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SmartCentres plans transit-oriented community at Caledonia Station

SmartCentres’ ArtWalk breaks ground in growing SmartVMC community

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July 14, 2021

Free drive-in movies, food trucks, huge murals now at former GTA Walmart

Source: Daily Hive

A former GTA Walmart that’s now covered in 30,000 sq ft of murals is serving up fun this summer.

Real estate investment company SmartCentres has taken over the space, located at 101 Edgeley Boulevard in Vaughan, and transformed it into their newest project called ArtWalk. The outside of the now out-of-use warehouse is coated in colourful murals from four artists who each designed and painted one side of the building.

LNDMRK

But art isn’t the only entertainment planned. On July 10, SmartCentres launched a bi-weekly series of free drive-in movies in the parking lot. They’ll take place every Thursday and Saturday throughout the summer, screening a variety of cult classics and family-favourite movies, including Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Breakfast Club, and Shrek.

Street Eats

And of course, what’s a movie without great snacks? As part of the experience, there will also be a food truck market happening onsite. The food trucks, which will have everything from tacos to Canadian classics like Beaver Tails, will be there every day from 12 to 8 pm, and until 10 pm on movie nights.

Street Eats

“Art and culture are synonymous with great communities. They contribute emotionally to an area’s identity, bonding people to spaces and to each other,” said Mitchell Goldhar, executive chairman of SmartCentres. “ArtWalk murals, free movies and food trucks are all accessible, immersive and engaging outdoor events.”

ArtWalk is part of SmartArtWalk is part of SmartCentres’ SmartVMC project, which is creating a new city centre at Highways 400 and 7 in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Five sold-out condo buildings, two fully-occupied office towers, a nine-acre park, TTC subway station and bus terminal are all part of the new expansive development.

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June 14, 2021

Smart Centres Planning Mixed-Use Community for Oakville’s Uptown Core

Source: UrbanToronto

As Oakville grows, its new Uptown Core at Dundas Street and Trafalgar Road is set to become a multi-use centre. SmartCentres REIT’s 52-acre site along Oak Park Boulevard aims to become a new urban heart of the community through a multi-phased, master-planned redevelopment. Capitalizing on the area’s existing street grid, transit accessibility, and nearby arterial roads and highways, the first phase of this new community is a pair of 28- and 29-storey towers designed by Turner Fleischer Architects to be developed by SmartCentres’ residential sub-brand, SmartLiving, on behalf of Metrontario and the Penguin Group of Companies.


Context map, SmartCentres Oakville North, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

As part of SmartCentres’ evolution “From Shopping Centres to City Centres”, the plan for SmartCentres Oakville North will bring a mix of higher-density residential and fine-grained neighbourhood retail to the existing open-air shopping centre. Oakville’s Uptown Core is already primed for walkability with a radial road network framed by mid-rises and townhomes beyond. Those existing buildings will become the transition between the higher densities planned for the site and planned and under-construction high-rises to the north. SmartCentres intends to build on the community’s existing walkability enhancing the existing and planned transit connections to attract the types of residents who prefer a condominium, transit-connected, urban lifestyle.

SmartCentres Oakville North, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

SmartCentres Oakville North’s first phase towers feature a design that draws its inspiration heavily from the area’s heritage, in the late 19th century a rural community known as “the Strawberry Capital of the Canadas.” A farmer named John Cross, among those who introduced strawberry growing here, designed and manufactured wooden veneer strawberry baskets, the woven baskets now inspiring the tower design.

SmartCentres and Turner Fleischer are intentionally proposing some key differences design-wise here from what one would find in a market like Downtown Toronto, with a more intimately scaled massing to enhance the condos’ approachability from street level, providing more than double the typical separation distance between towers to maximize privacy and ‘breathability’ for residents. Residents with south-facing suites on upper floors will have a view of Lake Ontario from their windows and balconies.

Basket weave influenced design at SmartCentres Oakville North, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

A combined 585 residential units are proposed in the first phase of the community, including eight townhouse units at grade. Residents will enjoy 11,900 ft² of indoor amenities, plus another 13,000 ft² of outdoor amenity space. Plus with the Town of Oakville having designated the urbanization of Oak Park Boulevard to achieve the goals of walkability and an enhanced public realm through the delivery of animating and retail uses. To this effect, 6,350 ft² of street-fronting retail space will face the sidewalks, providing an improved pedestrian environment for those living here.

