No longer just commuter land

Western GTA doesn't have to play second fiddle to Toronto anymore

The city of Mississauga has struggled for years to shake off its reputation as merely a bedroom community, and it seems the label may finally be put to rest. But the path over the last few years has been rocky.

By the end of the 1990s it appeared as if Mississauga was coming into its own as a mature, self-sustaining city. It was the sixth largest urban area in Canada and home to a growing number of white-collar industries fleeing the high costs of Toronto.

What Mississauga lacked and dearly coveted was a city core. There was no single zone where you could easily find residents, shops and public spaces combined within a well-planned and walkable corridor.

Luckily, the area around the gargantuan Square One shopping centre at Burnhamthorpe Road and Hurontario Street was ripe to be moulded into a city centre. Various levels of government did their part by establishing a cultural hub encompassing the Living Arts Centre, the Civic Centre and the Mississauga Art Gallery, and providing the incentives for convention-ready hotels and a sleek new YMCA. It's also situated right between Highway 401 and the Cooksville GO station.

By 2001, it was up to the condominium developers to establish attractive high-density suites to bring in the last piece of the puzzle: residents.

In September of that year, Tridel Corp. and Dorsay Development were preparing to launch a two-tower, 31-storey, 880-suite joint venture called Ovation, and the first of its kind to riff off of a vibrant Mississauga city centre as an attraction. The sales pace was going to indicate if the city centre concept had legs, or if it was going to be another in a long line of hard sells for 905 condominiums.

Days later, on the Sept. 11, terrorist attacks in the United States seemed to bring an abrupt end to the optimism that was behind such grand growth schemes as the city centre, or so the economists and analysts predicted.

But three weeks after the terrorist attacks, over 200 suites were sold in Ovation, establishing a sales record that still stands in Mississauga, and setting the stage for an avalanche of new projects to populate the city centre.

The success of the city centre area indicates that Mississauga has matured as a residential market to the point where it can support large high-density developments, according to Mimi Ng, a senior market analyst for N. Barry Lyon Consultants, which provides market research to the condominium development industry.

"There have been a lot of younger first-time buyers buying into that area, and they probably work in Mississauga and west Toronto too because there is a large amount of office employment in that area," Ms. Ng said.

Mississauga's urban planners have targeted the city centre to absorb an enormous rate of population growth over the next 20 years. According to the 2001 census, the area had a population of 6,940, but the city expects that number to grow to 16,700 by 2011 and then to 21,300 by 2021, a 209-per-cent increase over 20 years.

Since 2001, over 15 projects have been launched in the city centre adding up to nearly 5,000 units. The key difference between this condo building spree and the one in downtown Toronto is that most of the city centre suites have been sold.

"A lot of this population growth will be through high-density condominium development," Ms. Ng said. "They're really pushing the city centre node because they realize they are running out of greenfield supply," alluding to the term for vacant land out of which subdivisions are carved.

Ms. Ng said 10 years ago, you'd be hard pressed to give away land in this area. "Mississauga is the first area in the 905 that's matured to the point where it could sustain the demand for high-density housing and become a distinct submarket."

Mississauga city centre is also seen as a more attractive building site for many developers because planners have been quite permissive when it comes to building heights, Ms. Ng added. This has led not only to taller buildings, but also more multi-phased projects, where buildings can share recreational facilities, outdoor spaces and fitness centres.

January 24, 2005 in Location, Location ... | Permalink | Comments (0)

Upscale condos in Lawrence Park

Tower Hill Development's Lawrence Park Condominiums offer a central location, terrific selection of suites and, as construction of the buildings is almost finished, move-in dates within 60 days.

Preview registration is under way.

Located at Avenue Road and Lawrence Avenue West, the site consists of four mid-rise buildings designed by Page and Steele Architects Planners, with interiors by Bryon Patton of Patton & Associates.

A total of 338 suites are available in two five-storey and two six-storey buildings, with a selection of one- and two-bedroom designs, many with dens.

Suites range from 636 to 1,152 square feet in size and are priced from the low $200,000s.

They include a variety of features, such as granite kitchen countertops, designer cabinetry and expansive windows for bright living spaces.

"They're basically built, so buyers have the opportunity to see what they'll be getting. They can walk through the actual unit they want, take a look at the buildings and tour the neighbourhood," says Russell Masters, vice-president of Tower Hill.

"They can also walk through our four furnished models suites to see the terrific finishes we offer."

In addition to the condo buildings, there is one apartment building on site and it is 70 per cent leased.

The project offers amenities both inside and out. There is a private park with almost two acres of gardens, as well as meandering stone pathways and a waterfall. Indoors, there is approximately 10,000 square feet of space for billiards, virtual golf, a fitness centre, Internet café, fireplace lounge, theatre and entertainment room. A 24-hour concierge and security service will also be provided.

"The buildings really fit within the community of Lawrence Park. People who already live in the neighbourhood and are selling their larger homes still want to live here because it's such an established neighbourhood," Mr. Masters says.

The upscale residential community is nestled between the grounds of Havergal College and the playing fields of Lawrence Park Collegiate. To the north is a collection of trendy shops and restaurants, and Chatsworth Ravine Park is nearby.

