Liberty Development Corporation’s plans to expand their plaza at York Mills Road and Leslie Street were officially shot down by Toronto City Council Dec. 16 after a long battle.

In 2011, Liberty applied to permit the construction of six towers at their current plaza at 865 York Mills Rd., and it has been a waiting game since then.

The towers were planned to be 32 to 38 storeys high, which exceeds the current zoning for that area, which has been identified as an “employment district.” Liberty had been advocating for the city to identify the area as mixed-use.

Lindsay Dale-Harris, a partner at Bousfields, a planning consultant company hired by Liberty, issued a statement to the city stating, “The general employment areas designation fails to recognize the significant land use planning and economic benefits which would result from a mixed use areas designation.”

The request was considered by the planning and growth management committee and eventually city council. Both bodies declared that the status quo would remain.

“Committee’s recommendations were to retain these lands as employment areas,” said Paul Bain, project manager for City of Toronto, City Planning.

Liberty could not be reached at press time for their reaction to the city’s decision and have not stated whether or not they intend to re-apply.