Ajax could see one of the eastern Greater Toronto Area’s largest developments take shape where a new Draft Plan of Subdivision has been submitted by Legacy Hospitality Management and Development Inc. (under 2322244 Ontario Inc.) for both the southeast and northeast corners of Salem Road South and Kerrison Drive East. The proposal outlines a 12-building complex rising to 25 storeys.

The site is currently vacant former farmland and without a municipal address, although the lands are legally described as part of Lot 6, Concession 2, in the former Township of Pickering. The site is bordered by a mix of planned and existing uses, mostly commercial/industrial related, including a large-scale Gordon Food Service distribution centre to the west, and an auto-oriented retail node to the south.

Looking southwest to Salem & Kerrison, developed by Legacy Hospitality Management and Development Inc

Brought forward under a Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO), a provincial planning tool that fast-tracks zoning approvals for developments, and supported by a Draft Plan of Subdivision, the proposal would split the 10.87-hectare site into two blocks. At full build-out, the proposal would include 150 affordable rentals secured for 25 years, while a hotel and convention centre anchors the non-residential program, located within a Strategic Growth Area steps from the Durham Pulse Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).

The Biglieri Group has submitted the Draft Plan of Subdivision applications to the Town of Ajax on behalf of the developer, following two rounds of pre-consultation in 2023. The applications seek to formally divide the lands into two blocks, with mixed-use development to the south and prestige employment uses to the north, separated by Kerrison Drive, an east-west public road. Revisions since the initial submission include widening that public road and adjustments to the phasing plan.

An aerial view of the site and surrounding area, image from submission to Town of Ajax

Since the pre-consultation, the Province has rescinded the 2020 Provincial Policy Statement and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, replacing them with the 2024 Provincial Planning Statement. At the same time, the Region of Durham adopted its new Envision Durham Official Plan, and the Province issued an MZO for the southern portion of the site.

Block 1, occupying 8.30 hectares on the southern side, would be supported by the Uptown Mixed-Use Plan and 7,725m² of POPS (Privately-Owned Publicly-accessible Space) introduced through the MZO. Block 2, to the north, spans 2.04 hectares and would retain its Prestige Employment zoning, with plans for industrial, warehouse, and office uses, with Powers Brown Architecture overseeing the commercial design.

Mixed-use site plan (Block 1), developed by Legacy Hospitality Management and Development Inc

Across the full site, 12 buildings are proposed, ranging from 6 to 25 storeys, including 2,692 units of unspecified tenure, 150 affordable units, and 150 hotel suites. Altogether, the proposal includes 213,200m² of residential Gross Floor Area, 38,565m² of commercial uses, 422m² of office space, and 7,083m² of industrial uses, for a total of 259,285m² and an overall FSI of 2.39 times lot coverage. In comparison, the 2023 Community Infrastructure and Housing Accelerator request targeted 2,873 units and at least 40,000m² of non-residential space.

Overall site plan, developed by Legacy Hospitality Management and Development Inc

The site is located less than a kilometre north of Kingston Road’s Pulse bus rapid transit corridor. Durham Region Transit routes serve Kerrison Drive and Salem Road, offering connections to the Ajax GO station. GO Transit Route 92 also passes nearby, linking the site to York Mills subway station in the west and Durham College in the east, with stops at Salem and Kingston about a six-minute walk away.

Other high-rise developments are planned or underway nearby. To the southeast, a 25-storey tower is under construction at 310 Kingston Road East. To the north, two developments, SK Industrial Park and Ajax Country Inn & Suites, are proposed at 6 storeys each, while 400 Salem Road North is planned at 36 storeys. 

Looking northeast to Salem & Kerrison, developed by Legacy Hospitality Management and Development Inc

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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UrbanToronto has a research service, UTPro, that provides comprehensive data on development projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe — from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.

Related Companies:  The Biglieri Group Ltd.