The bus stops directly at the doorstep, providing easy connections to the Yonge Street subway station just minutes away.

November 22, 2004 in Location, Location ... | Permalink | Comments (0)

They plan where you live

Planning firm behind key developments from Toronto's Beach to Collingwood Community designers may be the best-kept secret in town, reports Tracy Hanes

You may never have heard of the MBTW Group/Watchorn Architect Inc., but chances are you've heard of its work.

The Beach, the Garden Residences of Avondale, the Village of Brooklin, Oak Park, the Village at York University and the Shipyards at Collingwood are just a few of the developments in which the Toronto firm has played a key role.

In Brooklin, for example, MBTW came up with the idea of creating a development that harkens back to a time when neighbours chatted across their front porches.

And the colourful "painted ladies" townhouses at the Beach across from Ashbridges Bay were partially inspired by partner Steven Wimmer's love of San Francisco's famous frame houses.

The company, which operates from a funky renovated warehouse in the Leslie St. and Eglinton Ave. area, specializes in the master planning and design of communities. Its four specialties are urban design, architecture, landscape architecture and golf community design.

"We may be the best-kept secret in town," says Gary Watchorn, one of five principals at MBTW, which started more than 25 years ago and now has a staff of 70. The other partners are Wimmer, Alexander Topps, Peter Kanitsch and Pat Bollenberghe.

Located at the end of a dead-end street, the office reflects the company's creative flair. There's a putting green and galley kitchen in the open-concept, lime-green lobby.

And there are no walls beneath the lofty ceilings in the main work area, encouraging interaction between departments.

"We pride ourselves, as a group, as being visionary," says Watchorn. "We're passionate about the work we do. We think outside the box. A developer will come to us and say, `Here's what I've got. What's possible?' We want to come up with great ideas, but we also want to see them built."

Watchorn says there has been a clouding of the line between builder and developer over the past dozen years.

"That serves us well, because we can put together a comprehensive package, from the initial idea to the last tree planted. Developers have a much higher regard for the project when they are also the builder."

MBTW is often involved in a project from the moment a developer comes looking for a vision for a raw piece of land until last tree is planted.

It often creates the image for the development and may also set out the land-use planning, architectural-design guidelines and controls, park and streetscape planning and landscape design.

While designing a site, Wimmer says he tries to envision "anything you see when walking the dog. A big transformer sitting on a lawn could influence your impression. A laneway product (houses with rear garages and lanes) needs a special streetscape, and so does a corner lot."

Watchorn and his colleagues may be involved with a project for its 10- to 15-year lifespan.

"If we've done our jobs well, in 20 years, you won't know we've even been there," he adds. "As a community evolves, it should integrate seamlessly into the surrounding neighbourhood."

That's the group's goal at the Shipyards of Collingwood, a residential and commercial development now going through the preliminary approval stage.

The former Canada Steamship Lines' shipbuilding site had been inaccessible to the public and obscured the view of Nottawasaga Bay.

Another consultant had come up with a concept for the brownfield site, but it would have privatized the waterfront and focused on residential condos. The proposal was not well received by local residents.

MBTW felt it was important to create a destination landmark, with public access, not simply a housing development.

"People were surprised when we suggested this as an urban project," explains Wimmer, who says he and his co-workers envisioned the site as an extension of the main street — with shops, cafes, a public plaza and a waterfront promenade that celebrates the town's shipbuilding heritage,as well as housing.

For three days, MBTW led a public charrette (a collaborative design workshop integrating local community views and professional opinions) and were the lead designers for the Slokker Canada/Fram Building Group project.

The result is a mixed-use community with a promenade that links waterfront parks to the east and west of the development, streets and pedestrian mews lined by townhouses and mid-rise apartments, with some commercial space at grade level.

The town's main street (Pine St.) will be extended to a public plaza with shops and cafes. There will be some on-street parking, but most will be underground to keep the neighbourhood pedestrian-focused.

Watchorn and Wimmer offered some insight into other GTA projects the company has been involved with:

VILLAGE OF BROOKLIN

As Watchorn explains it, in the late 1980s and early '90s, the era of big houses and big lots was about to change, as the trend moved towards quality, not quantity.

"There seemed to be a yearning for a Leave It to Beaver world, where people could sit on their porches and talk to their neighbours," he says. "The developer, the Sorbara Group, came to us for a vision, and we interviewed builders and went to the ratepayers for feedback."

Brooklin, an historic hamlet in north Whitby, had an old-fashioned main street and many buildings with old-Ontario, Victorian-style architecture. The Sorbara project was the first major expansion of the hamlet in 40 years.

Watchorn and his team created a vision that was inspired by, and would complement, the existing village. The community was built as a series of neighbourhood enclaves and the houses were designed to reflect period architectural styles.

Watchorn convinced builder Tribute Homes to offer houses with detached, rear-lot garages and all-clapboard designs, despite the "all-brick, two-car-garage" mindset at the time.

One-third of Brooklin buyers opted for rear garages and one-third went for non-brick homes.