Transit plays a key role in the first phase as well as the wider community master plan: the site is located at the nexus of two transit corridors, with infrastructure enhancements coming that include dedicated Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines on Trafalgar Road. Residents of the community will be able to catch the BRT at the Oak Park/Trafalgar stop, getting easy access to destinations such as Oakville GO Station.

For drivers, SmartCentres Oakville North community will be well situated with highways 407, and the QEW/403 virtually equidistant to the north and south of the site respectively, allowing for direct garage-to-garage commutes around the region. Highway 403 is located just to the east, with access off of Dundas. Average travel times of 30-40 minutes to Union Station in Downtown Toronto, 20-30 minutes to Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, and around 30 minutes to Downtown Hamilton.

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May 20, 2021

SmartCentres Proposes Multimodal Transit-Oriented Development for Eglinton West

Source: UrbanToronto

New rapid transit—both planned and under construction across Toronto—promises increased connectivity for many neighbourhoods, and creates opportunities for TOD—Transit Oriented Development—in the process. The future Crosstown LRT has created several TOD opportunities along the less-densely built-out Eglinton East, though development along the Crosstown’s Eglinton Avenue West stretch has been limited to more constrained sites, with few TOD opportunities west of Yonge. 2400 Eglinton Avenue West is one such site to have its development potential enhanced by future improved connectivity. Developer SmartCentres REIT recently applied for rezoning to bring a new 35-storey tower to the site, part of a wider planned community known as SmartCentres Eglinton West.

Located immediately adjacent to Caledonia station on the Crosstown LRT, the site is situated to take full advantage of multi-modal transit infrastructure. By the time residents move in, the new Metrolinx Caledonia station will be served by TTC buses and the GO Train servicing the Barrie GO Line with direct access to Union from Caledonia. A short ride to the west along the Crosstown will also allow residents to transfer to the Union Pearson Express, direct access to the Airport. The opening of the Crosstown will also improve travel times while making streets more pleasant for pedestrians too.

Aerial context map looking northeast over SmartCentres Eglinton West, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

When in operation, the Crosstown LRT trains will make the trip between Keele and Eglinton West stations in just six minutes. By boarding at Caledonia station, residents of SmartCentres Eglinton West will be able to make it to the TTC’s Line 1 University subway in five minutes, and the Yonge subway in just five more.

Set to rise to 110.8 metres from a seven-storey, L-shaped podium, the planned Turner Fleischer Architects-designed project is being developed by SmartLiving, SmartCentres’ residential sub-brand. The 29,683 m² building will be predominantly residential in use with 400 units in a range of layouts, to be supported by 2,460 m² of amenity space, while the ground floor along Eglinton will be animated by 715 m² of new street-fronting retail space.

Looking northwest to SmartCentres Eglinton West, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

Design-wise, the podium features deviations from the traditional condominium tower massing that has been incorporated in response to the surrounding conditions. The east podium facade features a prominent curve, mirroring the former path of the Beltline here, while another curve to the south hugs the alignment of Eglinton Avenue West. Other more subtle gestures include decorative curved detailing on the tower facades and mechanical penthouse levels, with this horizontal banding to be executed using perforated metal finishes.

Retail at SmartCentres Eglinton West, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

With 360 long-term and 40 short-term bicycle parking spaces in the building, residents will be able to take good advantage of the nearby Beltline Trail—approximately 250 metres from the site—offering cyclists and pedestrians a multi-use path extending to the Don Valley.

Amenity spaces will include a party room, gym, guest suite, and a landscaped rooftop deck, and suites will cater to a wide demographic. Ranging in size from 600 to over 1,000 ft², in one, two, and three-bedroom layouts, of the total 400 units, 160 are planned to be multi-bedroom suites. With suite sizes, pricing, and amenity offerings being competitive with Downtown condominiums, and with abundant transit options providing quick commutes around the city and to the surrounding region, the project is expected to attract residents ranging from university students to young professionals to new families looking for livability at a more affordable price point.

The proposal marks the first phase of a planned Transit Oriented Community with adjacent access to both LRT and GO Transit stops. One of the first major developments on Eglinton West in a generation, the project also has the potential to shape future transit-oriented developments in sites unlocked by new transit expansion.

