Although the blog has not visited the site a blog reader noted, new Hydro poles are going up on the old Canadian Pacific Railway iron highway site or possibly on the edge of the CPR property.
Many people are really interested in what going to happen with the old iron highway site which is directly behind the Metro store on St. Clair Ave. W.
after the continue reading link are a few image of how the new google IOS app the local rail tracks in a tilting framework, the look provides a great view of the track layout.
Land sold over a year ago. Don’t know to whom it was sold. Not sure if this is related or not.
The work is for new long tracks replacing a number of old short tracks.
The land that was sold off is next to Ethel Avenue and is signed for sub-lease.
There seems to be little interest in leasing lands like the Maple Leaf Mills site on Junction Road, the New York Pork site on St. Clair and this piece of land. It seems like it’s time for bigger revitalization plans more along the lines of the West Don Lands–moving away from the low-value big box developments towards something more refined and urban with a mix of uses, a compact built form without large surface parking lots, and a high-quality public realm instead of crumbling streets without even sidewalks like Ethel Avenue.
Agree big box, with the new mall being built at St Clair Ave West, and Weston Rd. has reached the saturation point and we need a much greater idealized plan.
The big box (13) development originally was to have all parking hidden with retail above so as to get away from the typical vast parking lot in malls and plazas. Instead, the development was changed and now there are to be two 6 story parking garages in the middle of the property. Look at the enormous wall at the north east corner (Weston & Gunns). So much for enlightened development!
The Trinity Development always showed the plans with the parking structures in the middle of the lot ((North and South End) and retail around it. They might have changed some stuff for Target customer parking once they were anounced but only Target. As to the wall at the north east corner of Weston Rd and Gunns, that is a retaining wall which is a must, they will make it make it look nicer later on in the construction cycle with some green grass/trees/plants etc.. around it. View the Trinity link below and see for yourself.
http://www.trinity-group.com/properties/new-urban-centres/toronto-on/weston-st-clair-%28the-stockyards%29/
@Manny
I recall the ORIGINAL site plans and they did NOT include two parking garages.