The front-porch community set a precedent for every development since in Brooklin, which has become one of the most desirable communities in the eastern GTA.

"When (Tribute CEO) Howard Sokolowski came to Brooklin, he thought of himself as a builder," says Watchorn. "But, as a result of it, he came to see himself as a community builder."

THE BEACH

When asked by Metrus Development Inc. to create a vision for the former Woodbine Racetrack site, the MBTW team walked every street in the surrounding Beach neighbourhood and took photographs.

"We put them all up on the wall and, while the streets were great and the character was great, we realized the individual pieces themselves weren't great on their own.

It was the collection of those pieces that created the whole," says Wimmer.

The plan was to embrace the old and new, building on the existing street grid and enhancing the views to Lake Ontario.

The firm mixed different housing types and developed concepts for mixed-use buildings, mid-rise apartments and townhouse blocks. Cafes and shops line the community's main street.

Developer Marco Muzzo kept a prime piece of the site to build on his own, and the resulting "painted ladies" were inspired partially by Wimmer's love of San Francisco's colourful houses.

The firm was also hired by the City of Toronto to create and implement a new vision for the 10-hectare waterfront Woodbine Park, adjacent to the Beach community.

The new park will recreate wetland and wildlife habitats, reuse historical elements such as the clock tower from the former racetrack, and become a new location for festivals held each summer at Kew Beach Park.

VILLAGE AT YORK UNIVERSITY

"The big question for us was how can we move from a suburban campus to a 24-hour urban campus like Harvard?" says Watchorn of this project, another Sorbara/Tribute initiative.

The firm has developed a master plan for 60 hectares, combining private and public uses, a variety of housing choices and a mix of student accommodation and office/commercial or institutional uses.

The surrounding greenspaces and woodlots inspired MBTW to create an open-space network within the campus.

For the housing, the group looked to the Annex neighbourhood around the University of Toronto and replicated the flat roofs that suggest an urban/university environment. The flat-roofed homes have become the most popular sellers.

November 20, 2004 in Location, Location ... | Permalink | Comments (0)

New plan for Pickering airport

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority released a draft plan Tuesday to build a $2 billion airport on land expropriated by Ottawa more than 30 years ago, for just that purpose.

The airport will be built in stages over a 30-year period and may eventually handle 11 million passengers a year.

The airport authority said the facility would be located north of the town of Pickering, just east of Toronto, and would generate $5 billion a year. Money for the airport would be raised privately through bonds and the securities market, said Steve Shaw, vice-president of the airport authority.

He said the new regional airport would take pressure off Toronto's Pearson International Airport, which generates annual traffic of about 50 million passengers per year.

"Pearson will always be the major international facility, but clearly there is a need for regional facilities," Shaw said. "General aviation needs to be accommodated. Pearson cannot handle that."

Among the general aviation traffic handled by the new airport would be recreational and company aircraft, including helicopters, and flying schools.

Ottawa has been gathering land

The federal government started expropriating land for a second international airport for Toronto more than three decades ago.

It abandoned a Pickering airport project in 1972 after public opposition and a withdrawal of provincial government support.

Some people who live in the area oppose the new plan. Stephen Frederick, president of Voters Organized to Cancel Airport Lands, said the area does not need another airport.

"The [passenger] forecasts are exaggerated to try and substantiate an airport," Frederick told the Globe and Mail. "It's ludicrous and it is just going to lead to a complete waste of resources."

Montreal's Mirabel Airport closed last month after opening to great fanfare in 1975. Supporters predicted that Mirabel would become a gateway to the world, luring 60 million passengers annually by 2010. At its peak, it drew no more than three million people a year.

November 20, 2004 in Location, Location ... | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pickering plan enrages residents

They live in places like Claremont, Green River and Greenwood — hamlets just outside the federally owned lands that might one day become Pickering Airport — and they're worried about noise, pollution and their taxes.

They gathered yesterday outside a satellite office of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority in the mostly boarded-up village of Brougham to announce how frightened and enraged they are at the prospect of a $2 billion, 30-year project that will see a "reliever" airport open there by 2012.

"We thought this was a dead issue," said Katharine Maydell, who now rents the Brougham home she bought in 1971 because it was expropriated in '72. "My husband hoped for many years that we could buy back our property. That hope seems to be dead now."

The 40 protesters were farmers, business workers, bankers, moms and dads. Some of them, like Maydell, helped kill the original idea in 1975. Some, like Green River's Mike Mead, are new to the area and new to the cause.

"This (airport) doesn't make a lot of sense," said Mead. "Apart from the destruction of the proven agricultural land and the destruction of these communities in this neighbourhood, to me it seems a total waste, and the process I don't think has been totally democratic yet."

If Transport Canada and the GTAA want Pickering Airport to fly, then their loudest critics are going to need convincing. The soft sell started yesterday with a media-only briefing from spokesperson Steve Shaw, who said the airport would be built in stages, only as needed.

"It's not a moment of decision," said Shaw. "Whether an airport remains on the Pickering lands remains the decisions of the federal government. This decision will not be made until after this plan is subject to public scrutiny and expert examination through an extended environmental assessment."

