Newmarket Highway 404 Retail complex garners traffic concerns

Town gives tentative approval for next stage of development to include Costco, which could open in 2023, asks for earlier second entrance

Newmarkettoday.ca
Dec. 7, 2021
Joseph Quigley

Newmarket’s new retail complex by Highway 404 will open early next year but the town is expressing concerns about traffic flow.

Rice Group Inc. presented to the site plan review committee Dec. 6, seeking approval for the second stage development, and providing an update as it nears completion of the first stage of construction for the massive retail complex at 1250 Davis Dr. and 1240 Twinney Dr.

But Mayor John Taylor expressed concern for the singular, right-in, right-out, entrance slated for the retail buildings approved, three built and near ready to open. The committee recommended adding a second entrance earlier in the development.

“We have to do what I believe is right at some point,” he said. “Inevitable challenges with just the right in or right out for eight or nine months.”

The committee also gave approval in principle for the second stage of the development, which will be a large-format retail store with more than 160,000 square feet. That is planned to be a Costco retail store and gas bar based on publicly-available planning submission documents, though Rice Group vice president of development Michael Mendes said he could not disclose the building tenant.

Mendes said there are three planned entrances to the entire retail complex, including one with a stoplight at Twinney Drive. Only one was planned to open at first next year, but Mendes said they are willing to open a second one sooner.

“We’ll open that second section up for our tenants to ensure they are prosperous here,” he said.

Costco could be open by 2023
Mendes said they hope to open the large format retail store being built in the second phase of construction in 2023, though the council gave concerns and ideas for that stage of the project.

Councillor Christina Bisanz said the proposed location for the store’s gas bar, at the southwestern edge of the property, could create traffic congestion issues with its proximity to the main Twinney Drive entrance.

“You could have people coming in and waiting for the gas bar that could considerably cause waits and traffic jams here,” Bisanz said, adding it is an issue seen in other large stores.

The development will have bike racks and electric vehicle charging stations. But solar panels are not planned, which Taylor suggested should be considered as it is easier to do during construction.

“There’s got to be a pretty darn good business case,” he said. “We did solar panels on some of our buildings --which are existing, which is more expensive and more complicated -- and our business case is outstanding.”

Taylor also requested the developer ask the Ministry of Transportation about a dog park in the green space between the parking lot and the Highway 404 entrance.

“This is infrastructure we need in town, and we need to be creative,” Taylor said. “It would be a great contribution to the community.”

Although the plan was approved in principle, the committee also directed staff to continue working with the developer on the next stage of development and address committee comments.