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A massive mixed-use proposal could bring another high-density development on Kingston Road in Pickering, west of Pickering GO station. Designed by BDP Quadrangle for Resident, it would replace a commercial plaza with five towers rising between 28 and 35 storeys. Located in Pickering’s intensifying Woodlands–Dunbarton areas, the Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line planned to run past its front doors would boost connectivity to Toronto.
Located at 705 Kingston Road, just east of the Whites Road interchange on the north side of Highway 401, the 2.73-hectare site currently hosts the Whites Road Shopping Centre, containing an L-shaped plaza with various commercial tenants, plus a restaurant pad facing Kingston Road, and surface parking. The surrounding area includes low-rise commercial plazas along Kingston Road, low- to mid-rise residential developments to the north, and the Highway 401 corridor to the south.
The developer has submitted Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to the City of Pickering. The proposal includes five residential towers, ranging from 102.12m to 122.77m, set atop four-storey podiums. The shortest tower would be positioned at the northwest corner of Kingston and Whites roads, with three 35-storey towers aligned parallel to Highway 401.
Collectively, the development would deliver 1,748 residential units. Along with 116,199m² of residential Gross Floor Area, retail uses would span 3,922m² as part of the podiums along Kingston Road, with a Floor Space Index of 5.0 times coverage of the lot.
Indoor spaces would total 3,149m², located within the podiums, while 6,648m² of outdoor amenities are planned atop podium rooftops. Three POPS (Privately-Owned Publicly accessible Spaces) would total 815m², located along Kingston Road and interspersed throughout the site. A 2,193m² public park would anchor the northeast corner.
The project would be delivered in two phases, with the buildings fronting Kingston Road to be built first. Existing easements would be adjusted as needed to accommodate access, stormwater management, and new infrastructure.
Parking would be distributed across two levels of underground garage, as well as at-grade and in the shared podium for the tallest towers, with 1,138 spaces for residents and 350 for visitors and commercial use. Bicycle parking entails 880 long-term and 176 short-term spots.
With three residential elevators, the 28-storey tower would have approximately one for every 105 units. The other towers would each house four elevators, or one for every 94 units in the 31-storey structure and approximately 83 for the tallest towers. The ratios are acceptable if high speed elevators are installed.
Durham Region Transit (DRT) bus stops at Kingston and Whites roads, approximately a 3-minute walk away, provide access to routes with frequent east-west and north-south connections. The Pickering GO station is a 15-minute bus ride to the east, with nearby Highway 401 on-ramps at Whites Road. Existing cycling infrastructure includes bike lanes on Kingston Road, with plans for protected lanes as part of the future BRT corridor. The BRT is planned to include a stop adjacent to the site. It will provide service between Scarborough Centre and Simcoe Street in Oshawa.
Several large-scale proposals are found nearby. To the northeast, 875 Kingston Road features a proposal for dual 17-storey towers, while the Brookdale Centre Redevelopment, closer to the GO station, plans 14 towers ranging from 17 to 35 storeys. To the southwest, 720 Granite Court is proposed at 12 storeys, and 375 Kingston Road includes two towers at 25 and 31 storeys. Closer to the site, 603-699 Kingston Road envisions 12 buildings, with eight high-rise towers reaching between 18 and 42 storeys.
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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| Related Companies: | BDP Quadrangle, Counterpoint Engineering, Grounded Engineering Inc., MHBC Planning, Resident, The Biglieri Group Ltd. |