Federal Transport Minister Jean Lapierre needs to give his approval for an assessment to go forward.

Shaw said forecasts show Pearson being at capacity in about 20 years, with a more immediate need for a regional airport to unify the operations of airports in Buttonville, Markham and Oshawa. While the airport would take general aviation and business jets, the runways would be big enough to land 737s and 757s, mid-sized jets favoured by low-cost airlines. Shaw said he didn't foresee that traffic until 2018 or so, when a third runway might be built.

"The last thing we want to do is build an airport that will sit empty," said Shaw. "The idea is to end the question mark over whether an airport should be built or not."

Next week the GTAA takes its show to communities across Durham, starting Tuesday at Claremont Community Centre.

Politicians in Durham are sure to keep an eye on protesters as well as Durham's economic well-being. Many view the airport as the key to opening up Durham to the riches of development enjoyed in Peel and York regions.

"The city of Pickering has been in limbo for 30 years, so I'm glad to see there's a process that's going to provide for broad public input and participation," said Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan. "There's boarded-up houses up here. I'm not happy with that. I'm happy that after 34 years, we're going to come to a conclusion of the saga."

Protesters were able to kill the airport because it became a provincial election issue in 1975. While the federal government had every intention of building an international airport to replace Toronto's Pearson International, then premier Bill Davis said his government wouldn't build the roads or sewers to serve it.

Premier Dalton McGuinty, whose government wants to develop land it owns due south of the airport site, said he is watching the Pickering scheme closely. "I know that we're going to take a very close look at it right now. We'll have to see exactly how it fits in with our plan for growth, our greenspace development."

Protesters lobbed a couple of shots at the GTAA's plan. They were worried about noise from aircraft while likening it to Montreal's $500 million white elephant Mirabel Airport, now closed to passenger traffic.

"This is a different role, serves a different purpose in a different time and different need," said Shaw, bristling at the Mirabel reference. As for noise, Shaw said GTAA studies show that the communities of Claremont, Greenwood and Green River are just outside "noise contours."

Protester Mead replied: "I think they ought to talk to people who live currently near airports. I don't know whether that one's true."

The GTAA, a private, not-for-profit company set up by Ottawa to run Pearson, would fund the $2 billion through bonds paid for by landing and airport improvement fees. That's the same method that is paying for the $4.4 billion redevelopment of Pearson that has resulted in Toronto being among the most expensive airports in the world for airlines.

"The political leadership needs to put a leash on the Greater Toronto Airports Authority," said Harry Gow, former president of lobby group Transport 2000. "It's time for Ottawa to admit that the governance structure used by Canada's airports is fatally flawed."

November 18, 2004 in Location, Location ... | Permalink | Comments (0)

Low-rise condos in York Region

A look at condo developments in Aurora, Maple, Markham and Woodbridge. Prices do not include parking and locker unless indicated.

Aurora

1. STONEBRIDGE: Crossing Bridge Place off Benville Cres. the west side of Bayview Ave. between Bloomington Rd. and Vandorf Sideroad. Builder: Fernbrook Homes. Phase 2 has 64 brick stone and stucco condominium two-storey townhouses linked only by the garage. Prices (double-car garage included): from $409,900 for 2,000 sq. ft. to $509,900 for 2,800 sq. ft. Fees: $185 per month, plus heat and hydro. Sales: 55 per cent sold. Status: under construction. Occupancy: March, 2005. Sales centre: on site, 905-726-9642; http://www.fernbrookhomes.com.

2. WYCLIFFE GARDENS: South side of Vandorf Sideroad, between Bayview Ave. and Yonge St. Builder: Wycliffe Homes. 109 1 1/2- and two-storey Georgian-styled condominium townhouses with brick, stone and stucco façades. Prices (double-car garage included): from $459,900 for 2,362 sq. ft. to $329,900 for 2,470 sq. ft. Fees: between $275 and $345 per month, plus heat and hydro. Sales: Phase 2, two left. Phase 3, one left. Status: Phase 2, built and registered. Phase 3, under construction. Occupancy: Phase 2, 90 days. Phase 3, March, 2005. Sales centre: on site, 905-751-1152; http://www.wycliffehomes.com.

Maple

3. THE AMALFI RESIDENCES ON THE RAVINE: Northeast corner of Keele St. and Fieldgate Dr. Builder: Armour Heights Developments. A three-storey, 100-unit brick and stone building. Prices (parking and locker included): from $225,990 for 860 sq. ft. to $342,990 for 1,370 sq. ft. Fees: 35 cents per sq. ft., plus hydro. Amenities: party room, saunas, lounge, indoor pool, equipped exercise room, billiards room, garden terrace, outdoor tennis court. Sales: 10 left. Status: under construction. Occupancy: March, 2005. Sales centre: on site, 905-303-7800; http://www.theamalfi.ca.

