Toronto Yorkgate | 98.3m | 27s | SmartCentres | Petroff Partnership Architects

PMT said:
Looks like the first signs of intensification at Yorkgate Mall. Is Jane Finch Mall next?
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Lets hope so!

Both sites need to be subdivided by new public roads.

They are far too large and make for really circuitous/unpleasant pedestrian circulation.
 
I wish the City had been proactive in creating a comprehensive revitalization plan here before the LRT. Looks like now we'll just get piecemeal redevelopment that'll quasi gentrify the area with fewer community benefits.
 
Undead said:
I wish the City had been proactive in creating a comprehensive revitalization plan here before the LRT. Looks like now we'll just get piecemeal redevelopment that'll quasi gentrify the area with fewer community benefits.
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Even with the city's "planning", the results arent really all that great to be honest. A plan is still better then no plan i'll admit, but just look at the half-baked nonsense we're getting along the Golden Mile.

I feel like the TCHC's Neighborhood Revitalization plans are better than the city's regular neighborhood planning.
 
*Docs are up* A bit No Frills, too cheap to spring for colour in the renders (closer to Massing Models)!

Architect is Petroff

Proponent is SmartCentre REIT

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The Avenue Study/Block Context Plan might be the most intriguing bit:

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There's a bunch more in there to take a gander at!
 
FWIW, my take:

The proposal, such as it is, is uninspired, but fine. Better than surface parking for sure!

But I do have some concerns about where the Block Context Plan suggests the rest of the site going.
I would strongly prefer public streets to private ones. I also see the idea of a POPS, but no park.
Obviously, that's very preliminary, high-level stuff, but those are material issues should SmartCentre be looking to roll-out a full-scale redevelopment here.

****

Obviously their planners don't control all the other area sites they are looking at in the Block Context Plan, and it's merely a hypothetical to show how things may relate.
That said, I take some similar issues w/the road-grid layout as I do on the York Gate site.

I'd like to see the new N-S road in the S-W Quadrant (Jane-Finch Mall) flow all the way through); and the new E-W street envisioned there cross Jane.

On the Jane-Finch site, I think there need to be at least 2 N-S streets, and at least 2 E-W streets to get the blocks down to a manageable size.

I'll make an exception for a block containing a usable public park, if necessary to its efficacy.
 
U.G.L.Y. You ain't got no alibi you ugly Eh! Hey! You Ugly🎶

At this point anytime I hear the name SmartCentres, I just anticipate the project being absolutely ugly and uninspiring seeing as they dont care what they put up in Toronto. Vaughan has been another story (maybe because it's where they are headquartered), but their Toronto proposals have been a mess.
 
This one was appealed to OLT.

First CMC was just conducted, Jan 22nd, 2024.

Next one is May 6th 2024.

No Merit hearing currently scheduled.

From the first CMC, looks like a settlement is in the offing:

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On the heels of the above, this one is the subject of an Appeals Report to the next meeting of EYCC.


Looking at the above and the tone of the report, this should be resolved in short order if the applicant has any sense about them. The City takes no issue w/the height, the use, or FSI, and in fact uses the word 'supportive'.

This is really about the below:

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