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March 8, 2021

SmartCentres REIT Introducing First Phase of Golden Mile Redevelopment

Source: UrbanToronto

In Toronto’s east end along Eglinton Avenue East, the Golden Mile area of Scarborough is to be transformed from a collection of expansive industrial parks and big-box shopping centres into an urban, mixed-use community. SmartCentres REIT is one of the many developers working to help realize the City’s Golden Mile Secondary Plan—which sets a guiding vision for development in the area—with the coming redevelopment of their 29-acre property at 1900 Eglinton East. The site (bounded by Eglinton Avenue to the south, Hakimi Avenue to the east, and Ashtonbee Road to the north) is to be flanked by two of the upcoming Crosstown LRT stops at Pharmacy and Hakimi Lebovic.

Site of 1900 Eglinton East, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

The proposed development—to be developed under SmartCentres’ residential sub-brand SmartLiving—is being planned as a pair of towers forming a gateway to future phases of the property’s master plan. Located at the southwest corner of the wider redevelopment site, the proposed first phase of towers will rise from a 2.02-acre plot that fronts directly along Eglinton, a site currently occupied by a single-storey bank branch and surface parking.

Plans for this proposed development recently advanced with a resubmission of their Zoning By-Law Amendment application, with updated designs by architects—Alliance for the pair of condominium towers, a 40-storey west tower and 38-storey east tower containing a respective 461 and 438 condominium units. The towers will be anchored by a new private pedestrian mews on the east and a combined 1,219 m² of retail space on the south. The towers’ ground floors will also feature lobby and amenity spaces that face out onto a central 524 m² public plaza.

Renderings of the towers have been generating attention, with a design defined by a checkerboard of perforated and textured metal mesh-enclosed balconies. The screened balcony treatment will work towards both form and function, creating a distinctive skyline presence while adding privacy for residents and contributing to the towers’ sustainability and energy ratings.

Looking northeast across Eglinton Avenue to 1900 Eglinton East, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

The buildings will establish an initial infusion of residential density and open park space plus walkable retail in the area, which will continue to further energize the existing open-air shopping centre, with an existing 380,000 ft² of commercial leasable area on the property—currently operating at nearly 99% occupancy. In the long term, all buildings will be redeveloped with a mix of low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise buildings with opportunities for street-related commercial, residential uses, parks and open spaces, as well as a new public/private road system.

Looking northwest to public plaza at 1900 Eglinton East, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

The proposed change to the area is another example of SmartCentres’ publicly announced Project 512, to transform their properties “From Shopping Centres to City Centres,” to create vibrant, complete mixed-use communities. In this case, aligning with the City’s vision outlined for the area to intensify the Golden Mile. The project is an important move towards the Golden Mile area transitioning into a more modern, healthy, and successful pedestrian and transit-friendly neighbourhood, with the wider area revitalization’s introduction of higher-density uses vital to the success of the Eglinton LRT.

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March 1, 2021

SmartVMC Community Continues Expansion With New Mixed-Use Development

Source: UrbanToronto

SmartCentres REIT is at the forefront of the wave of new developments shaping the new Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) area, one that shows no signs of abating as new phases are announced in the developer’s master-planned 100-acre SmartVMC site. SmartCentres is continuing to seize the opportunity to create a complete community on an almost blank canvas around the VMC TTC Subway station and SmartVMC regional bus terminal. The REIT has recently announced new phases that will bring even more vitality to Vaughan’s burgeoning Downtown.

Looking northwest over SmartVMC showing site of 101 Edgeley Boulevard, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

SmartCentres’ adage of moving “From Shopping Centres to City Centres” is perfectly epitomized in one of the latest phases to be proposed. The company’s shift from large retail centres to mixed-use, high-density developments can be seen clearly in the redevelopment of a section of the block that formerly housed the Walmart at 101 Edgeley Boulevard into a new four-building complex being developed by SmartLiving, SmartCentres’ residential sub-brand.

Looking northwest to 101 Edgeley Boulevard, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

On the northwest corner of Apple Mill Road and Buttermill Avenue, a short walk from the SmartVMC bus terminal and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre TTC Subway Station, the plan calls for towers of 18 and 38 storeys, along with lower-scaled buildings of four and six storeys that will foster a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere at street-level. The four buildings have been designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects with sleek curves that interplay with strong lines that emphasize the towers’ verticality, while making use of softer, natural materials framing the mid-rise building and central courtyard space to create a community feel.