Markham

4. CIRCA: Northwest corner of Hwy. 7 and Town Centre Blvd., east of Markham Town Centre. Builder: Tridel Corp. and Dorsay Development Corp. A 16-storey, 388-unit building with a façade of brownstone on street level and glass on upper floors, plus 155 condominium townhouses. Prices (parking included): building, from $275,000 for 1,028 sq. ft. to $1.5 million for 3,561 sq. ft. Townhouses (single-car or double-car garage included), from $360,500 for 1,701 sq. ft. to $537,500 for 2,758 sq. ft. Fees: building, 37 cents per sq. ft., plus hydro; townhouses, 10 cents per sq. ft., plus heat and hydro. Amenities (building only): 24-hour concierge, indoor pool, saunas, exercise/weight room, virtual golf, theatre, party room, billiards room, cards room, dining room, four guest suites. Sales: building over 90 per cent sold; townhouses 60 per cent sold. Status: under construction. Occupancy: townhouses, summer 2005; building, spring 2006. Sales centre: on-site, 905-305-0588; http://www.tridel.com.

5. SWAN LAKE VILLAGE: 6450 16th Ave., two lights east of Markham Rd. Builder: Daniels Corp. Swan Lake Village will be a resort-type, adult-lifestyle development with about 1,200 units. The Enclave Collection Phases 1 and 2 will have 67 condominium townhouses. Prices (garage included): from $280,900 for 1,482 sq. ft. to $426,000 for 2,070 sq. ft. Fees: $301 to $347 a month, plus heat and hydro. Amenities (for the whole community): 24-hour gatehouse, three outdoor pools, four tennis courts, satellite club houses, 16,000-sq.-ft. recreation centre with indoor pool, equipped fitness gym, games room, billiards room, craft room, fireside lounge, library, change rooms, server and pantry kitchen, outdoor decks overlooking lake. Sales: Phase 1, 80 per cent sold; Phase 2, just opened. Status: Phase 1, under construction. Occupancy: Phase 1, this fall; Phase 2, summer 2005. Sales centre: on site, 905-294-4003; http://www.swanlakemarkham.com.

6. OLD KENNEDY VILLAGE: Northwest corner of Old Kennedy Rd. and Steeles Ave. Builder: Delterra Inc. Three-storey stacked buildings with 137 condominium townhouses and units. Prices (townhouses include parking): from $159,782 for 660 sq. ft. (builder will lend purchaser a down payment of $14,526) to $285,148 for 1,380 sq. ft. (builder will lend $25,923). Fees: 11 cents per sq. ft., plus heat and hydro. Amenities: multi-purpose room. Sales: 25 per cent sold. Status: construction to start next spring. Occupancy: fall 2005. Sales centre: by appointment only. Call Options For Homes at 416-867-1501; http://www.optionsforhomes.ca.

7. OLDE THORNHILL VILLAGE: Southeast corner of Green Lane and Bayview Ave., just north of John St. Builders: The Wynn Group, Rosebud Homes and Sundance Homes. About 230 stacked condominium brick townhouses and a nine-storey brick building with 109 units. Prices (parking and locker included): building, from $170,000 for 570 sq. ft. to $339,880 for 1,380 sq. ft. Townhouses, from $174,880 for 610 sq. ft. to $319,880 for 1,610 sq. ft. Fees: building, about 40 cents plus hydro; townhouses $170 to $200 per month, plus heat and hydro. Amenities (only for building): two guest suites, exercise room, concierge, party room, billiards room. Sales: 70 per cent sold. Status: construction to start this fall/winter. Occupancy: September, 2005. Sales centre: on site, 905-771- 8850; http://www.thornhillvillage.com.

Woodbridge

8. AMBRIA: North side of Hwy. 7, between Pine Valley Dr. and Islington Ave. Builder: Rice Development. A four-storey, 80-unit brick, stucco and stone building, sitting on a green belt property. Prices (parking and locker include): from $219,900 for 780 sq. ft. to $519,900 for 1,700 sq. ft. Fees: 33 cents per sq. ft., plus hydro. Amenities: party room, multi-media room and walkout to outdoor courtyard terrace with rose garden. Sales: 25 per cent sold. Status: construction to start early 2005. Occupancy: end of 2005. Sales centre: on site. http://www.ambriacondos.com.

9. TERRACES ON THE GREEN: Northeast corner of Willis Rd. and Islington Ave. Builder: Windleigh Millennium. A five-storey precast concrete building with about 152 units. Prices (parking and locker included): from $192,000 for about 636 sq. ft. to $635,000 for a penthouse with 2,300 sq. ft. Fees: 27 cents per sq. ft., plus heat and hydro. Amenities: party room, fitness room, rooftop lounge, saunas, steam rooms. Sales: 92 per cent sold. Status: under construction. Occupancy: fall 2005. Sales centre: on site, 905-850-2646; http://www.onthegreen.ca.

October 30, 2004 in Location, Location ... | Permalink | Comments (0)

Richmond Hill & Thornhill Condos

Prices do not include locker and parking unless indicated.

