Vaughan ArtWalk District Phase 1 | 131m | 38s | SmartCentres | Hariri Pontarini

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Woodbridge_Heights

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Not really sure if I created the thread title correctly so please correct if needed.

Smartcentres have contacted Vaughan City Council with a request to relocate the existing Walmart store to its current corporate head office location and develop a new corporate head office at the existing Walmart store location.

http://www.vaughan.ca/council/minutes_agendas/AgendaItems/CW_0206_18_15.pdf
 
Very interesting. Very, very interesting. Not every day you see a private developer request an MZO.

So SmartCentres would move into the old Futureshop building by the sounds of it, with Wal-Mart getting a new building on their current site. Wal-Mart's lease extends until 2097, and have no obligation to move until then. Wal Mart has agreed to move, but only if it is done quickly. The problem is that the existing SmartCentres HQ is designated employment lands, which does not permit large format retail uses. So to allow the move, it needs to be redesignated. Problem is, you need an Municipal Comprehensive Review to do this, which is a 3 year process. And Wal-Mart doesn't want to move 3 years from now, they want to move now, probably to do so while the construction around them is completed. Thus, the Ministerial Zoning Order to redesignate the lands immediately.
 
It seems like that would be a logical move. For Smart Centres to have their hq right beside the subway station would be a huge benefit for its employees. They will probably have to extensively rebuild the former home outfiters/future shop building for their offices that could include an indoor connection into the subway station. For Walmart it would give them an opportunity to maintain a presence in the VMC. It may give them a chance to try out a new urban store concept.
 
North of Portage parkway is outside of the VMC area - but yes, they would be stupid to ignore potential walk in customers.
 
Smart Centres could not find another location to relocate the Walmart too. This is a smart option to assist them in moving the whole development along.
 
The SPA docs for SmartCentre's move into the old Futureshop space are now available online. Essentially making only minor signage tweaks and repainting the building. The parking lot is being closed off to paid parking for the employees, by the looks of it as well.

Poor Mitch is gunna loose his underground parking, helipad, and squash court.
 
I mentioned this in another thread: Kumon appears to have vacated their building already. Their sign has been removed.
 
Again. why can't Wal-Mart be at the base of a tower??

Even putting parking underground would free up more land for development.

This also applies to the other big box stores in the area.
 
drum118 said:
Again. why can't Wal-Mart be at the base of a tower??

Even putting parking underground would free up more land for development.

This also applies to the other big box stores in the area.
Click to expand...
Agreed.

Even the land they are moving to should have been a new high rise.

Who knows maybe they won't get that special Ministerial approval they need.
 
They already have it.

The lands here are designated employment lands, not intensification. It’s the whole reason they needed the MZO. Vaughan doesn’t see the need for intensification north of Portage Parkway. Whether that is the correct approach or not, I don’t know, but just getting the Walmart here needed some pretty extraordinary planning measures, yet alone residential intensification.
 
Well it could have been a 10 story office tower with walmart at the bottom. That would be considered employment use
 
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