Looking south toward KPMG Building to 101 Edgeley Boulevard, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

A total Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 59,191 m²/637,130 ft² is proposed, most of it as residential space, 50,530 m²/543,943 ft² in area, with 624 condominium units spread out across three of the buildings: 368 units in the 38-storey building, 184 units in the 18-storey building, and 72 units in the six-storey building. Anchoring it all, 590 m²/6,350 ft² of retail space is planned within the base of the six-storey building, which will overlook the nine-acre park to begin construction this year, providing human scale and a connection to open spaces. A landscape plan by MHBC Planning comfortably ties the buildings in with the surrounding community. Developing the full 100-acre master-planned site gives SmartCentres REIT complete oversight to ensure that all phases are holistically woven together.

Looking south to 101 Edgeley Boulevard, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

The four-storey jewel box is the only non-residential building in the block. SmartCentres is in the process of determining the best use of this space to serve the site in a rare but welcome case of “architecture-first, details later” planning, but the aim is to further contribute to the pedestrian-friendly environment, creating a landmark presence at the intersection of Apple Mill Road and Buttermill Avenue. Defined by sculptural Y-shaped columns and a marble-clad elevator core, and surrounded by a public plaza, the corner building’s human scale would play a prominent role in welcoming pedestrians into the heart of the block. With its distinct look, the jewel box building would also create a transitional dialogue between the institutional uses across the street to the east. Adding even more interest to this corner, a public art feature is anticipated, with a final plan to be determined as planning continues.

Looking northwest to 101 Edgeley Boulevard, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

The corner building and surrounding plaza will draw pedestrian activity towards a large central courtyard, which will function as a POPS (a Privately-Owned Publicly accessible Space). The central POPS is to feature a mix of trees, decorative paving, and ornamental plantings alongside other landscape features and outdoor furniture. The POPS and the site-wide public realm plan have been designed with similar thoughtfulness to the rest of the master-planned SmartVMC community: to create connections with existing and future public realm improvements while encouraging pedestrian access and interaction through the block. This attention to detail in creating a public realm that interacts with its surroundings has become a defining feature in SmartLiving’s planned developments.

Courtyard at 101 Edgeley Boulevard, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

Like the other buildings that will combine to realize the SmartVMC community, whether already existing, under-construction, or planned, the plan for 101 Edgeley proposes transit-supportive density made possible by recent infrastructure investments in the area: residents will benefit from close proximity to the SmartVMC Bus Terminal 100 metres to the east, and the TTC’s VMC subway station just 200 metres away. On top of that, the SmartVMC community’s mix of residential and commercial along with a thoroughly-planned out public realm will combine to foster connectivity a healthy pedestrian and cyclist presence in an area quickly shedding its suburban identity.

The proposed rezoning, Official Plan amendment, and Site Plan applications are all under review by the City of Vaughan.

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February 23, 2021

Barrie Council Approves First Step Towards Smart Centres and Greenwin’s Tranformative Complex

Source: UrbanToronto

A transformative multi-tower development is one step closer to its realization on Barrie’s waterfront. Developed by the team of SmartCentres REIT, under their SmartLiving banner, along with one of Canada’s largest privately-owned, full-service property management and development firms Greenwin Corp., the planned 7.8-acre Barrie Lakeshore Developments project on the edge of Kempenfelt Bay has been granted approval for its rezoning and Official Plan applications. Through the review process following the initial submission, SmartCentres and Greenwin have made a number of design changes in response to Staff and community comments.

Following the initial submission, the developers and their design team led by Turner Fleischer Architects worked with Barrie staff to revise the original proposal’s scale, massing, and tower separation. The dialogue between staff and the project team informed a refined Site Plan Approval (SPA) application, which was submitted in December, 2020, and incorporated a number of design changes and refinements. The rezoning and official plan were approved by council at a virtual meeting earlier this year, meanwhile, the SPA application advances for the project’s first phase 25-storey tower.

This transformative complex includes four towers, at 25, 35, 38, and 41 storeys, with heights ranging from 84 to 139 metres. While the towers would be known for their skyline presence, the goal for this site within the emerging Urban Growth Centre of the City, follows SmartCentres design principles to create a complete community and fulfill the growing rental demand within the area. This is reflected in the proposed mix of uses that will include purpose-built rental units, hotel suites and retail, anchored to an enhanced public realm by mixed-use bases designed to animate their street frontages and connection to natural spaces.

