen in the foreground, this view is looking south with the GO railway located to the left of the buidling, the street stub shown on the far right would be Redlea Avenue

It would appear this proposal has no approval status at all ... the highrise tower is shown in the location of the current GO commuter parking lot, I gather the empty space to the left of the tower would be the existing Milliken GO Station
 

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