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Urban Strategies Inc. has applied to the City of Toronto on behalf of Diamond Corp and Cadillac Fairview for the rezoning of Sherway Gardens. The application includes a master planned, mixed-use development for the parking lots around the enclosed shopping mall, proposed in three distinct phases. The proposal includes approximately 6,278 new residential units, 14,000m² of new non-residential uses, new public parks and open spaces, a combination of public and private roads, and community amenities. The existing Sherway Gardens mall would remain, its position as a regional shopping destination reinforced as a centrally located retail and social hub.
What currently sits on the property addressed to 25 The West Mall is the shopping centre, its surrounding surface parking areas and multi-level garages, and an internal private road network. The site is about 30 hectares in size and is bounded by The Queensway to the north, Sherway Gardens Road to the east and south, and The West Mall to the west.
The first phase of development, designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, is located on the north side of the mall, fronting onto The Queensway, and consists of four new tall buildings situated above low- and mid-rise podiums. A total of 1,578 residential units are proposed to be found among the four towers, in a mix of rental and condominium units. 1,482m² of non-residential uses are proposed in Phase 1, including commercial-retail space on the ground floor of Tower 4 which is connected directly to the mall by a new entrance. In addition, a potential daycare facility is proposed in the base of Tower 1.
Surface parking for 285 cars that would be removed for the Phase 1 towers would be replaced on the P1 level of a new garage below the buildings, while 1,209 spaces are proposed for residents of the four towers, located both in the underground garage, as well as the podium of towers 2 and 3. The towers range in height between 30 storeys and 99.8 metres, and 45 storeys and 143.8 metres.
As part of the Phase 1 development, a new public park with an area of 3,061m² would be conveyed to the City. In addition to the new park, additional private open space would be provided, consisting of a pedestrian plaza fronting onto the retained internal private drive, and several landscaped setbacks. A right-of-way widening up to 9.5-metres along the south edge of The Queensway is proposed to accommodate a multi-use path, as well as boulevard enhancements.
The second phase of development is located at the northeast corner of the Site, with frontage onto The Queensway to the north, and Sherway Gardens Road to the east. Phase 2 would consist of several new mid-rise podium elements with towers above, and would accommodate a range of residential, office, and retail uses. For Phase 2, 2,800 residential units are proposed, in addition to 12,000m² of non-residential GFA which would include approximately 10,000m² of office space and 2,000m² of service-commercial retail.
To support the new development, two new public parks are proposed, comprising a total area of 4,786m², in addition to additional private space consisting of pedestrian plazas and landscaped setbacks. As with Phase 1, Phase 2 will provide a right of way widening up to 9.5-metres in width along the south edge of the property line on The Queensway for a multi-use path and boulevard enhancements, and surface parking for the mall lost to the new buildings would be replaced underground.
The third phase of development is located along the west side of the Site, fronting onto The West Mall. Across the street from it to the west is Trillium Heath Partner's Queensway Health Centre expansion site. Phase 3 would consist of two blocks of development, containing mid-rise podium elements with taller buildings located above. A total of 1,900 residential units are proposed, in addition to 600m² of service-commercial retail space.
Development on Phase 3 would also be supported by a new 2,843m² public park and additional private space throughout the Phase 3 boundary, that would include a large pedestrian plaza at the corner of The Queensway and The West Mall. The Phase 3 development would also contribute a right-of-way widening up to 9.5-metres along the south edge of The Queensway to extend the multi-use path west to The West Mall. Underground parking below Phase 3 would contribute to replacement mall parking, as well as parking supply to support the new development.
The proposed master planned development protects for a future potential transit hub on the site by way of a Special Study Area located near the intersection of The Queensway and The West Mall, between phases 1 and 3, to provide a connecting point for surface transit routes in the area, as well as the potential future westerly extension of the TTC Line 2 Bloor-Danforth subway. The alignment of the potential subway extension, determined through an approved Environmental Assessment, has been taken into account through the proposal's plans, if and when it is delivered.
The Sherway Area is currently home to very little open space, and requires new parks and other publicly accessible open spaces to meet the needs of future residents. The Sherway Gardens infill proposal delivers approximately 10,700m² of new public parkland plus other open spaces that, according to the planning documents, "extend the existing Sherway Gardens Mall outdoors and contribute to an interconnected network of parks and open spaces within the Sherway Area."
You can learn more from our Database file for the project, which includes several more renderings of the Phase 1 buildings, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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| Related Companies: | Bousfields, Diamond Corp, Hariri Pontarini Architects, RWDI Climate and Performance Engineering, Urban Strategies Inc. |