Site of Barrie Lakeshore Developments, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

Creating a foothold for this complex, the first phase of Barrie Lakeshore Developments is a 25-storey, mixed-use tower to be built at the east end of the site, occupying a 9,344 m² footprint fronting Lakeshore Drive. The 29,213 m² building is to contain 9,246 m² of hotel space within its podium levels, and 19,966 m² of residential space above. The 150-suite hotel is to occupy the first seven floors. Above, the residential component is to include 230 purpose-built rental units in a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts. 73% of the units are planned with two or three bedrooms, creating new opportunities for high-rise family living in Barrie. Livability was front of mind when unit sizes and layouts were designed, including a substantial infusion of purpose-built rental units that will be managed long-term by the project’s developers.

Looking northeast to Barrie Lakeshore Developments, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT/Greenwin

Revisions to the first plan’s architectural design include changes the materiality of the building, such as the inclusion of a lighter palette masonry at the base. Renderings included in the resubmission materials depict curtainwall glazing, while other materials are still being decided on, such as the choice between brick-patterned precast or metal panels. Clear float vision glazing is planned for the towers’ main exterior envelopes, while perforated metal balcony guards are being considered to complete the aesthetic.

Looking northwest to Barrie Lakeshore Developments, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT/Greenwin

Special attention to detail has also been paid to the public realm design in the approved resubmission. A restaurant space has been introduced fronting public realm at the south end of the podium and a prominent colonnade supported by V-shaped columns has been added to create a striking street presence along the site’s Lakeshore Drive frontage.

Looking southwest to Barrie Lakeshore Developments, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT/Greenwin

Adding to the community’s streetscape contributions, the plan creates new pedestrian and cycling infrastructure around Bunker’s Creek to the south of the site, with pedestrian paths that connect Lakeshore and Checkley and create new waterfront access through the development lands. These public elements are an important step in giving both complex residents and the community at large an improved relationship with the existing natural wetland and creek delta adjacent to the site.

Looking north to Barrie Lakeshore Developments, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

The plan to create a major new contribution to reinvigorate Barrie’s waterfront comes over a quarter-century after SmartCentres’ development of their first Walmart in Canada, also located in Barrie, part of the brand’s initial 1994 push into the Canadian market. With roots in big-box retail and now well-established in the development of urban, mixed-use projects, this is an evolution that SmartCentres boils down to the simple and effective statement “From Shopping Centres to City Centres.”

The developers are working with Staff to finalize Site Plan Approvals for the first tower and hope to break ground later this year.

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February 8, 2021

SmartCentres’ SmartVMC Continues with New Phase Announced

Source: UrbanToronto

Of the development nodes emerging around the Greater Toronto Area in recent years, few seem as sudden and exciting as SmartVMC, developer SmartCentres REIT’s 100-acre new city centre development, in the Vaughan Metroplitan Centre (VMC). Developed from a nearly blank slate around the 2017-opened subway terminal of the same name, the SmartVMC community has sprung up quickly, as the market has shown that there is great demand for residential, SmartCentres is adapting to needs and adjusting its master plan, which anticipates flexibility and changing market needs.

The first three SmartVMC residential towers are the Transit City condos, through a partnership with CentreCourt, with three more towers under construction including the area’s first purpose-built rental building. Most recently, SmartCentres submitted plans to redevelop an adjacent plot of land bordering the three residential towers that are under construction. SmartCentres has engaged world-renowned Gensler Architects to design this block, which will add architectural variety alongside the existing striking SmartVMC buildings which are designed by Diamond Schmitt.

Looking northeast to 175 Millway, image courtesy of SmartCentres

Submitted to the City of Vaughan late last year, the plan seeks to build out the site at 175 Millway Avenue with a 64-storey residential tower rising 206.1 metres, a 21-storey Class-A office tower rising 97.1 metres, and a seven-storey hotel rising 31.5 metres. A total gross floor area (GFA) of 128,080 m² would include significant infusions of residential space at 63,899 m², office space at 48,543 m², hotel uses of 10,913 m², and 4,723 m² of retail space. Paula Bustard, SmartCentres’ EVP of Development, describes the mixed uses on the block as “a microcosm of what we’re trying to achieve across our entire 100-acre SmartVMC community.”

Site of 175 Millway, image courtesy of SmartCentres

The block’s defining landmark is the planned east building with frontage along Jane Street. This 64-storey mixed-use building with a tulip-inspired massing includes a range of varying floor plates, with almost 800 residential units. Below the tower, a multi-level podium, inclusive of retail, grocery and residential uses activates the public realm at-grade.

