Catching Up on Promenade Mall Revitalization Phase 1 Work

UrbanToronto.ca
July 18, 2023

As time passes, the ambitious multi-phased revitalization project for Promenade Mall in the Thornhill area of Vaughan, just north of Torontro, is revealing itself. The project from Liberty Development and designed by WZMH Architects and ZO1, is set to include a hotel, offices, retail outlets, public spaces, and a park. As UrbanToronto last explored this project in 2018 when the plans were just submitted, we now journey through time to observe the significant strides made by the construction team.

Rewinding to July 3, 2021, UrbanToronto Forum contributor Undead presents us with the first glimpse of the project’s nascent stage, looking northeast. At this time, on a portion of the site where the first phase is under construction, massive blue tarps cover where an active section of the mall has been shaved off, while yellow caution tape separates areas of excavation from the parking lot. Cranes and concrete pillars hint at the shape of things to come.

Leaping forward to January 14, 2023, and the progress is unmistakable in the image taken by UrbanToronto Forum contributor secondchance. As we look east, the scene is dominated by the multi-storeyed east tower and its counterpart, the west tower in the left background. The towers' floors, bordered by bright orange fencing, and the wooden barriers perched atop the highest storey, hint at more vertical growth looming on the horizon.

One month later, on February 13, 2023, UrbanToronto Forum contributor ryanbruins17 offers a captivating snapshot of the next stages of construction looking east. The once empty skyline is now punctuated by two towering cranes, each dedicated to one of the towers. The taller west tower now commands the scene, while the skeleton of the building's first few storeys is visibly sprouting up.

On April 9, 2023, UrbanToronto Forum contributor contributor yrt+viva=1system transports us to a tranquil early morning, capturing the towers glowing in the sunrise, looking southeast. From this far-reaching view, we can appreciate the scale and design of the towers and the podium, in addition to the remaining sections of the mall on the northeast end.

By June 4, 2023, we see that the east tower has made substantial strides, almost matching the height of the west tower, as seen in an image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Undead. The east tower has almost caught up to its counterpart in terms of height. Looking south, the glass cladding for the podium emerges, glistening as it envelopes both towers and the connecting section.

As summer progresses, on June 24th, we take a step back and view the site looking south from South Promenade, with an image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor yrt+viva=1system. The glass cladding continues its ascent up the towers. Adding to the visible ongoing construction efforts are the yellow hoists in the west tower, indicative of the progress within.

July 5, 2023, brings us a striking image captured by yrt+viva=1system. The window cladding is unmissable looking east, as the sunlight reflecting off the glass surface adds to the visual appeal of the buildings. The cranes continue to remain perched atop the buildings with cladding on the upper floors and remaining storeys yet to be completed.

The most recent image, taken by UrbanToronto Forum contributor Undead on July 14, 2023, is a detailed close-up of the east tower looking west. The cladding is making its way up the east and south sides, and the tower stands with only a few storeys remaining before it's topped off. The construction hoist setup is visible in the centre of the east side. The lighter hue of the concrete form on the south side, in contrast to the existing structure, hints at a different interior, perhaps a precursor to the window cladding soon to envelope it.

The Promenade Mall Revitalization has certainly come a long way since plans were submitted five years ago. We will continue to follow progress on these towers, and subsequent phases as this major project continues to unfold.