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The Mountain Equipment Coop King Street West flagship store in Downtown Toronto is gearing up for a redevelopment of its site, but before the store's King and Peter location can be unlocked for a new high-density build, the outdoor equipment retailer is building a new flagship store a few hundred metres to the north, at Queen Street West and Soho.
The new MEC Queen Street store—from developer Parallax Investment Corporation and builder Broccolini—has been under construction at 300 Queen Street West since the start of 2017. New photos capturing recent progress provide a glimpse into the massing of the three-storey building designed by Sweeny &Co Architects, which is now having its final level formed.
As the new MEC's reinforced concrete structure nears completion, the installation of brick panels is well underway along the exterior of its Queen Street frontage. The brick will serve as the main exterior expression on the lower two levels, designed to blend in with the heights and materiality of surrounding retail frontages along Queen West. The area is one of Toronto's Heritage Conservation Districts, and new development here cannot be out of scale with the character of the neighbourhood.
Plans originally had the new store opening by the end of 2018, though a revised date posted on the project's construction hoarding now indicates that the store is aiming for a Spring 2019 opening. Upon completion, MEC Queen Street will introduce 37,000 square feet of retail space to the trendy shopping strip, as well as daycare and office space on the third floor, and 3 levels of below-grade parking.
The current store site on King is subject to a planning application for a 47-storey residential tower with commercial in its base.
We will keep you updated as construction continues. In the meantime, further information is available through our database file, linked below. Want to share your thoughts? Leave a comment in the space on this page, or join the conversation in the associated Forum thread.
