Smart Density was retained by the City of Toronto to lead the Don Mills Regeneration Area Study, developing the planning and urban design framework to guide the transformation of former employment lands into new mixed-use communities.
The study focused on two areas: the Leslie Site at 1121 and 1123 Leslie Street, and the Wynford-Gervais Site at 15 Gervais Drive, 39 Wynford Drive and 1200 Eglinton Avenue East.
Building on the Don Mills Crossing Secondary Plan, the project addressed how these areas could accommodate new housing, employment, parks, community amenities and improved connections while responding to surrounding neighbourhoods, heritage resources and existing infrastructure.
CLIENT:
LOCATION:
Don Mills, Toronto, Ontario
SIZE:
29 acres
CONSULTANT TEAM:
TYLin,
N. Barry Lyon Consultants,
SS Wilson Associates
PROJECT DURATION:
2025-2026
Redeveloping established employment areas requires more than introducing residential uses. It means rethinking how large sites connect to surrounding communities, how new development can be supported by infrastructure, and how growth can contribute to a better public realm.
In Don Mills, the challenge was to establish a realistic framework for mixed-use redevelopment while balancing land use compatibility, transportation, parks, heritage, community needs and future development potential.
Smart Density coordinated the multidisciplinary study and developed an integrated planning and urban design framework addressing land use, streets, development blocks, open spaces and implementation.
Rather than considering individual properties in isolation, the study examined how the sites could evolve into connected communities over time.
The work included:
Land Use Plan: Establishing an appropriate mix of residential, employment, commercial and other uses.
Block Context Plan: Identifying development blocks, new streets and pedestrian connections.
Parks and Open Space Plan: Planning a connected network of public parks and publicly accessible open spaces.
Transportation Plan: Supporting walking, cycling, transit access and local mobility.
Phasing and Implementation: Considering how redevelopment and supporting infrastructure could be delivered over time.
The study provided the City of Toronto with a comprehensive foundation for updated planning policies guiding the future redevelopment of both regeneration areas.
The resulting frameworks establish directions for new streets, parks, housing opportunities, employment and commercial uses, heritage conservation and improved connections to surrounding destinations and transit.
The Wynford-Gervais policy framework was adopted by City Council in June 2026, representing an important step toward the area’s long-term transformation.
This project demonstrates how coordinated municipal planning and urban design can translate complex land use changes into practical frameworks for complete communities.