The sprawling parking lot of RioCan’s Leaside Centre on the southeast corner of Laird Drive and Eglinton Ave. E. has long been destined to become the site of yet another of the “tower cities” that are re-making Leaside and Midtown Toronto. The development website Urban Toronto details plans to put as many as seven new buildings on the space with one residential tower soaring to a staggering 34 storeys. It easily rivals the massive development proposed by Diamond Corp. at the Dawsco Plaza on at Brentcliffe Road to the east. That four-tower development has been called by Councillor Burnside the Big Daddy of Eglinton density. It appears RioCan has the same thing in mind. Urban Toronto says the Toronto REIT proposes nearly 1,500 new residences on the corner.
DON AVON SOUTH TO VANDERHOOF
There is a retail “podium” proposed that would house. among other tenants, the Canadian Tire store and Petsmart outlet, both long time occupants of the Leaside Centre. It is officially designated 815 Eglinton East. Plans submitted to the City call for the 8.8-acre site to become its own neighborhood. A layout of streets is proposed including the extension of Don Avon Drive from Eglinton south to Vanderhoof Ave. High rise quake set to blow away Eglinton low-rise zoning
