Urban Toronto recently reported on our redevelopment plan for Choice Properties’ Golden Mile shopping centre in Scarborough.  Urban Strategies are providing land use planning and urban design advice for this ambitious redevelopment project.

Excerpt:

“…the newly announced Golden Mile redevelopment calls for a broadly similar program of retail, public space, and high and mid-rise residential buildings as proposed at Eglinton Square to the south. A total of 11 buildings ranging in height from one to 32 storeys are proposed, with a more fine-grained street grid replacing much of the surface parking.

the newly announced Golden Mile redevelopment calls for a broadly similar program of retail, public space, and high and mid-rise residential buildings as proposed at Eglinton Square to the south. A total of 11 buildings ranging in height from one to 32 storeys are proposed, with a more fine-grained street grid replacing much of the surface parking.

The site plan, click for a closer view, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Maintaining some of the mall’s existing retail uses, a new grocery store (replacing the existing Loblaws) and surface parking lot is planned mid-block. A new mid-block street will also provide access to a small public park, while the surrounding built form will feature a mix of mostly residential and some commercial space; with offices planned above the grocery store and in a three-storey commercial building.

A view of the street-level, image via submission to the City of Toronto

The project’s total 273,428 m² GFA is composed of 242,799 m² (89%) of residential space, 25, 127 m² (9%) of retail, and 5,502 m² (2%) of office space. While a total of 2,500 residential units are planned, the type of tenancy has not yet been determined; the planning rationale notes that a mix of any or all of market-rate condominium, market-rate rental, affordable rental, affordable ownership, and senior housing is being considered.

Looking north, the Eglinton Avenue frontage, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Alongside the new grocery store, meanwhile, the Giannone Petricone-designed master plan—which is still quite preliminary—calls for additional street-fronting retail to front some of the buildings facing Eglinton and Victoria Park. By moving the big box store mid-block, the design attempts to frame the site with a more urban street-level experience.

Another view of the mid-block street level, image via submission to the City of Toronto

Set to be built out in phases, the project would see the new grocery store built out as the first part of the new community, with residential towers and additional office uses set to follow. Following the relocation of the retail space and the demolition of the existing mall, the new public park will be flanked by a trio of high-rise residential buildings, with the final residential towers—and stand-alone office building—eventually slated to fill out the west end of the site.

Read the article here.