Mapping 'SmartStudio' Proposed Development - vs - Existing Developments in the South of Eastern Employment Area Study

Comparing Existing and Proposed

UPDATE 2013/12/13: I completed another portion of this mapping experiment. Using Google Maps line drawing and distance calculation function - I measured the square area of the proposed SmartStudio development --- and compared that with the combined areas of the lots of the three 'Plaza' existing developments at Lake Shore Boulevard and Leslie Street. (see updated map embed below - my method and calculations are there)

RESULT:  .0019% less parking at StudioCentre than at the existing Three Plaza at Leslie.
CONCLUSION:  StudioCentre will pull enough car traffic that it is likely to create congestion on area roadways much like at Leslie and Lake Shore Boulevard - a Barrier to Complete Streets; a Barrier to the Waterfront.

Studio Centre:
86,966.5 m2 lot size with 891 parking spots proposed = 0.0103 parking spots per meter of lot size.
Leslie / Lake Shore Three Plazas:
72,070.05 m2 lot size with ~880 parking spots = 0.0122 parking spots per meter of lot size.

Next: research square footage of proposed uses at Studio Centre (Retail, Hotel, Film Studio) and figure out the square footage of Retail at the three Plaza - and compare Parking to Commercial Space ratios.
 

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It's hard to tell what we're talking about. So to take a metaphorical Step Back I made a map (as usual).

This Map (so far) outlines the boundaries of four properties in the South of Eastern Employment Area Study: the proposed StudioCentre development and the thee Plaza at the corner of Leslie and Lake Shore Boulevard anchored by FreshCo. (Northwest) Loblaws Northeast and Canadian Tire (Southwest) - that draw enough car traffic to the intersection to make Complete Streets on Leslie impossible (according to City Planners in 2012) - thus creating a Barrier rather than a Gateway to the Waterfront and surrounding neighbourhoods.

When  I started this mapping project I was convinced that the Loblaws Plaza and the SmartCentres parcel were about the same size. The boundary estimates that Google Maps provided with each boundary line I plotted show that the proposed StudioCentre is almost exactly 3X larger the Loblaws Plaza parcel.

Fascinating how we can't see the scales of stuff on the ground.

Here's an embed of the map:

South of Eastern - Transportation and Servicing Master Plan Study Area – Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA)
Comparing Existing and Proposed

View South of Eastern - Transportation and Servicing Master Plan Study Area – Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (EA) in a larger map


I've continued to work on the map ... drawing lines and counting parking spots.

The idea is to estimate the total area of the 3 Plaza at the corner of Leslie and Lake Shore - which are existing, operating business models that use the standard car-centric design method - then count the car parking spots these businesses were designed with - then calculate the total number of parking spots per square footage of retail floor space ... so to arrive at a 'Parking Spot/Retail Area Ratio'.

We can then take this information and compare it to the SmartCentre | StucioCentre proposal down the street - in order to answer the question:

Is the SmartStudio development a car-centric business model like those at the three corners of Lake Shore and Leslie?

Without the 'Parking Spot/Retail Area Ratio' yet calculated --- just looking at the map one can easily see that it's looking bad for SmartCentres.

The area of proposed development at Pape is about equal to the area of the 3 Plaza; the number of car parking spots in the 3 Plaza is almost exactly the same (880) as the SmartStudio plan proposes (891).

If the SmartCentre mirrors the Box Store Parking Lot fiasco at Leslie - then can we assume Planning will turn down their application ,,, since it creates barriers rather than Gateways to the waterfront and congestion instead of connections to adjacent neighbourhoods?

In the end it's a political decision. What do you want South Riverdale / Leslieville to feel like? More of the same 6 hours a day of raging grid-lock - or a place where cycling to the waterfront is a 'ride in the park'.

Online Participant Workbook for the study now underway on this | http://cityoftoronto.fluidsurveys.com/.../Port-Lands-and.../

Closes on Thursday.

Area dimensions and counted parking spots data from the sidebar of the map:

StudioCentres
North boundary: 353.69 m (1160.4' )
East boundary: 195.15 m (640.3' )
South boundary: 371.26 m (1218.04' )
West boundary: 315.4 m (1,035' )
Parking Spots Proposed: 891 (all above grade.) Blogto article*

Loblaws
North boundary: 111.23 m (364.9' )
East boundary: 240.5 m (789' )
South boundary: 101.71 m (333.7' )
West boundary: 238.12 m (781.23' )
Parking Spots: ~370

FreshCo.
North Boundary: 185.27 m (607.8' )
East Boundary: 83.71 m (274.6' )
South Boundary: 156.8 m (514.44' )
West Boundary: 134.17 m (440.2' )
Parking Spots: 170

Canadian Tire
North Boundary: 289.82 m (951' )
East Boundary: 229.89 m (754.2' )
South-West Boundary: 378.91 m (1243.1' )
Parking Spots: ~439 (extrapolated under box)

Total Parking Spots at Leslie and Lake Shore ~880

Google Map: http://goo.gl/maps/zXtQc

*BlogTO - May 14, 2013 | Massive retail development and hotel planned for old Toronto Film Studios site - by Chris Bateman | http://www.blogto.com/city/2013/05/massive_retail_development_and_hotel_planned_for_old_toronto_film_studios_site/



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