[Solaris]

Shape of building pretty significantly different (now just another box) .... the lost of a public square, that would be HUGE difference in my opinion ~

 

[Hipster Duck]

^Yeah, I agree. Wasn't the square supposed to be the focal point of their "downtown"? A square is not just a meeting place for pedestians, but also a central reference point around which the surrounding neighbourhood defines itself.

 

[taal]

^Yeah, I agree. Wasn't the square supposed to be the focal point of their "downtown"? A square is not just a meeting place for pedestians, but also a central reference point around which the surrounding neighbourhood defines itself.

No I thought the pedeterian enclosed glass roof thing further north ... but looking at new renderings I don't know if that's happening, looks like a street instead.


You know, at first I was under the impression this was a rather big area - particularly after hearing the 500,000 square feet of retail. But after looking at the site in person carefully and the plan it's actually really small, which is probably a good thing btw ... concreted. A lot of retail is in the building with the parking lot just south of it (i.e. the cinplex), that's over 200,000 right there.

 

[MafaldaBoy]

I got some pictures today; Bldg J & K look similar -



Uploaded with ImageShack.us



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

It looks as if Remington scrapped those far-fetched attractions (The Gallery, Public Square, etc.). I also heard somewhere that the town might consider converting the Civic Mall (currently bus-only rapidway) into a complete street w/ road traffic

 

[dlam]

wow, so disappointed that they are scraping the European style public square, i was looking forward to that the most. now this is not special anymore for me. i was hoping the public square would draw ppl like unionville main street. sigh

 

[canarob]

Thanks for the photos!

There is no way the VIVA rapidway will be converted into to a street with traffic. It's part of a much longer future busway across highway 7 and through Markham Centre to Unionville GO, and it will be an increasingly important link as the area develops.

As I mentioned earlier in the thread, it looks like the public square is now in front of Building L. The images above show this more clearly than the earlier drawings.

I'm not sure why you think the Gallery is gone. There are covered sections between buildings L and M and buildings J and K. That was, as far as I know, all the Gallery was meant to be.

 

[taal]

No there were going to be two squares ...

Your right there's no evidence that the 'mall' i.e. covered section is gone.
And converting the viva busway makes no sense at all ... of course they won't do that. There's a street right beside it why would they....

 

[MafaldaBoy]

I reread this and they mentioned the conversion of the rapidway on page 4

http://www2.markham.ca/markham/ccbs/indexfile/Agendas/2011/Development%20Services/pl110628/ruland%20report.PDF

I also recall the original plans for DM placed the Gallery north of the rapidway to connect with the public square, and the area between Bldgs J&K isn't exactly for pedestrians (its the entranceway for the hotel and parking), however i'm not quite sure about it being relocated between L & M.

http://www2.markham.ca/markham/ccbs/indexfile/Agendas/2011/Development%20Services/pl110628/Ruland%20Figures.pdf

 

[canarob]

No there were going to be two squares ...

Your right there's no evidence that the 'mall' i.e. covered section is gone.
And converting the viva busway makes no sense at all ... of course they won't do that. There's a street right beside it why would they....

Where was the second square? In the old plan there was a building in front of building L.

 

[taal]

Oh I see ... hmm, really not sure what they mean, they make it out to be a new street but I have no idea where that would go unless that's a conversion.

 

[taal]

Where was the second square? In the old plan there was a building in front of building L.

Ahh I finally get what your saying sorry about that ... hmm, so that square looks a lot smaller for one, and secondly that isn't even planned for a while no, building L that is ?
Second I'm not convinced that's sqaure, could just be an entrace. Also it really doesn't make sense for the square to go there if that is indeed a square, a much worse location then where it was located orginally.

 

[canarob]

Also, I'm noticing more changes to the rest of the rendering. There's now a semi-circular park across the street from the main park, the rendering now seems to incorporate the massing for the Times Groups' Uptown Markham project across the river, there's more buildings along the 407, and everything on the eastern side seems much taller now.

 

[taal]

Also, I'm noticing more changes to the rest of the rendering. There's now a semi-circular park across the street from the main park, the rendering now seems to incorporate the massing for the Times Groups' Uptown Markham project across the river, there's more buildings along the 407, and everything on the eastern side seems much taller now.

A lot of the models here aren't going to be accurate. You can already see how much the hotel building changes. everything south of that (i.e. the offices) none are planned yet along with a couple other building.

The Time group renderings should be close - but the taller looking building north of the hotel aren't planed yet either I think.

 

[canarob]

Lots of details and renderings of the retail and hotel in this document dated December 2011 (note the large "sports facility" in the overall plan and the fact that it looks like a lot of the office space has been abandoned for retail):

http://www.downtownmarkham.ca/pdfs/DMretail.pdf

 

[roamingmonkeys]

Hmmm.... wondering what people's thoughts on this area are? Do you think it will get severely congested over time? Will the builders vision of this "downtown markham" be completed one day? Anyone know how the townhouses are (through personal experience, know someone who lives there, etc...)?