Earlier this month we introduced plans by Markham-based international real estate management firm and developer North American Development Group to redevelop Scarborough's Agincourt Mall at the intersection of Sheppard Avenue and Kennedy Road. In the weeks since, an application has been submitted to the City for an Official Plan Amendment (OPA) to the Agincourt Secondary Plan which would allow the redevelopment of the commercial property with a mix of uses including retail, office, park, new streets, and residential.

Opened on a 26-acre site in 1966, the shopping centre was purchased by North American in 2014. The 317,425 ft² mall is surrounded by a large surface parking lot capable of accommodating about 1,700 cars. In the over 50 years since the mall's opening, the auto-centric planning principles that shaped the complex have fallen out of favour, while retail trends and the needs of the community have changed over the years. At the same time, new municipal and provincial planning standards have opened up redevelopment potential for the site, leading to the current proposal.

The proposed master plan by architects Giannone Petricone Associates calls for roughly 440,000 m² of new space. The redevelopment would consist of 406,040 m² of residential uses, 8,490 m² of office uses, 23,685 m² of commercial retail uses, 1,940 m² of community facility space, and 17,500 m² of open space including greenway linkages, and public and private squares.

Master plan for the site, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

Among these spaces—the landscape plan for the site has been created by Janet Rosenberg + Studio—a 2-acre central public park will serve as the community's green heart, surrounded by a half-moon shaped road dubbed 'Park Circle' on the plan. Another major public space proposed is a pedestrianized road being referred to as 'The Rambla', inspired by the famously walkable street in Barcelona. This space will act as a gateway to the complex from Sheppard, heading into the centre of the site and terminating with a retail- and patio-lined public square.

Retail-lined public square, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

Approval is being sought for 5,000 residential units, to be spread across 7 blocks, with a unit mix made up of 57% one-bedroom units, 32% two-bedroom units, and 11% three-bedroom and townhome units. (The towns would front onto the site's central park space.)

Central park proposed for the Agincourt Mall redevelopment, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

Development across the site proposes thirteen towers spaced widely across the site, rising from low and mid-rise podiums. The towers are shortest (as low as 20 storeys) to the south of the park to limit the shadows they cast upon it. The tallest towers (as high as 45 storeys) are closest to the centre of the site and along the arterial road edges of Sheppard Avenue and Kennedy Road.

Townhomes fronting Park Circle, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

While most of the new retail space on the site is configured as street-facing shops and restaurants east of the park and along the bordering main streets, two larger spaces located centrally are planned so that current the grocer and the Walmart can reopen in the development.

North view on The Rambla, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

Land is being set aside in the plan to protect for a station should the Sheppard subway plan go ahead in the future.

Street level at Block 5, image retrieved from submission to City of Toronto

Additional information and renderings for the project can be found in our Database file for the site, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? You can get in on the conversation in our associated Forum thread, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.