Mixed-use development at 784 Sheppard Avenue receives final approval from OMB

MEC North York under construction now for spring 2016 opening; work on townhomes underway

TORONTO, Feb. 18, 2015 /CNW/ - As construction continues on its new 42,000-square-foot store in North York, Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) last week received final approval from the Ontario Municipal Board for the residential portion of the mixed-use development at 784 Sheppard Avenue East. Work can now proceed on the 50-unit stacked townhome complex that will sit on the back (north) part of the 1.8-acre site.

MEC North York will open in spring 2016. The Park Towns complex is scheduled for completion in summer 2016.

"We are pleased to now have the final approvals in hand," said MEC CFO Sandy Treagus. "MEC is all about enabling Canadians to lead healthy active lifestyles. Our stores serve as community hubs, and our intent is to create a mixed-use development that provides lasting value and vitality to the neighborhood."

In response to the City of Toronto's desire to realize greater density on the property, MEC partnered with its general contractor for the store development, Broccolini Construction, to create a high-quality townhouse development that both meets community planning objectives and complements the store.

Broccolini Construction's extensive experience with residential developments and previous history building MEC stores (expanding MEC Ottawa in 2012 and building MEC Longueuil in 2009) allow MEC to focus on its North York store development while Broccolini leads the Park Towns residential project.

The Park Towns development comprises a combination of two- and three-bedroom units as well as four one-bedroom suites. All the units were presold, under the condition that final approvals were still pending.

The store and townhome complex will each have a separate underground parking garage, accessible from a common ramp. Vehicle access and egress to the property will be from Sheppard Avenue.

Next to its King Street West location downtown, MEC North York will be the outdoor retailer's second store in the GTA, and sixth in Ontario. MEC currently has more than 625,000 members in the region, and its North York store will serve current and new members alike with gear, apparel and footwear for a host of outdoor activities.

MEC North York will be marked by a saw-tooth roof lined with clerestory windows that flood the retail floor with natural light. The building itself is designed to be almost 50 per cent more energy efficient than a comparable commercial building. When it opens next spring, MEC North York will join the co-op's growing portfolio of high-performance green buildings.

About MEC

Canada's leading outdoor retailer, MEC is passionate about inspiring and enabling everyone to lead active outdoor lifestyles. From city streets and yoga studios to backcountry trails and pristine waterways, MEC matches people with the expertise, experience, enthusiasm and gear they need for camping, snowsports, watersports, cycling, climbing, hiking, running and fitness. Through our commitment to 1% for the Planet, every year member purchases allow us to donate one percent of sales ($3 million in 2014) to Canadian non-profit organizations that help conserve ecologically and recreationally important areas. MEC has over 3.75 million members across Canada. Become part of MEC with a $5 lifetime membership and visit us at our 17 stores, at www.mec.ca and our Shop MEC iPhone® app.

SOURCE Mountain Equipment Co-op

and to obtain a high-resolution rendering of MEC's North York store, please contact: Johnny Santilly, Media Profile, [email protected], 416-342-1841; Andrew Sutherland, MEC Public Relations, [email protected], 778-320-4291 (mobile), 604-707-3304 (direct); Tim Southam, MEC Public Affairs, [email protected], 604-561-4528 (mobile), 604-707-4480 (direct)