Markham 300 John Street | ?m | 19s | Hazelview | Graziani + Corazza

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From a community newsletter:

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Seems like there are too many parking spots for this amount of units. Unless they're including replacement for the plaza surface parking in that figure.

FSI is quite low; I think 2.5 or 3 would work better.

Average unit size also seems wrong: 207,434 ft^2 / 587 units = 353 ft^2 average unit wut?
 
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A shopping centre in Thornhill may soon be home to several residential rental towers and a new park as part of a redevelopment that a local councillor has called inevitable.

An official plan and zoning bylaw amendment application have been submitted to the City of Markham by the Goldberg Group, on behalf of Timbercreek Quadrant Four Gp Inc., to facilitate the redevelopment of the Thornhill Square Shopping Centre.

The proposed redevelopment of the 7.75-acre site at John Street and Bayview Avenue would see five towers built, ranging from eight to 15 storeys with 587 residential rental units. The application also includes the creation of a public park on John Street. An existing heritage building that is currently home to Santorini restaurant will remain.

“On the face of it, it seems reasonable. Taking a look at it, there’s a certain inevitability I think to the redevelopment of that site,” said Ward 1 councillor Keith Irish. “I think, all things considered, naturally I would like a little less density than what they are proposing, so perhaps one less tower. I’d like to see four buildings ideally, but we’ll get into that as the application progresses.”


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Application to permit five mixed use buildings at 288, 298, and 300 John Street.
https://pub-markham.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=39170

  • Proposal: A total of 579 residential units to be built in 3 phases:
  • Phase 1: Buildings A and B – fifteen (15) and thirteen (13) storey towers connected by a four (4) storey podium (Buildings A and B – 251 units
  • Phase 2: Buildings C and D – ten (10) and eight (8) storey towers each with separate four (4) storey podium (Building C – 112 units, Building D – 108 units
  • Phase 3: Building E – eight (8) storey tower with a four (4) storey podium (108 units)
  • A total Residential Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 44,404 m2 (477,960 ft2 ) 
  • A total combined Retail and Commercial GFA of 12,195 m2 (131,266 ft2 ) for all 3 phases
  • A total area of 1,166 m2 (12,560 ft2 ) for indoor amenity space  A total area of 1,166 m2 (12,560 ft2 ) for outdoor amenity space
  •  A site density of 2.0 FSI
  • A total of 1,050 parking spaces: 637 residential spaces and 413 spaces for retail and visitors (968 spaces are proposed to be located within two (2) levels of underground parking and 82 spaces are proposed at-grade) 
  • A total of 179 bicycle parking space
  • A 0.33 ha. (0.81 ac.) public park on the southwest portion of the subject lands, adjacent to the Thornhill Community Centre and with frontage on John Street, is proposed to be conveyed to the Cit
  • The retention of the existing The John Welsh House "Thornlea" heritage building.
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On Oct 13, the developer, Timbercreek/Hazelview, presented a settlement agreement with the City of Markham to the Ontario Land Tribunal.

Some information from the local "Resident Association". Hopefully you enjoy their comments :)
They do have great links on their site if you want more details regarding the settlement.
The settlement presented to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT) on October 13th:
  • Keeps the developer's proposal unchanged as of January/2023*
  • Adds a "holding provision" for the development until the lack of sanitary capacity has been addressed
  • Adds a design for a future connecting road to the Community Centre
  • Describes future provisions to be discussed about the small parkland fronting John St.
* By maintaining the re-development proposal unchanged, AWRA sees this settlement injurious to the quality of life of our community
To AWRA's surprise, the 'settlement' agreement presented Oct. 13 at the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT)* Hearing keeps the developer's proposal unchanged in all aspects that matter.

The 'settlement' retains the developer's proposal of a maximum of 19 storeys and 2.9 FSI density, thereby setting higher standards for height and a much higher density. As well, there are other design factors, including built form, an excessive number of units, and reduced commercial/retail space, that altogether result in an overdevelopment of the site (as described by the City of Markham urban planning Expert Witness Statement)
AWRA does not support the 'settlement' because:
  • The 'settlement' retains the original proposal, unchanged, allowing for the overdevelopment of the site and its undesirable effects, despite all of the evidence provided by the City of Markham's Urban Planning Experts (not to mention our own Participant Statement and analysis);
  • This 'settlement,' if not changed, enables a proposal that shows no consideration for the needs of the community and will reduce the quality of life by adding over 10% population while reducing existing levels of local retail/commercial services for the area residents;
  • The 'settlement' sets a dangerous precedent for what would be considered 'acceptable' standards for height and density for future development of the Bayview and John area;
The City of Markham capitulated without a fight on all key aspects, except for a "holding provision" which will delay 'shovels in the ground' for another 18-24 months until the lack of sanitary capacity has been addressed.

They also nitpick on the developer's mention of a Proposed Green Lane GO Station that would be right beside this development. The Resident Association is probably right that it's been rejected by Metrolinx and is unlikely to be built. Though the developer is right that it's shown as a dot on a map of the York Region Official Plan and the Markham Official Plan.
 
Application to permit five mixed use buildings at 288, 298, and 300 John Street.
  • Proposal: A total of 579 residential units to be built in 3 phases:
  • Phase 1: Buildings A and B – fifteen (15) and thirteen (13) storey towers connected by a four (4) storey podium (Buildings A and B – 251 units
  • Phase 2: Buildings C and D – ten (10) and eight (8) storey towers each with separate four (4) storey podium (Building C – 112 units, Building D – 108 units
  • Phase 3: Building E – eight (8) storey tower with a four (4) storey podium (108 units)
  • A total Residential Gross Floor Area (GFA) of 44,404 m2 (477,960 ft2 ) 
  • A total combined Retail and Commercial GFA of 12,195 m2 (131,266 ft2 ) for all 3 phases
  • A total area of 1,166 m2 (12,560 ft2 ) for indoor amenity space  A total area of 1,166 m2 (12,560 ft2 ) for outdoor amenity space
  • A site density of 2.0 FSI
  • A total of 1,050 parking spaces: 637 residential spaces and 413 spaces for retail and visitors (968 spaces are proposed to be located within two (2) levels of underground parking and 82 spaces are proposed at-grade) 
  • A total of 179 bicycle parking space
  • A 0.33 ha. (0.81 ac.) public park on the southwest portion of the subject lands, adjacent to the Thornhill Community Centre and with frontage on John Street, is proposed to be conveyed to the Cit
  • The retention of the existing The John Welsh House "Thornlea" heritage building.

Some of the updated numbers from the January 2023 plans. (Most of these changes were made in October 2021)
  • 615 residential units to be built in 3 phases
  • Phase 1: Buildings A and B - nineteen (19) and seventeen (17) storey towers connected by a six (6) storey podium (Buildings A and B - 394 units)
  • Phase 2: Building C - twelve (12) storey tower with 6 storey podium (128 units)
  • Phase 3: Building D - seven (7) storey tower with a four (4) storey podium (93 units)
  • A total Residential GFA of 55,103 m2
  • A total combined Retail and Commercial GFA of 14,846 m2
  • A total area of 1,744 m2 for indoor amenity space * A total area of 1,487 m2 for outdoor amenity space
  • A total of 1,210 parking spaces: 706 residential spaces and 504 spaces for retail and visitors (1,137 spaces to be located within three (3) levels of underground parking and 73 spaces at-grade)
  • A total of 226 bicycle parking spaces
  • A FSI - Gross (Park included) of 2.21
  • A FSI - Net (excluding park) of 2.90
  • A 0.69 ha public park
It's interesting that the Shoppers Drug Mart will become a public park.

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