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Since 1956, Cloverdale Mall has been a central fixture in Etobicoke, serving as a staple of the community. As malls in many cities become relics of the past, QuadReal Property Group has embarked on a project to reimagine this site. This initiative goes beyond a simple redevelopment, aiming to usher the mall into the future while preserving its role as a community hub.
Urban Toronto had the opportunity to speak with Aaron Knight of QuadReal about the redevelopment. He describes the project as a "nurturing of urbanism in a more gentle way." This approach leverages the expansive site to create a comprehensive community without excessive density.
Quadreal aims to exemplify "gentle urbanization" here, a concept that aims to create urban spaces that are dense, yet maintain a sense of openness and connection to nature. The redevelopment plans for Cloverdale Mall encompass a mix of residential, retail, and community spaces, all designed to integrate seamlessly with the surrounding neighbourhood.
The redevelopment plan has evolved significantly since its initial conception. Initially focused around a retail High Street, the plan has transitioned towards a "village on the park" concept. This new plan brings public space deeper into the site, aiming to engage the retail spaces in a more organic form, such as by increasing the number of proposed parks from one to two.
As Knight explains, "the redevelopment is not just a plan with new roads and buildings; the entire site design is underpinned by the results of tremendous consultation with our partners at the city and members of the community."
In December 2018, QuadReal created The Common — an approximately 4,000 ft² space inside the Mall as a dedicated space for community engagement, arts & culture and health & wellness programming. QuadReal engaged extensively with the community, and local stakeholders here before making the first application to the City. The Common continues to serve as a hub for the community to learn about the redevelopment plans and participate in community programs.
QuadReal has recently resubmitted the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning Bylaw Amendment applications to the City. The revised masterplan, designed by Giannone Petricone Associates (GPA), includes replacing the entire enclosed mall structure with about 17,187m² retail area, approximately 5,270 residential units, and about 2,183m² of community amenity area. The mall site would feature 10 towers ranging from 17 to 48 storeys, with podiums ranging from 7 to 8 storeys and mid-rise buildings located around the proposed parks.
The design is a response to the surrounding community context, placing tall towers along Hwy 427 and Dundas Street, with the residential towers decreasing in height from south to north and west to east. Approximately 45% of the gross site area would be dedicated to the public realm, including parks, trails, public roads, and open spaces.
Ralph Giannone, Principal at GPA adds, “As a community asset, we want to redevelop Cloverdale Mall with a focus on what makes it great now — the gathering place and retail heart of the community — and enhance that function with an integration of public realm, a mix of uses, and multigenerational green spaces designed to weave assertively into and from the surrounding Etobicoke neighbourhood.”
In addition to the mall property, QuadReal also owns in partnership with Mattamy Homes the 9,424m² property referred to as the Triangle Site in the southeast corner at The East Mall Crescent and Dundas Street West, shaded grey above. 2 East Mall Crescent at the Triangle Site will feature a sculpted 33-storey tower and a nine-storey mid-rise building bringing forth 605 condo units. An experience centre is currently being constructed, and will open for sales for this building in Spring, 2024.
One of the key aspects of Quadreal's Cloverdale plan is the continuity of uses, which allows for the grocery store to stay open until its new store is ready, ensuring that the community's needs are met throughout the redevelopment process. QuadReal emphasizes that they are “a long term investor, developer and manager of this site,” leaning on its significant track record as a builder to create a space that services the community’s needs both now and in the future through gentle nurturing of urbanism.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, 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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