June 29, 2009

KOHN ARCHITECTS INC.

An 800,000-square-foot mall is planned for the intersection of Steeles Avenue and Kennedy Road. An existing mall on the site will be demolished. No cost estimate has been released for the project, which is expected to get underway within two years.

Projects

Major mall planned for Markham, Ontario

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

The Remington Group Inc., the driving force behind the $3 billion Downtown Markham development, has unveiled plans for an 800,000-square-foot mall at the intersection of Steeles Avenue and Kennedy Road.

A firm date has not been set for groundbreaking of the Remington Centre, which will include an adjoining 20-storey condo/ hotel tower. The project is to be built on the site of the Market Village Asian shopping centre, which will be demolished.

“We have a few more bridges to cross,” Remington Group president and CEO Rudy Bratty told a news conference. “It will be at least two years (before a construction start).”

One of those hurdles is raising capital. But Bratty said he is “confident” that financing can be arranged.

Construction cost estimates have not been released.

Designed by Toronto’s Kohn Architects Inc., the centre will be home to more than 360 retail stores, incorporating small-sized shops currently found at Market Village and premium spaces for upscale boutiques and anchor tenants.

The development is said to be the first hybrid building of its kind in North America. A network of pedestrian pathways and private streets will link the retail and residential environments.

The 475,000-square-foot condominium tower will be constructed in the second phase.

The mall will feature a six-acre outdoor public plaza complete with a pond that converts into an ice rink. A permanent stage will accommodate more than 2,000 people for weekly cultural performances in centre court.

The mall has been designed to attract not only local residents of Chinese origin but also visitors from across the greater Toronto area and North America.

The centre will be built in accordance with the Town of Markham’s green development guidelines.

There will be ample bike racks throughout the site, including in the parking garage and on the streets, as well as easy access to the nearby GO Station and York Region Transit terminal.

In an interview, architect Sean Lawrence of Kohn Architects said the “modern, light-filled” centre will be “very” green, meeting or even exceeding LEED standards.

“There is a commitment by The Remington Group and by ourselves to go down that road,” he said. “The town itself is also very receptive to that approach.”

The centre will feature what reportedly is Canada’s largest geothermal installation, with heating and cooling provided through the floors. Pipes will be drilled 600 feet into the ground.

“Energy savings will be phenomenal,” Lawrence said.

The project is in the early stages of design development.

The team includes mechanical-electrical engineers MCW Consultants Ltd. and structural engineers Jablonsky, Ast and Partners.

Bratty said a decision has not been made on whether a general contractor or construction manager will be retained.

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