Bjays92

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Massive redevelopment of the Smartcentre cambridge lot with the plan of starting construction this year.


This is an article on the redevelopment. Over 40 buildings planed for the site. Smartcenters request for an MZO for the site was approved by the cambridge city council.

Tallest buildings are currently set to be 35 stories, but with an MZO being granted smartcenters has a lot of room to maneuver within the new zoning restrictions and I have yet to see any concrete site plans in spite of the fact they are aiming to begin construction this year.
 
The future Pinebrush station is just south of this right?
Yes. Depending on where in the smartcenters you are, it's anywhere from a couple hundred meters at the close end to a kilometer and a bit from the far end. Ideally having a stop right at the development would be great, but I think it's close enough that lots of people will still use the LRT from here
 
10,000 units

At current average household sizes about 24,000 people.

Assuming a tower-based development skews slightly low, still probably in the 20,000'ish range.

That's a 15% increase in population for Cambridge on a single site.

I'm inclined to this representing over development, based on the fact is not immediately on the current/proposed LRT, nor immediately adjacent to a GO station.

Though details of the both the development and future infrastructure plans are relevant.

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This much I am certain about, it's an entirely inappropriate use of an MZO.

An MZO should be to assist with an emergent situation (housing shelter, emergency healthcare facility in a pandemic etc.); or at the very least something that is a compelling, and uncontroversial public good; and one
which would be unduly harmed by subjecting it to the normal planning process.

This is simply an ordinary commercial development; except that it is extraordinary in scale; and for that reason should be subject to even greater scrutiny than normal, not less.
 
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At average occupancy rates for apartment units in Cambridge it’ll be closer to 16,000 people. Still a ton. And it will be walking distance ish to the LRT, but yea, I don’t expect an incredible modal share here.
 
10,000 units

At current average household sizes about 24,000 people.

Assuming a tower-based development skews slightly low, still probably in the 20,000'ish range.

That's a 15% increase in population for Cambridge on a single site.

I'm inclined to this represents over development, based on the fact is not immediately on the current/proposed LRT, nor immediately adjacent to a GO station.

Though details of the both the development and future infrastructure plans are relevant.

********

This much I am certain about, it's an entirely inappropriate use of an MZO.

An MZO should be to assist with an emergent situation (housing shelter, emergency healthcare facility in a pandemic etc.); or at the very least something that is a compelling, and uncontroversial public good; and one
which would be unduly harmed by subjecting it to the normal planning process.

This is simply an ordinary commercial development; except that it is extraordinary in scale; and for that reason should be subject to even greater scrutiny than normal, not less.
I'm inclined to agree. Cambridge city council has been oddly happy to allow MZO's and I'm not entirely sure why. However we do have a housing crisis in ontario so maybe having such a large influx of housing would be a good thing
 
I'm inclined to agree. Cambridge city council has been oddly happy to allow MZO's and I'm not entirely sure why. However we do have a housing crisis in ontario so maybe having such a large influx of housing would be a good thing

The amount of housing is not the issue; it's the exact spot it's situated; and how it's planned.

The housing could certainly be helpful; but if improperly planned, it will lead to congestion, and under-serviced neighbourhood.

I won't be alarmist, we simply lack the detail here to draw an intelligent conclusion.

But bypassing normal planning rules, without a compelling reason for doing so, it adversely affects one's confidence in the proposal.
 
The amount of housing is not the issue; it's the exact spot it's situated; and how it's planned.

The housing could certainly be helpful; but if improperly planned, it will lead to congestion, and under-serviced neighbourhood.

I won't be alarmist, we simply lack the detail here to draw an intelligent conclusion.

But bypassing normal planning rules, without a compelling reason for doing so, does not inspire confidence.
Agree wholeheartedly. It is worth noting that this development sits directly on the 401, like directly. You don't even have to access hespeler road (which is the road the site is situated on) to be able to get onto the 401 in a couple directions and likewise coming off the highway, eastbound at least, again you can bypass the main road and drive straight into the smartcenters complex.

I assume the immediate access to the 401 is something that spurred the scale of this development. Likewise the section of the highway has just begun widening and realignment, which would hopefully further alleviate additional traffic concerns upon completion. Hespeler road, particularly in this section is also arguably over built.

Edit: again though I agree there should be additional scrutiny in planning a site like this as opposed to less. And without a proper consultation process there is reason for concern, however the location thankfully alleviates some of that concern for me (being a cambridge resident) if this were elsewhere and an MZO was granted I'd be very alarmed instead of marginally alarmed
 
Agree wholeheartedly. It is worth noting that this development sits directly on the 401, like directly. You don't even have to access hespeler road (which is the road the site is situated on) to be able to get onto the 401 in a couple directions and likewise coming off the highway, eastbound at least, again you can bypass the main road and drive straight into the smartcenters complex.

I assume the immediate access to the 401 is something that spurred the scale of this development. Likewise the section of the highway has just begun widening and realignment, which would hopefully further alleviate additional traffic concerns upon completion. Hespeler road, particularly in this section is also arguably over built.

Edit: again though I agree there should be additional scrutiny in planning a site like this as opposed to less. And without a proper consultation process there is reason for concern, however the location thankfully alleviates some of that concern for me (being a cambridge resident) if this were elsewhere and an MZO was granted I'd be very alarmed instead of marginally alarmed
I would hope that SmartCentres makes a push to establish a tech office campus here, drawing some of the entrepreneurial spirit that spills out of UWaterloo: being a short drive/long Ion ride from the Waterloo area, and easily accessible to the GTA because of the 401, it could attract some tech firms… and then provide jobs for people actually living on the site. If not, this just becomes a giant bedroom community/commuter incubator, and those things only put strains on infrastructure of all kinds. So… don't blow this SmartCentres.

42
 

^ Construction has begun for Schneider's redevelopment I believe.


^ A little out-of-date now, as I believe CF are reworking their entire vision for Fairview Park Mall. We can expect some greater density there. Private developers are snapping up some of the parcels nearby Fairview Station too, I think there is a potential for a whole high-density district to form there.
Those were the two I was planning on posting next
 
Are they planning to keep that chibi-brutalist structure on the corner? I hope they do!
 
Are they planning to keep that chibi-brutalist structure on the corner? I hope they do!
I believe so. It's the only building on the site they havent demolished and I think they've even done a little work on it. I have drove by recently but last I checked no official construction had started yet.
 

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