September 24, 2009 10:21 AM
by David Fleischer
After three years of wrangling and negotiation, Markham council is on the verge of approving plans for a massive Thornhill condominium project.
The town's development services committee heard a presentation Tuesday on Liberty Development's plans to replace an outdated plaza with World on Yonge, a mixed-use neighbourhood on Yonge Street, north of Steeles.
Still known to many as the Hy&Zel's plaza, 7161 Yonge Street will eventually house four condominium towers with heights from 18 to 31 storeys and a large retail and office complex.
A public park will occupy the site's centre and all parking will be underground.
When built, the 10 acres will provide more than one million square-feet of residential space and housing about 3,000 people.
There will also be 414,000 sq. ft. of office and residential space, including a 117-room hotel.
"I'm just really happy there was so much community involvement and it was evident we were working together," Ward 1 Councillor Valerie Burke said of the long process.
A working group allowed residents to work closely with Liberty staff to come up with the final plans and it has been a pleasant experience, Grandview Area Ratepayers Association president Marilyn Ginsburg said.
"I don't think we expected them be that easy to work with," she added.
Through the process, many outstanding issues have been resolved, though the main one remaining for residents is how to deal with the influx of traffic in an area already prone to infiltration.
"It's not just a convenience issue, it's a safety issue," Ms Ginsburg said, noting many children cross local streets to get to school and many residents have hard time getting out of their driveways at rush hour.
"We don't want our own Don Valley (Parkway) here," she said.
Liberty appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board in late 2007, but both parties continued to negotiate.
At an Oct. 13 board hearing, staff will tell the board if they have endorsed the project.
The plan has changed substantially since its first iteration in July, 2006.
"It really shocked the community and upset everybody," Ms Burke recalled of the initial plans.
Since then, building heights have been reduced, promises were made to meet LEED Silver environmental standards and more green space was added.
"It's come a long way," Ms Burke said.
At her suggestion, there will also be features to ensure migrating birds do not strike the buildings.
In response to Liberty's proposal, the town initiated a study of how to intensify the entire Yonge-Steeles corridor and Vaughan is following suit for its side of the street.
One question still up in the air is whether or not the corridor will be served by an extension of the subway or by bus rapid transit.
The residents don't want the latter option, Ms Burke said.
"They want the subway and they're very frustrated the funding hasn't come through."
Attached to the approval is a list of 49 conditions earmarked by the town. They include everything from the times when lanes can be closed for construction to ensuring YRT service is easily accessed while the work is ongoing.
As residents have been keen to point out, sewers in the area are overtaxed and flood-prone.
A new sanitary sewer will be built to handle the influx and options of how to do so are under consideration.
The town will also receive $2 million for community services in Thornhill.
The first phase will include 714 residential units in two Yonge Street towers, along with the office-hotel building and all the retail.
Two towers along Meadowview Avenue will be part of a later phase.
The sales office for the project has been taking shape at a former Wendy's restaurant and a website has been active for several months.
Liberty reports back to the committee next week on outstanding issues with the ground-level streetscape and what would be required to attain LEED Gold certification.
If the committee is satisfied, Markham council can approve the project Sept. 29.