1. EMPIRE PLACE ON YONGE III: Southeast corner of Northern Heights Dr. and Yonge St. Builder: Empire Communities. A 14-storey brick and concrete building. There are two other sold-out buildings with about 400 units in total for all three phases. Price (parking and locker included): from $424,385 for a penthouse with 1,582 sq. ft. to $699,900 for a penthouse with 2,703 sq. ft. Fees: 46 cents per sq. ft. Amenities: indoor pool, whirlpool, sauna, exercise room, party room and home video room. Sales: one left. Status: built. Occupancy: immediate. Sales centre: 905-326-8686 or http://www.empirecommunities.com

2. PARK GLEN: Northwest corner of Hightech Rd. and Red Maple Rd. Builder: Pemberton Group. Two 14-storey red brick and beige stucco buildings with 171 and 178 units. Prices (parking and locker included): Phase I, from $157,400 for 640 sq. ft. to $229,900 for 910 sq. ft. Phase II, from $109,900 for 430 sq. ft. to $221,400 for 910 sq. ft. Fees: Phases I and II, 36 cents per sq. ft. Amenities (shared): 24-hour concierge, guest suite, entertainment room, cards and games room, billiards room, exercise room and library. Sales: Phase I, 85 per cent sold. Phase II, about 40 per cent sold. Status: Phase I, under construction. Phase II, construction slated to start early spring. Occupancy: Phase I, summer 2005. Phase II, end of 2005. Sales centre: 905-709-5700 or http://www.pembertongroup.com

3. THE ROSEHILL: 35 Hunt Ave. Builder: Maren Group. A six-storey, 33-unit brick building. Prices (parking and locker included): $211,900 for 729 sq. ft. to $245,900 for 909 sq. ft. Fees: 29 cents per sq. ft., plus heat and hydro. Amenities: multi-purpose room. Sales: over 85 per cent sold. Status: under construction. Occupancy: December. Sales centre: 905-884-6228 or http://www.rosehillsuites.com

4. THE VINEYARDS: 350 Red Maple Rd. Builder: Empire Communities. The first phase of three phases will be a 14-storey, 187-unit brick and concrete building. The second phase will be 14 storeys with 221 units. Prices (parking and locker included): from $173,500 for 637 sq. ft. for $433,000 for 1,474 sq. ft. Fees: Phase I, 38 cents per sq. ft. Phase II, 39 cents per sq. ft. Amenities (shared): 24-hour manned gatehouse, separate recreation building with exercise room, saunas, pool, whirlpool, billiards/games room, home theatre room, library/lounge, rooftop terrace and sundeck and outdoor tennis courts, putting green, patio with gazebo and fountain and walking/jogging paths. Sales: Phase I, 90 per cent sold. Phase II, 65 per cent sold. Status: slated to start construction this winter. Occupancy: Phase I, June 2006. Phase II, November 2006. Sales centre: 905-326-8686 or http://www.empirecommunities.com

Thornhill

5. AVIGNON ON BAYVIEW: East side on Bayview Ave., 1/2 a block north of Steeles Ave. Builder: Tridel/Hullmark. A six-storey, 81-unit precast concrete building. Prices (two parking spaces and locker included): from $835,000 for 2,200 sq. ft. to $2.385 million for 4,665 sq. ft. Fees: 46 cent per sq. ft., plus hydro. Amenities: two-storey lobby, 24-hour concierge, fitness centre, saunas, indoor pool, multi-purpose room with dance floor and fireplace lounge, Internet centre, boardroom, garden lounge, and gardens which back onto conservation land. Sales: about 85 per cent sold. Status: built and registered. Occupancy: immediate. Sales centre: 416-661-7071 or http://www.tridel.com

6. THE BEVERLEY: On Beverley Glen Blvd., north of Centre St., on the west side of Bathurst St. Builder: Liberty Development Corp. An 18-storey, 251-unit glass and concrete building. Prices (parking included): from $153,000 for 546 sq. ft. to $476,000 for 1,825 sq. ft. Fees: 35 cents per sq. ft., plus hydro. Amenities: 24-hour concierge, indoor pool, exercise room, saunas, whirlpool, multi-purpose party room, media room with big-screen TV, guest suite, bicycle storage area and parkland. Sales: 60 per cent sold. Status: construction slated to start this winter. Occupancy: May 2006. Sales centre: 905-731-8302 or http://www.thornhillcitycentre.com

7. CHATEAU PARC: East side of Dufferin St., one stop-light north of Steeles Ave. Builder: The Alterra Group. An eight-storey, approximately 183-unit stucco and stone building. Prices (parking and locker included): from $159,990 for 554 sq. ft. to $520,990 for 1,729 sq. ft. Fees: 33 cents per sq. ft, plus hydro. Amenities: outdoor pool, fitness room, guest suite, saunas, steam room, party room and 24-hour concierge. Sales: 40 per cent sold. Status: construction slated to start late winter. Occupancy: December 2005. Sales centre: at Chateau Ridge sales centre, 905-669-8908 or http://www.alterra.com

8. CHATEAU RIDGE: East side of Dufferin St., one stop-light north of Steeles Ave. Builder: The Alterra Group. An eight-storey, 149-unit stucco and stone building. Prices (parking and locker included): from $240,990 for 894 sq. ft. to $383,990 for a penthouse with 1,304 sq. ft. Fees: about 33 cents per sq. ft., plus hydro. Amenities: counter-current exercise pool, fitness room, guest suite, steam room, sauna, rooftop terrace, party room and 24-hour concierge. Sales: over 80 per cent sold. Status: under construction. Occupancy: March 2005. Sales centre: 905-669-8908 or http://www.alterra.com

