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OCTOBER 2016 | 77 Yorkdale Shopping Centre – East Expansion RENDERING COURTESY OXFORD PROPERTIES GROUP / AIMCO. expansion, for Yorkdale it was a key consideration. Simply put, the shopping experience even in the world's best mall can be ruined if parking is difficult, time-consuming, or perceived as a risk. "So we designed five new underground levels with very high lighting levels and excellent vistas," says Brown. These essentials would be augmented with an electronic real-time wayfinding system. John Ferguson, the managing principal of The HIDI Group, who were the mechanical consultants for the east expansion project, notes that the parking experience is further enhanced by pre-heating the garage ventilation air during the winter months using high-efficiency, direct-fired gas make up air units. HIDI's mechanical expertise was crucial in developing the pad and infrastructure for the Nordstrom portion of the mall. "We worked closely with Nordstrom's consultants to ensure that their domestic water, sanitary and storm drainage, fire suppression and other needs were supported," says Ferguson. EllisDon Construction removed 475 truck loads of soil daily for six months from the site, and a truck tunnel had to be rebuilt in another area to accommodate the new underground parking. Additionally, EllisDon had to relocate exits and stairwells as interior work progressed, since the mall had to stay open during shopping hours. "The permitting involved was complicated, and there were a lot of nights on the job," says Ferguson. Despite the logistics and complex scheduling, EllisDon was able to meet all of the target dates, and Oxford ultimately opened the new parking to shoppers ahead of time, in the spring of 2016. "There was a huge demand for it, and fortunately we were able to deliver," says Brown. As Santamaria watched the finishing touches being applied to the east expansion in late August, she marveled at the expertise of the designers and builders. "They pulled off the extremely difficult task of maintaining the design integrity of the original, providing a seamless transition between the old and new, and making the entire facility fresher than ever," she says. Perhaps not surprisingly, MMC is already looking ahead to the next upgrade of Yorkdale. "The superstructure for another expansion, this time on the west side of the facility, is complete," says Brown. "It will open in the spring, further cementing Yorkdale's status as a pre- eminent upscale retail destination." A LOCATION 7374 Yorkdale East, Toronto, Ontario OWNER/DEVELOPER Oxford Properties Group / AIMCo. ARCHITECT MMC International Architects Ltd. GENERAL CONTRACTOR EllisDon Construction STRUCTURAL CONSULTANT Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd. MECHANICAL CONSULTANT The HIDI Group ELECTRICAL CONSULTANT Hammerschlag & Joffe Inc. BUILDING ENVELOPE CONSULTANT IRC Building Sciences Group Inc. TOTAL SIZE 300,000 square feet (east expansion) TOTAL COST $331 million Proud to be the electrical contractor on the Yorkdale Shopping Centre 470 Midwest Road, Toronto, ON M1P 4Y5 Phone: (416) 288-8222 • www.guildelectric.com Electric.indd 1 16-09-12 12:06 PM Sirro Brothers.indd 1 16-09-14 2:08