Downtown Markham could climb to 40 storeys or more in near future

YorkRegion.com
May 24, 2017
Tim Kelly

As you go along Highway 7 in Downtown Markham, look up. No, look way up.

You'll soon see skyscrapers topping 40 storeys and more according to a Markham city commissioner.

The 40-storey comment came from Jim Baird, commissioner of development services in a Tuesday morning meeting that saw committee approval for a 10-storey increase from 18 to 28 storeys for the Times Group's Uptown Markham Development at Highway 7 and Uptown Drive.

All 10 councillors in attendance at the meeting approved the 10-storey increase.

And Baird added that as more buildings are constructed west toward Warden Avenue they'll only get taller and taller.

"You could have taller buildings even in excess of 40 storeys over toward Warden Avenue," Baird said.

Ward 3 Coun. Don Hamilton, in whose ward the Times Group building is being built, said it's the right place "for density" as he moved the motion for the height increase. The motion was seconded by regional Coun. Nirmala Armstrong.

"It's in the best interest of the community," said Armstrong.

"These buildings are not too high. Twenty-eight storeys is not too high," said Ward 5 Coun. Colin Campbell. "We're a major city. In Toronto they're building 80-storey buildings."

Unionville resident Arina Nummi who lives on Emmeloord Crescent just north of Highway 7 and Birchmount, spoke in opposition to the height increase for the building.

She presented an online petition from change.org signed by 89 people that asks that the height of buildings along Highway 7 be limited.

"This will really alter the skyline of Unionville ... it will add more stress to a really, really stressed Highway 7," said Nummi.

"A wall of skyscrapers is detrimental ecologically," she added.

Mayor Frank Scarpitti did add a cautionary note to his support of the height increase to the Times building.

"Height that doesn't look nice is a big issue," he said.

A final decision on the increase to the height of the building will be made at the next full council meeting, which is Monday, May 29 at 7 p.m. at Markham Civic Centre in council chambers.