QuadReal's Cloverdale Mall Redevelopment Moves Forward With Revised Master Plan

UrbanToronto had the opportunity to speak with Aaron Knight, Senior Vice President of Development at QuadReal Property Group, who emphasized the company’s ongoing commitment to the community. “The important elements of the plan that people told us they valued – parks and green space, retail, pedestrian and cycling routes, and housing variety – are still core to the plan,” said Knight. 

The updated plan proposes a total of 10 towers ranging from 25 to 41 storeys along with mid-rise buildings positioned closer to the site’s public parks. These buildings would collectively deliver 5,536 residential units across the 29.7-acre mall site. The revised masterplan also includes approximately 17,200m² of new retail space, ensuring a variety of shops, services, and dining options remain part of the community. The project also proposes community amenities including a 1,050m² daycare with 350m² of dedicated outdoor area, and 1,100m² of community indoor space adjacent to a large landscaped open space.

Adjustments have been made to building heights to respond to flight path considerations outlined by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, lowering some of the tallest towers at the site's southern edge, with the density redistributed to maintain the project's overall scale. Among the most notable changes is the reconfiguration of the internal road network, particularly removing a previously planned north-south link road between two building blocks; to address MTO's concerns about the proximity of a previously proposed new intersection to a nearby highway on-ramp.

The revised plan maintains over nine acres of open space, including two public parks totalling 3.5 acres fronting The East Mall. The larger of the two parks will span 2.17 acres, while the smaller park will cover 1.37 acres. A 2.52-acre landscaped trail system will border Highway 427 and Dundas Street, providing a continuous green edge around the community. 

QuadReal is also making creative use of vacant mall spaces during the redevelopment, partnering with local organizations to provide opportunities for community events, arts programming, and pop-up initiatives. “We’re committed to staying relevant and active throughout the redevelopment process — whether it’s festivals, nonprofit partnerships, or transforming unused spaces into something meaningful,” said Knight.

Ralph Giannone, Founding Principal at Giannone Petricone Associates, expressed a similar intention regarding the new community's permanent form: “As a community asset, we want to redevelop Cloverdale Mall with a focus on what makes it great now — the community meeting places — and enhance that function with an integration of public amenities, a fulsome mix of uses, and multigenerational green spaces that spill out from a new covered central square."

The first phase of the overall 32-acre master plan, The Clove, launched in fall of 2024 in partnership with Mattamy Homes. Located at the 2.3-acre Triangle Site, at the northwest corner of Dundas Street West and The East Mall Crescent, The Clove includes a 9-storey mid-rise and 33-storey tower, offering over 600 residential suites. “There is real momentum now,” Knight noted, “with The Clove now on sale and the Experience Centre ready to serve residents and visitors throughout the build-out.”

The Experience Centre is the heart of engagement efforts. Designed to serve the community throughout the redevelopment, it is positioned where one of the site’s final phases will be built. More than just a typical sales centre, it houses a large-scale model of the master plan and offers dedicated space for various events, community engagement sessions, and future arts and culture programming with community partners.

As a focus in the redevelopment, Knight pointed to sustainability. “Our focus is on carbon reduction,” he said. Geothermal heating and cooling will be implemented in the first phase, with plans to continue this energy-efficient system throughout the site, along with green roofs, advanced building envelopes, and stormwater management strategies.

With the revised submission now before the City, QuadReal is preparing for the next stages. Anticipated that zoning approvals are near completion, planning is underway for enabling works that would begin the gradual transformation of the mall site in the coming years. This process, beginning with a carefully sequenced reduction of the existing mall’s footprint, ensures that essential services, such as the grocery store, remain operational during construction.  "We're committed to a controlled, phased approach, offering uninterrupted access to key services, while steadily advancing the vision for Cloverdale's future," Knight shared.