Strip plazas in the suburbs: a redevelopment framework for convenience centres

Convenience centres are a prominent retail form in the suburban communities of Toronto. Built to satisfy the goods and service needs of the people who inhabit the suburbs, convenience centres were first built in the post-war era, and consist of one-story retail units connected by a shared canopy. They have one or more rows of parking adjacent to the street and are designed to create a convenient experience for drivers. Convenience centres in Toronto typically occupy real estate along the Avenues and major arterial roads: areas designated in the City of Toronto Official plan to support future intensification, density, and housing. Therefore, the research in this project describes a set of recommendations in the form of a framework for redevelopment of convenience centres. It also outlines a case study for a site in Scarborough, Ontario, in which this framework was applied. Key words: retail; strip plaza; convenience centre; suburbs; redevelopment; Toronto;