AlvinofDiaspar
Moderator
Thanks for the great news Mike in TO - the info you've given wasn't in the plans and I thought it'd be logical for such an arrangement.
AoD
AoD
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Shops at Don Mills (redevelopment, Giannone Petricone/Pellow + Associates )
Mike in TO
Senior Member
Sometimes the actual long-terms plans or built out plans differ from what is constructed or submitted to the city. As of right zoning allowed the built blocks we currently see today to include higher densities and more office space, but the economy scared off Cadillac from constructing additional office space on spec - which is unfortunate as a couple additional stories above the store fronts would have aesthetically & planning wise looked much better... but the risk involved resulted in a slightly scaled back project.
lordmandeep
Banned
the mall is getting a lot of hype and attention.
I would imagine everyone who goes to a mall, will check this place out once in the summer.
I would imagine the place will establish itself first and try to become a destination mall like Vaughan Mills, Square one, Eaton Centre and Yorkdale.
However to those who say the mall will be dead in the winter. It will be mostly after X-mas. However all those massive gigantic strip malls are clogged with cars and shoppers before X-mas.
So, I think the mall would be dead from Jan-March really...
The rest of the time it should be fine.
I would imagine everyone who goes to a mall, will check this place out once in the summer.
I would imagine the place will establish itself first and try to become a destination mall like Vaughan Mills, Square one, Eaton Centre and Yorkdale.
However to those who say the mall will be dead in the winter. It will be mostly after X-mas. However all those massive gigantic strip malls are clogged with cars and shoppers before X-mas.
So, I think the mall would be dead from Jan-March really...
The rest of the time it should be fine.
adma
Superstar
Methinks the downscale neighbourhood demographics conspire against such a thing--at least in the McNally & Robinson sense...
lordmandeep
Banned
I would imagine though after the condo market goes back to normal.
It will be a likely candidate for some massive condo or townhouse project.
Massive land situated on Eglinton and easy access to highway 401.
It will be a likely candidate for some massive condo or townhouse project.
Massive land situated on Eglinton and easy access to highway 401.
Observer Walt
Senior Member
Try this article
http://www.insidetoronto.com/article/65059
In a nutshell, Metrus Properties wants to create mainly retail, with some offices. In addition, there is a strong possibility that the TTC would take part of this site to use as a yard for the new Eglinton LRT vehicles.
The Metrus proposal has met with some opposition from local residents.
adma
Superstar
wyliepoon
Senior Member
Put in an outdoor skating rink in the winter, and it should be fine.
Look at some rust belt American cities with dead downtowns (like Buffalo or Detroit). The only places in those cities with people outside working hours are the skating rinks (Campus Martius in Detroit, Fountain Plaza in Buffalo).
Hipster Duck
Senior Member
It looks great, but as Torontovibe described from his photo-taking adventure, this is very much a private development and if you think you can exercise your rights, there's going to be a rent-a-cop with a Grade Ten education telling you otherwise.
But I can't be too cynical. The architecture looks decent and it might be an anchor for future "avenues"-style development in the future. It's more effective than Cornell, because it builds on the existing urban fringe, rather than suburban fringe.
But I can't be too cynical. The architecture looks decent and it might be an anchor for future "avenues"-style development in the future. It's more effective than Cornell, because it builds on the existing urban fringe, rather than suburban fringe.
Art Vandelay
Active Member
"enclosed pedestrian walkways such as those at outdoor markets" Is anyone else confused by this description?
Tewder
Senior Member
I'm sure the 'shops' will be slow in the winter after the holiday season, as most shops are, and all malls have their quiet period - ever seen how quiet a mall is on a sunny summer Sunday? Besides, there are lots of malls in the GTA for those who like a more traditional climate-controlled environment. This is something a little different for the area which will likely only become more viable as the area becomes more dense with residential and public transit.
nstuch
Active Member
come on, are you serious? i feel like i just wasted 5 minutes of my life reading that..
it is a huge improvement on what was there before, a mall that has seen better times.. what is his point, evil corporate (and gasp, American) chains and the fact that lots of people drive their cars there automatically means it is bad?
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waterloowarrior
Senior Member
I also don't get this point
On-street retail, power centres, and strip malls all seem to do well enough outdoors....
Northern Light
Superstar
Not impressed
While I think this is an improvement on the former mall; that's hardly a ringing endorsement.
I am a fan of moving shops outdoors and facing streets because its generally conducive to lower crime (more eyes on the street); it also encourages more trips via walking/biking/transit, which is good.
This makes 1/2 a move in that direction.
But the endless parking next to Don Mills; and the refusal of Cadillac to sub-divide the site with public streets, as the City requested, is a real let-down.
While I think this is an improvement on the former mall; that's hardly a ringing endorsement.
I am a fan of moving shops outdoors and facing streets because its generally conducive to lower crime (more eyes on the street); it also encourages more trips via walking/biking/transit, which is good.
This makes 1/2 a move in that direction.
But the endless parking next to Don Mills; and the refusal of Cadillac to sub-divide the site with public streets, as the City requested, is a real let-down.
ProjectEnd
Superstar
It suggests we've learned nothing about urabanism and place-making in the last 40-50 years when in fact, we've learned a great deal. Don Mills' hearty embrace of the car is discouraging as is its failure to connect to the broader landscape. What's not to get?
Sure that's fine from a business perspective, but because these centers are so oriented towards single-use rather than mixed-use urbanism, they fail in many other, perhaps more important, ways.