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A recent proposal in central Ajax would redevelop Harwood Plaza as another step toward higher density that will help to create a downtown for the town east of Toronto. Designed by SvN for First Capital, the proposal calls for three buildings ranging from 16 to 30 storeys, replacing the surface parking at the plaza’s northern end. It is part of a broader Master Block Plan that envisions a long-term redevelopment of the full site, although there are currently no defined concepts yet for the remainder of the site.
Originally developed in the late 1960s as Harwood Place Mall, the site evolved with additional retail pads along Harwood Avenue South in more recent years Anchored by a Food Basics supermarket, the plaza also includes restaurants, retail shops, and a Tim Hortons, surrounded by surface parking. The site is part of a growing urban hub near Ajax Town Hall, civic spaces, and new high-rise residential developments.
The developer has submitted Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to the Town of Ajax for Harwood Plaza’s northern portion, currently occupied by surface parking. The proposal introduces three towers of 16, 23, and 30 storeys, rising 57 to 99.5 meters, with a total Gross Floor Area of 65,461m². Of this, 64,614m² is residential, accommodating 863 units, while 847m² is designated for retail at grade. The proposal’s Floor Space Index is 5.59 times coverage across the 11,563m² site.
Each tower would rise from a stepped podium ranging from three to eight storeys, with retail concentrated along Hunt Street and townhouse-style units along quieter internal streets. The pedestrian-oriented design includes a woonerf as a shared street providing servicing and loading access. As part of a larger Master Block Plan, this phase would introduce a framework for future redevelopment of the rest of the site.
Residents would have access to 3,452m² of amenities, evenly split between indoor and outdoor spaces, distributed across the podium levels. A three-level underground garage would accommodate 641 parking spaces for residents and 130 for visitors and retail users. For cyclists, provisions include 798 long-term and 89 short-term spaces, as well as nine non-residential spaces. The shorter towers would have two elevators each, while the tallest would have three, with ratios of approximately 1 per 107, 143, and 122 units, respectively. High-speed motors would be required for adequate service.
The site is located about 1.5km southeast of Ajax GO station on the Lakeshore East line, with access to Union station. Durham Region Transit (DRT) operates bus routes along Harwood Avenue and Bayly Street, with stops near the site. Cycling infrastructure in the area is currently limited to external bike lanes along Hunt Street and Commercial Avenue.
Planned transit improvements are foreseen in the Durham Region Transportation Master Plan which identifies Harwood Avenue South for high-frequency bus service in mixed traffic by 2031, while Bayly Street is planned to include dedicated high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes for improved transit efficiency.
The Harwood Plaza Redevelopment would rise amid a growing cluster of developments in Downtown Ajax. To the west, 73 Hunt Street is proposed as a pair of 8-storey mid-rise buildings. Directly south, Vision at Pat Bayly Square’s 25-storey Phase 1 tower was completed in 2020, while Phase 2 is under construction, bringing 19- and 23-storey towers. Further south, 33 Falby Court is proposed at 15 storeys. Southwest, 72 & 80 Bayly Street West calls for 18- and 23-storey towers and The Monarch Hills proposes five 25-storey towers.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you’d like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
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