The plan for 175 Millway was thought out to have a mix of built forms, designed in an effort to create visual interest and emphasize each building’s unique attributes, a recurring pattern in SmartVMC. Like the block’s interaction between the buildings and open space, the taller tower’s skyline presence is the result of a commitment to bringing high-quality architecture to the area, with SmartCentres explaining to us that the move to include a tall tower is based on factors like meaningful use of space, aesthetics and placemaking, and “not simply to maximize FSI.”

Looking east to 175 Millway, image courtesy of SmartCentres

To the west, the seven-storey, 179-room hotel is planned with ground-floor retail anchoring it to its surroundings, and rooftop amenity space with a view. As the SmartVMC area becomes a destination, the sizeable hotel represents growing demand in the burgeoning community.

South of the hotel, a curvilinear 21-storey commercial tower is planned with over 48,000 m² of Class-A office space. Its podium would boast retail at ground level and a fifth-floor rooftop terrace. Bringing Class-A office space to the block was integral in designing a complete community, where residential, employment, public, and transit uses are all necessary cogs in a well-functioning, master-planned urban system.

To weave these new buildings into the area’s nascent public realm, the landscape design for 175 Millway Avenue is placed high on SmartCentres’ multiple blocks within the 100-acre property, with a resulting landscape program centred around a large treed courtyard. Designed by Claude Cormier + Associés, the same firm who created the well-received public spaces around existing SmartVMC properties, the site edges are perforated by a pedestrian portals that invite the public into the site interior. While each of the SmartVMC properties has been designed with unique public spaces, this and previous projects in the community aim to create a holistically-interconnected web of public realm contributions.

Looking east to 175 Millway, image courtesy of SmartCentres

Paula Bustard, SmartCentres’ EVP of Development describes the mix of uses as a “key evolution to the transit corridor,” placing future residents, tenants, employees and guests in a growing community on a site positioned “immediately adjacent to the bus terminal, kitty-corner from the new civic square and subway station. On the other side of Millway we’re just completing the PwC and YMCA development and Transit City phases 1 through 5 are all under construction or in occupancy.”

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December 14, 2020

SmartCentres and Greenwin Plan Striking Rental Tower in Davisville Village

Source: UrbanToronto

A proposal recently submitted to the City of Toronto seeks Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Approval to bring a purpose-built rental tower and a new public park to 185 Balliol Street, a short walk east of Davisville subway station in Midtown’s Davisville Village area. The proposed development, a joint venture between SmartLiving by SmartCentres REIT with seasoned rental operator Greenwin, will rise 35 storeys from the current site of a private tennis club and two-storey retail and residential building occupying a plot at the southwest corner of Balliol and Pailton Crescent.

Site of the proposed development, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

Before embarking on the complex planning of the building, the developers held an invited design competition, selecting Diamond Schmitt Architects’ design for its balance of sensibility and striking aesthetics. The 115.8 metre-tall building joins primarily 20th-century modern rental towers that house the majority of the Davisville Village population, but exterior of sculpted, light-catching frames set the building apart as a standout amongst its neighbours.

The proposed plan includes a significant public realm contribution along the east edge of the site, designed by landscape architects Janet Rosenberg & Studio. This new 1,394 m² open space is proposed along Pailton Crescent, extending from Balliol Street in the north to the south lot line. A 477 m² share of the space could be dedicated to the City of Toronto as public parkland, while the remaining 917 m² would operate as a POPS (Privately-Owned, Publicly-accessible Space). Complementing the east side park and POPS, another public realm enhancement is proposed along the west and south ends of the site in the form of an L-shaped mid-block connection.

185 Balliol Street, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

A Gross Floor Area of 32,395 m² is almost entirely dedicated to much-needed rental housing stock, while a 178 m² retail space is planned at ground level. In the tower and podium are 447 new rental units and 2 rental replacement units.

Architectural plans offer more insight into the exterior. Designed with thermal performance in mind to increase energy efficiency, the unique identity of the textured exterior provides plenty of natural light to suites while minimizing the large expanses of glazing known for their impact on energy loss. Projecting metal panels frame slender windows and perforated aluminum louvres, while balconies are inset. At street level, two-storey grade-related units and retail space will be finished in a mix of clear curtainwall glazing and solid limestone panels.

