RioCan applies to tear down Lincoln Fields mall
Posted Jan 26, 2019 03:44:00 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A large developer has submitted an application to tear down the Lincoln Fields Shopping Centre in the city’s west end, with plans to replace the mall with a grocery store and, in the long run, a high-rise apartment building.
In a development application submitted to the city on Thursday, RioCan detailed its preliminary plans for the demolition of the shopping centre, which sits near the intersection of Carling Ave and Richmond Road. In its initial phase, RioCan wants to build a “new single-storey Metro grocery store” that would sit in the middle of where the current mall is. They also want to build a new two-storey building facing Carling Ave that, according to architectural documents, will contain a Rexall pharmacy and a Moores clothing store.
RioCan says in its application that the plans for the grocery store and Rexall/Moores buildings are “a preliminary phase to a much more comprehensive redevelopment of the site.” RioCan has been tight-lipped on what those plans look like — they state in the application that “the exact form of development for the property is to be determined in collaboration with the community and the City through a secondary planning process” — but with Phase 2 of the LRT set to include a stop at Lincoln Fields, it’s likely that the long-term plan includes retail, apartments, or a mix of both.
The application will need to be approved by City Council. RioCan says it expects to get the necessary approvals from thee Planning, Infrastructure and Economic Development Department by early March. It’s likely to be approved, but the file could garner some debate: local councillor Theresa Kavanagh has said she would like to see affordable housing be worked into the long-term plans for the site, and that she is planning to hold community meetings about the proposal in the next month or so.
“In the fullness of time, RioCan intends to redevelop the entire property into a transit-oriented mixed-use development featuring a range of land uses,” reads the application. RioCan could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
