Project panned by residents on both sides of T.O./Markham border

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The redevelopment of The Shops on Steeles and 404 mall might be in Markham, but residents just south of the border have concern with the $350-million residential and commercial project.

Pending Markham Council approval, construction of Markhamgate Summit at the northeast corner of Steeles Avenue and Don Mills Road could begin in 2010 and take several years to complete, in two phases. The proposal calls for the replacement and redevelopment of the entire 17.7-acre site, except for the Esso station on the west side.

The residential phase will be tackled first, with plans for seven condominiums ranging in height from 10 storeys at the west end of the property at Don Mills Road to 32 stories at the east corner near Hwy. 404 and Steeles Avenue.

Construction will start with the 10-storey condominium on the west side and move east from there. The project calls for the mall to remain open as long as possible during Phase 1 construction. The proposal calls for more than 2,000 residential units housing about 5,200 residents.

The outdoor "lifestyle shopping centre" will be built once Phase 1 is complete.

David Slotnick, who has lived just south of The Shops on Steeles for 27 years on Song Meadoway, said he's in favour of redeveloping the site, but against the current proposal.

"I don't like the idea of an outdoor mall," he said. "Having seven condos is going to affect my community. Two or three, four condos maximum would be fine. Our feeling is this is a mall that has no borders."

Slotnick said he's worried increased traffic from Markhamgate Summit will negatively impact his neighbourhood.

"There is already gridlock in this area," he said. "This mall is going to affect us all."

At a public meeting Wednesday, Jan. 30 at the Shops on Steeles, the hundreds of people in attendance heard that, according to traffic studies, the development would add about 100 cars to the morning rush hour and traffic would remain within acceptable levels.

Many were skeptical.

"I think it will make the area far too dense," said Frances Halperin, a 30-year resident of Thornhill. "The traffic congestion is bad enough already and I find it hard to believe the numbers they're putting out."

A plan is currently in the works to build TTC light rail on Don Mills Road, improving transit access in the area.

Slotnick is starting up the Willowdale Neighbourhood Association and can be reached at dslotnick@rogers.com.

Bayview Development Summit Ltd. announced plans in October to redevelop the 30-year-old mall, replacing it with a "self-contained urban village."

For detailed information on the proposal, visit markhamgatesummit.com. An information centre is open in the mall, near Food Basics.

Details

$350 million: cost of the proposed redevelopment

275,000: square footage of the current mall

1.7 million: square footage of proposed condominiums

233,000: square footage of proposed commercial and office space

3,500: parking spaces planned for the site

- With files from York Region Media Group