185 Balliol Street, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT

A two-level underground garage will house 113 vehicular parking spaces, 90 of them for residents and 23 for visitors. With the site’s close proximity to Davisville subway station, it is expected mosts of the residents’ commutes will be accommodated by rapid transit. A total of 456 bicycle parking spaces, located on the P1 level and ground floor, will make cycling easy for residents too. Residents will also have access to 898 m² of indoor and 505 m² of outdoor amenity spaces.

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November 11, 2020

Unprecedented Growth Reshaping Vaughan Metropolitan Centre’s Guiding Principles

Source: UrbanToronto

Residents of the former Village of Edgeley—established in the early 1800s at the intersection of Jane Street and Highway 7 in present-day Vaughan—would be awestruck at what their quaint village has become. Vaughan officially transitioned from Town to City status almost 30 years ago, and a tidal wave of change has followed.

Archival photo of Edgeley, image courtesy of City of Vaughan

Vaughan has lived up to its upgrade in status with booming population growth and the nascent urbanization of its core. The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) area has become the centrepiece of Vaughan’s metamorphosis, with the 2017-opened VMC subway station and a glittering new skyline being the jewels in this crown. The planning groundwork for VMC was laid in 2006 when the provincial government committed to extending the Spadina subway line to Vaughan, and the area around the new terminus was designated as an Urban Growth Centre. The VMC Sub-Committee would be formed by Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua four years later, its goal to create the framework for a new urban centre for the traditionally suburban municipality. A decade later, the emphasis on urban feel has begun to bear fruit.

Created from an almost blank slate, VMC is now home to active projects from multiple landowners and developers, with the first major investment coming back in 2012, when the Cortel Group broke ground on their Expo City community. Expo City has since grown to four towers, with a fifth—CG Tower—now under construction, at 189 metres to be the new tallest building on Vaughan’s skyline. Its title may be short-lived though as an even taller tower has been proposed as of early November, 2020, Vaughan’s first to break the 200-metre mark. There are several developers active in bringing the VMC master plan to realization, with the biggest current players being SmartCentres REIT and QuadReal, each working off their own sub-community master plans for sites of 100 and 80 acres respectively.

A number of other active projects within and beyond these community master plans are bringing much more urban density to VMC, including under-construction buildings such as phases 1 through 5 of Transit City, Mobilio, and a much longer list of upcoming projects either working their way through planning and approvals, or currently in pre-construction sales. Complementing all of this residential growth, the VMC Centre of Community including a YMCA, daycare, library branch, and community recreation space is set to open its doors next year, and three new public art installations are underway.

Transit City Condos, image by Forum contributor DarkSideDenizen

Another jewel in the crown is the planned Edgeley Pond and Park, a signature community amenity that will double as a stormwater management facility

Edgeley Pond + Park, image via vaughan.ca

All of this investment and demand has far outpaced Vaughan’s initial expectations for height, density, and speed of city building, exceeding projections even during the most turbulent months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The VMC Secondary Plan established a population target of approximately 25,000 residents and 6,500 jobs by 2031, though due to the unexpectedly high volume in development activity, this projection has swelled considerably. Current development potential measured through approved and proposed developments represent more than 63,352 residents across 31,996 residential units moving into the VMC, a staggering 267% of the units and 253% of the population target identified for the 2031 planning horizon.

Construction in the VMC area, image by Jack Landau

Vaughan is responding to this unprecedented growth in VMC with a plan to update and expand documents guiding the area’s development, outlined in a VMC Sub-Committee report recommending sweeping changes to reassess and refocus efforts for the new downtown’s build-out moving forward based on development trends. This November 10th report identified and explained a range of issues and goals stemming from this outpacing of targets, noting that:

Proposed densities are rising exponentially each year
Greater diversity of building types and tenures is desired for a complete community
The downtown’s Neighbourhood Precincts need to be protected
Development must be balanced with delivery of supporting social infrastructure to achieve a complete community
The VMC needs a critical review of parkland provisions based on development trends
The right moment to reassess and refocus efforts
Proposed new office uses have increased significantly over the last year
Proposed retail uses have been lagging behind other uses, though there has been a significant increase since 2019

Factoring in all of the growth, an update to the VMC Secondary Plan has been initiated with an aim to address new provincial and regional policies, while staying true to the initial framework that has guided existing, approved, and proposed development in the VMC zone. This Secondary Plan revision is set to be adopted under the Vaughan Official Plan Update, which would functionally guarantee that planning goals are realized as envisioned.

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