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Belying its location at the car-happy corner of Don Mills and Lawrence Avenue East, Cadillac Fairview's Shops at Don Mills is one of Toronto's more walkable retail plazas. In contrast to the strip malls and big box shopping centres that dominate much of the city's retail outside the urban core, the outdoor mall is designed as a mixed-use and pedestrian-friendly environment. Now, seven years after its 2009 opening, CF has announced that an additional $21 million will be invested to improve conditions for both pedestrians and drivers.
Outfitted with new benches, outdoor furniture, and art installations, the mall's widened sidewalks will create a more inviting space. With construction already getting underway, CF's Niall Collins describes the redevelopment plan as a way of "making a more inviting place to linger." Meanwhile, new cobblestone paving along the roadways "will help to calm traffic," improving conditions for pedestrians.
New wayfinding signage will help visitors better navigate the property, while the mall's 1,000-car parkade will be improved with lighting, digital signage, and a new pedestrian entryway. In addtion, the corner of Leadley Lane and Karl Fraser Road will host a new outdoor "entertainment experience zone," and existing public spaces will be retrofitted with new landscaping and amenities.
According to Collins, the redevelopment plans took shape following consultations with the community. Striving to create a "mixed-use environment that works for both shoppers and community members." As new residential density transforms the area, CF is attempting to make Shops at Don Mills an integral part of a more complete community.
The redevelopment is designed to make the shopping centre a more integral part of the community, and an important amenity to local office workers and residents. At the same time, CF's investments could also work to make Shops at Don Mills (which boasts a number of unique retailers) a greater draw for shoppers throughout the city. Anticipating increased transit accessibility in years to come—particularly the Crosstown LRT—CF's redevelopment will attempt to position the upscale shopping centre as a more inviting option for non-drivers.
We will keep you updated as the plans continue to develop, and details about the design—including the companies involved—emerge. Work is expected to be completed by mid-2017. In the meantime, more information about the project is available here. Want to share your thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment in the space below this page.