9. GALLERIA TOWER: 51 Saddle Creek Dr., west of Hwy. 7, between Leslie St. and Bayview Ave. Builder: Times Group. A 10-storey glass and stone building with 114 units and 12 three- to four-storey condominium townhouses. Prices (parking included): building, from $165,800 for 616 sq. ft. to $277,600 for 1,045 sq. ft. Fees: 33 cents per sq. ft., plus hydro. Amenities (shared): exercise room, party room, saunas and 24-hour concierge. Sales: building, about 90 per cent sold. Townhouses, sold out. Status: under construction. Occupancy: this December. Sales centre: 905-882-8078 or http://www.timesgroupcorp.com

10. PROMENADE PARK: On Promenade Circle, west of Bathurst St., between Clark Ave. and Centre St. Builder: The State Building Group. Two 16-storey precast concrete buildings with 168 units in each. Prices (parking and locker included): from $204,900 for 700 sq. ft. to $353,900 for 1,303 sq. ft. Fees: 39 cents per sq. ft. Amenities: indoor pool, saunas, whirlpool, party room, private dining room, fitness centre, aerobics room, theatre room, games room, outdoor putting green, 24-hour concierge, outdoor terrace and two guest suites in each building. Sales: over 50 per cent sold. Status: under construction. Occupancy: spring 2006. Sales centre: 905-709-3352 or http://www.statebuildinggroup.com

11. THE RESIDENCES OF OLDE THORNHILL VILLAGE: 300 John St., east of Bayview Ave. Builder: The Wynn Group, Rosebud Homes and Sundance Homes. A nine-storey, 109-unit glass and concrete building. Also, 220 three-and a-half-storey brick condominium townhouses. Prices (parking and locker included): building, from $169,900 for 570 sq. ft. to $339,880 for 1,380 sq. ft. Townhouses, from $159,900 for 550 sq. ft. to $319,880 for 1,610 sq. ft. Fees: building, between $258 to $576 per month, plus hydro. Townhouses, between $175 to $201 per month, plus hydro. Amenities: party room, meeting room, guest suites, fitness room, billiards room and concierge. Sales: building, 10 per cent sold. Townhouses, 75 per cent sold. Status: construction slated to start late fall. Occupancy: September 2005. Sales centre: on site, enter from Green Lane, 905-771-8850 or http://www.thornhillvillage.com

12. THORNHILL CITY CENTRE: On Beverley Glen Blvd., north of Centre St., on the west side of Bathurst St. Builder: Liberty Development Corp. Two 15-storey glass and stucco buildings with 219 and 134 units. Prices (parking included): from $179,000 for 710 sq. ft. to $399,000 for 1,550 sq. ft. Fees: 35 cents per sq. ft., plus hydro. Amenities: 24-hour concierge, indoor pool, exercise room, saunas, whirlpool, multi-purpose party room, media room with big-screen TV, guest suite, bicycle storage area and parkland. Sales: 95 per cent sold. Status: under construction. Occupancy: May 2005. Sales centre: on site, 905-731-8302 or http://www.thornhillcitycentre.com

13. THORNHILL TOWERS: 62 and 48 Suncrest Blvd., west of Hwy. 7, between Leslie St. and Bayview Ave. Builder: Times Group. Two 11-storey glass, brick and stone buildings, with 212 and 194 units. Prices (parking included): from $256,800 for 1,152 sq. ft. to $495,000 for a penthouse with 1,917 sq. ft. Fees: 32 cents per sq. ft., plus hydro. Amenities: indoor pool, sauna, steam room, billiards room, big screen TV room, card room, exercise room, party room, virtual golf, 24-hour concierge, gatehouse, grounds with water fountains and waterfall in shared lobby. Sales: Phase I, nine left. Phase II, seven left. Status: Phases I and II, built. Occupancy: Phases I and II, immediate. Sales centre: 381 Hwy. 7 E., at Faddle Creek Dr., 905-882-8078 or http://www.timesgroupcorp.com

14. VICTORIA TOWER: West of Times Ave., south of Hwy. 7. Builder: Times Group. A 12-storey, 126 unit stone and glass building and 10 three-storey townhouse condominiums. Prices (parking included): $156,800 for 600 sq. ft. to $394,600 for 1,528 sq. ft. Fees: 34 cents per sq. ft., plus hydro. Amenities: pool, exercise room, saunas, steam rooms, Jacuzzi, party room and 24-hour concierge. Sales: building, 70 per cent sold. Townhouses, sold out. Status: under construction. Occupancy: August 2005. Sales centre: on site, 905-882-8078 or visit the website http://www.timesgroupcorp.com

October 25, 2004 in Location, Location ... | Permalink | Comments (0)

Condo's at home in Richmond Hill

A great many condominium towers have been planted along Yonge Street.

But up until now, few developers have ventured beyond North York to erect their sleek shrines to trendy design and maintenance-free living. The conventional wisdom has been that if buyers were going to test the boundaries of the 416, or even venture north of Steeles Avenue into the 905, chances were that they'd prefer a modest bungalow or townhouse for the same price as a downtown condo apartment. Who wouldn't?

