Toronto's Downsview Airport to become $22 bn urban community overhaul
AVIATION & AIRPORTS

Toronto's Downsview Airport to become $22 bn urban community overhaul

Toronto's former Downsview Airport is set to undergo a $22 billion transformation into a vast urban community. In May, the city council approved a plan to convert the 370-acre site into North America's largest urban redevelopment project.

With Bombardier's recent relocation from the site, preparations are underway to clear the runway and start building 15 new neighborhoods. The former runway will be repurposed for walking, biking, schools, libraries, community centers, and other amenities.

Downsview Airport, which was used by Bombardier Aerospace for testing since 1994, was originally established in 1939 by de Havilland Canada. In 1947, it was expanded by the Canadian Defence Department into an air base for the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The redevelopment, led by Northcrest and backed by Canadian pension fund PSP Investments, will proceed in seven phases over 30 years. PSP Investments acquired the land in 2018 for $816 million.

Northcrest has partnered with top firms, including Henning Larsen for architecture, SLA for landscaping, KPMB for design, Urban Strategies Inc. for consulting, and Hines for real estate development.

The project will feature over 28 million square feet of residential space, 7 million square feet of commercial property, and 74 acres of parks and open spaces. The first phase, known as the Hangar District, will introduce nearly 3,000 new homes, including rental and affordable units, and create more than 7,000 jobs in renovated hangar buildings and new commercial spaces. Amenities will include shops, parks, daycares, and vibrant public spaces, preserving the site’s aviation history through a blend of old and new elements.

Toronto's former Downsview Airport is set to undergo a $22 billion transformation into a vast urban community. In May, the city council approved a plan to convert the 370-acre site into North America's largest urban redevelopment project.With Bombardier's recent relocation from the site, preparations are underway to clear the runway and start building 15 new neighborhoods. The former runway will be repurposed for walking, biking, schools, libraries, community centers, and other amenities.Downsview Airport, which was used by Bombardier Aerospace for testing since 1994, was originally established in 1939 by de Havilland Canada. In 1947, it was expanded by the Canadian Defence Department into an air base for the Royal Canadian Air Force.The redevelopment, led by Northcrest and backed by Canadian pension fund PSP Investments, will proceed in seven phases over 30 years. PSP Investments acquired the land in 2018 for $816 million.Northcrest has partnered with top firms, including Henning Larsen for architecture, SLA for landscaping, KPMB for design, Urban Strategies Inc. for consulting, and Hines for real estate development.The project will feature over 28 million square feet of residential space, 7 million square feet of commercial property, and 74 acres of parks and open spaces. The first phase, known as the Hangar District, will introduce nearly 3,000 new homes, including rental and affordable units, and create more than 7,000 jobs in renovated hangar buildings and new commercial spaces. Amenities will include shops, parks, daycares, and vibrant public spaces, preserving the site’s aviation history through a blend of old and new elements.

Next Story
Equipment

Handling concrete better

Efficiently handling the transportation and placement of concrete is essential to help maintain the quality of construction, meet project timelines by minimising downtimes, and reduce costs – by 5 to 15 per cent, according to Sandeep Jain, Director, Arkade Developers. CW explores what the efficient handling of concrete entails.Select wellFirst, a word on choosing the right equipment, such as a mixer with a capacity aligned to the volume required onsite, from Vaibhav Kulkarni, Concrete Expert. “An overly large mixer will increase the idle time (and cost), while one that ..

Next Story
Real Estate

Elevated floors!

Raised access flooring, also called false flooring, is a less common interiors feature than false ceilings, but it has as many uses – if not more.A raised floor is a modular panel installed above the structural floor. The space beneath the raised flooring is typically used to accommodate utilities such as electrical cables, plumbing and HVAC systems. And so, raised flooring is usually associated with buildings with heavy cabling and precise air distribution needs, such as data centres.That said, CW interacted with designers and architects and discovered that false flooring can come in handy ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

The Variation Challenge

A variation or change in scope clause is defined in construction contracts to take care of situations arising from change in the defined scope of work. Such changes may arise due to factors such as additions or deletions in the scope of work, modifications in the type, grade or specifications of materials, alterations in specifications or drawings, and acts or omissions of other contractors. Further, ineffective planning, inadequate investigations or surveys and requests from the employer or those within the project’s area of influence can contribute to changes in the scope of work. Ext..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?