RECOMMENDATION:
That a Public Meeting be held to consider the
Zoning By-law amendment application submitted by Leisureworld
Inc. (Hilton Suites Hotel) at the southwest corner of Highway #7 and Warden Avenue to permit a Seniors Condominium Development.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this report is to provide preliminary information
regarding an application by Leisureworld Inc. for an amendment to the Zoning
By-law to permit the development of a senior’s condominium apartment project in
Markham Centre. The proposal consists of two, 10 storey residential buildings
containing 272 units, within the southwest quadrant of the Highway 7 and Warden Avenue
intersection. The buildings would be
located behind the Hilton Suites Hotel and Conference Centre on lands currently
used for parking. Any displaced parking
will be replaced in the proposed underground parking area, linked by a
two-storey high common lobby, and oriented towards the future easterly
extension of Clegg Road. The applicant has submitted a
preliminary site plan illustrating how the lands could be developed (attached
as Figure 4), however additional information and supporting studies are
pending. A Site Plan Control application
has not been submitted.
BACKGROUND
Property and Area Context
The
combined property encompasses approximately 3.84 ha. (9.5 acres) located on the
south side of Highway 7, west of Warden Avenue
(Figure 1). The Hilton Suites Hotel and
Conference Centre occupies the northerly portion of the site, while the
proposed buildings would have a coverage of
approximately 2,429 square metres (26,146 square feet), and be located along
the southerly property line and future Clegg Road
extension. (Figure 3 – Air Photo).
The
10-storey hotel was built in 1987, and contains a variety of accessory uses
such as small personal service shops, a health club and spa facility. Since its construction, the hotel has been
expanded through the introduction of long-term suites as well as conference
facilities, which bring the total floor area of the buildings to approximately
48,280 square metres (519,685 square feet).
Surrounding
land uses are as follows:
North - Markham Civic Centre
South -
Liberty Development Corporation’s lands, which are the subject of applications
for zoning amendment and draft plan of subdivision for a mixed-use development
containing approximately 1,800 residential units, and approximately 26,477
square metres (285,000 square feet) of office and commercial floor area. To the south of these lands is IBM Canada.
East - Warden Avenue and
vacant lands owned by Lonsmount Construction Limited and Rak Properties
respectively
West -
Liberty Development Corporation’s lands also form the westerly boundary of the
applicant’s site.
Proposal
is for a Senior’s Condominium Development
Leisureworld’s
proposal is intended to intensify development of the hotel lands with two
street related buildings oriented towards the future easterly extension of Clegg Road
through to Warden Avenue. Approximately 272 seniors
condominium units are proposed, which would share certain access, amenity areas
and other facilities with the hotel operation.
The proposed buildings would be 10 storeys in height, and would feature
a two-storey base intended to ensure a pedestrian scale, with the ground floor
of the buildings comprising lobby, amenity and common space for the
residents. The two-storey penthouse
would be setback from the building face, allowing for a variation in roofscape,
walkouts, terraces and roof gardens.
The parking for this project is proposed
to be located in two levels below grade, accessed by a ramp off the new north/south street. The
proposed underground parking supply is intended to compensate for the surface
spaces which would be displaced to accommodate this development. At 1.2 spaces per unit (including visitor),
the proposed parking supply is consistent with the ratio being considered in
the new Markham Centre Zoning By-law.
Zoning By-law Amendment is Required
The
property is zoned Select Industrial with Limited Commercial (M.C. 90%) pursuant
to By-law 165-80, and the applicants have applied to rezone the property to a
Mixed Use Residential Commercial Zone to reflect the Official Plan designation
and proposed residential development (Figure 2). The Committee of Adjustment has approved
variances to the zoning of these lands to allow the expansion of the hotel, and
increase the density of the site to approximately 1.26%. The introduction of the residential component
to this site would result on an increase of site density to 1.8%. Other relief is required to the parking and
setback provisions of the Zoning By-law and will be reviewed in detail in
conjunction with the processing of this application.
Proposal
Complies with the Secondary Plan
The lands are designated Community Amenity – Major Urban Place in
the Markham Centre Secondary Plan (OPA 21).
Permitted land uses within this designation include a mix of residential,
commercial, employment, and community uses.
The Major Urban Place component of this designation recognizes that the highest concentration
of development and greatest variety of activities within the District will be
located on lands with this designation, and that a mix of residential,
commercial, employment and supporting uses will be provided, either within
single buildings or within development blocks.
Lands within this designation may also be used for predominantly medium
or high density residential development, subject to the review and approval of
a specific development proposal and rezoning.
The
Plan also recognizes the clock tower within the hotel, at approximately 13
storeys, as the benchmark for height throughout Markham Centre. With a height of 10 storeys, this proposal is
consistent with the policies of the Secondary Plan, as the buildings would
transition down from the highest point along Highway #7.
POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF APPROVAL OF THE PROPOSAL:
There
is an opportunity with this proposal to complete other elements of the street
pattern and streetscape within the Warden West Precinct. Specifically, this
proposal would facilitate completion of the easterly extension of Clegg Road
through to Warden and the creation of a new north/south street between the
hotel and Liberty’s mixed-use project to the west.
Staff are currently processing the Liberty
applications, and the subject Leisureworld application contributes to a comprehensive
review of this portion of the Warden West Precinct. This proposal will continue the pattern of
development in a manner consistent with the Liberty
lands to the west, and serve to screen parking and servicing functions
associated with the hotel.
As
well, this applicant’s participation in the Markham Centre Developers Group
will be beneficial in the cost sharing of community and common facilities.
CONCERNS/ISSUES TO BE RESOLVED:
The following is a brief summary of the
concerns/issues raised to date. These
matters, and others identified through the circulation and detailed review of
the proposal, will be addressed in a final staff report to be presented to
Committee at a later date.
Additional Information is Required
With
this proposal, the Floor Area Ratio (F.A.R.) distributed over the entire site
would be approximately 1.8 in a concentrated built form which would support
transit and help to transform this area into a major urban centre. The applicant will be required to submit
additional information in support of this proposal including:
·
ensuring the proposal is integrated with the on-going Precinct plan work being
undertaken by Liberty Developments for the remainder of the lands between South Town Centre Boulevard, Cedarland Drive, Warden Avenue and Highway #7. This work should
detail built form elements, major structural components and streetscape
elements such as boulevards, tree planting, sidewalks, parkways, connections,
street furniture, provision of on-street parking, and the Highway 7
streetscape;
·
traffic and transportation
study, including access and parking supply to ensure compliance with the
objectives of the parking strategy study;
·
microclimate study showing
both on and off-site impacts;
·
compliance with Buttonville
Airport Height Restrictions (Transport Canada)
·
study to assess noise
impact;
·
assessment of densities,
population projections and gross floor areas relative to the Warden West
District;
·
master servicing and
stormwater management design
Urban Design Matters
Several design issues have been identified which require further review,
including streetscape design, site circulation and access, parking strategy
implementation, as well as the design and potential mix of uses at-grade. Staff will be reviewing the streetscape
adjacent to this project to ensure a superior standard of design and that a
high quality pedestrian realm is created through the detailing of building
faces. Part of this consideration will
also include exploring opportunities to introduce additional elements into the
ground floor levels of the proposed buildings, such as retail, which would be
accessible to the public. This review
will also include the treatment of utility infrastructure to ensure it is
consistent with the vision for Markham Centre.
Sewer and Water Allocation is Required
The availability of water and sewer capacity to service lands within
Markham Centre is under review and any allocation would be contingent on
confirmation from York Region that these issues have been resolved. The resolution of these issues could affect
staff’s ability to report out on this application in a timely manner.
FINANCIAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
There
are no financial implications for the Town in this report.
ENVIRONEMTAL
CONSIDERATIONS:
There are no environmental
implications for the Town in this report.
The proposal will be evaluated against the Markham Centre Performance
Measures and issues of green infrastructure will be addressed in conjunction
with future staff reports on this application.
ACCESSIBILITY
CONSIDERATIONS:
Accessibility considerations
will be reviewed through the site plan approval process.
ENGAGE
21ST CONSIDERATIONS:
The proposal aligns with the
following key Town of Markham Corporate Goals: Managed Growth, Quality
Community and Infrastructure Management.
BUSINESS UNITS
CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:
The application has been circulated to
various departments and agencies for comment, and their requirements will be
incorporated into the final report.
CONCLUSION:
Additional information and supporting studies are pending. This proposal will be presented to a future
meeting of the Markham Centre Advisory Committee to familiarize the committee
members with some of the issues associated with the application in accordance
with the endorsed Markham Centre Development Applications Process. This report has been prepared to brief
Members of Council on the status of this Markham Centre application, and to
recommend that the application has sufficient merit to warrant the scheduling
of a formal public meeting.
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Valerie
Shuttleworth, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Director
of Planning & Urban Design
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Jim
Baird, M.C.I.P., R.P.P.
Commissioner
of Development Services
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Q:\Development\Planning\Teams\MarkhamCentre\Coordinator\Hilton
Suites\Reports\Preliminary Report
ATTACHMENTS: Figure
1 - Location Map
Figure
2 – Area Context/Zoning
Figure 3 – Air Photo
Figure 4 – Site Plan
APPLICANT/AGENT: Sol Wassermuhl Tel: 416-924-9966
Malone
Given Parsons Ltd. Fax: 416-924-9067
95
St. Clair Avenue West Suite 200
Toronto,
ON M4V 1N6
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