But over the past two years, new home prices in the 905 have gone through the roof, with average price increases breaching 25 per cent, year over year. All of a sudden, the 905 condo has a new lease on life.

The heat on prices emanates from a number of different flames. Probably the most prevalent has been a suddenly limited land supply, which developers and their advocates have been laying at the feet of the provincial government and their current legislative effort to establish a Golden Horseshoe greenbelt, among other "smart growth" urban planning principles stressing more density and public transit.

Of course, municipal politicians and urban planners had been making a vain effort to stem the tide of the single detached subdivision with more residential density long before the provincial Liberals arrived. But they were stymied at most every turn by expensive appeals to the Ontario Municipal Board that allowed deep pockets to override municipal urban plans and citizens' conservation concerns.

The great land debate reached a standoff in Richmond Hill, the location of 6,600 planned homes in the picturesque and ecologically sensitive Oak Ridges Moraine. The province and developers eventually reached a settlement in which some homes were shelved in return for undeveloped land in north Pickering.

But Richmond Hill, as well as all of the other York Region suburbs, continues to grow. Not just grow, but explode, with population growth of more than 20 per cent between each census, egged on by furious job growth as high-tech and other white-collar industries desert the city.

Then there is price growth. Because of the uncertainty of new land, fewer subdivisions are being launched, and those that are, are pared down in scope. Many include more options beyond the single detached ranch house.

More townhouses and semi-detached homes are being incorporated into these new communities, some at the insistence of municipal planners. But as prices grow and lower priced options become more attractive to first-time buyers, developers have found it easier to sell these first.

Then there are the condos. In the past, the difference between the price of a freehold home and a condo unit in Richmond Hill was not terribly great and certainly within reach of a young family. As the price difference has widened, towns and condos have seen their segment of the market grow.

"It's a relatively small market, but most of the projects [in Richmond Hill] have all done quite well," said Mimi Ng, a senior research associate at N. Barry Lyon Consultants. "[Buyers] perceive it as being a very good deal in relation to other parts of the GTA.

"Richmond Hill is maturing. It's not quite at the stage of Mississauga, but it is evolving into a self-sustainable community. When the community diversifies, that's when you need a wider range of housing."

Most of the new condos in Richmond Hill are built near the Yonge Street corridor between 16th Avenue in the north and Highway 407 in the south, such as Empire Communities' The Vineyards, with 409 suites in two buildings ranging in price from $173,500 to $433,000 for between 637 square feet and 1,474 square feet. There's also Park Glen by the Pemberton Group, two 14-storey buildings with 367 units ranging from $110,000 to $230,000 for between 430 square feet and 910 square feet. It's not hard to see a first-time buyer absorbing these prices, even though they might have to squeeze into less than 700 square feet.

"Prices for low rise have been growing very fast," Ms. Ng said. "As a result, a lot of first-time buyers are being priced out of the low-rise market in the suburbs."

If the trend continues, Ms. Ng predicts that some developers may set aside a certain portion of land for a high-rise condo development in Richmond Hill and similar communities.

Richmond Hill and the Greater Toronto Area's north suburbs currently boast the second lowest average condo price at $259 a square foot, much lower than Toronto's average price of $313 a square foot and a bargain compared to the average price spread over the entire region of $301.

October 22, 2004 in Location, Location ... | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Grow Houses Legislation

The provincial government has introduced legislation designed to help combat the spread of grow houses. If passed, the legislation would allow local hydro distribution companies to disconnect hydro to suspected grow houses, double maximum penalties for contravening the Fire Code, and require building inspections of all homes that police confirm contained a grow operation.

A grow house or indoor marijuana grow operation is a dwelling that is used as an indoor nursery for illegally growing marijuana. These operations are often located within typical residential neighbourhoods. Often, they involve significant alteration to the dwelling structure and electrical system, which can compromise the structural integrity and pose health and safety hazards. Furthermore, the large amounts of moisture produced can result in mould growth. More background information is available here.

The new legislation, if passed, would have the following effects:

- allow local hydro distribution companies to disconnect hydro without notice in accordance with a court order or for emergency, safety, or system reliability reasons -- such as a marijuana grow operation;

- amend the Fire Protection and Prevention Act, 1997, by doubling the maximum penalties under the Act for any contraventions of the Ontario Fire Code, such as tampering with wiring that would cause excessive heating that would lead to a fire, something commonly done in marijuana grow operations;

- and, require building inspections of all homes that police confirm, to the municipalities Chief Building Official, contained a grow operation. If buildings are deemed unsafe, inspectors would be required to issue orders for repair.

The proposed legislation also provides for setting up a special purpose account so that the proceeds of seized assets (e.g. real estate, vehicles, and other equipment) from grow operations and other such criminal activities can be spent on enforcement, crime prevention, and compensating victims.

October 22, 2004 in Location, Location ... | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack

The Toronto SkyDome

SkyDome is the official home of the Toronto Blue Jays and the Toronto Argonauts. It is the first and only stadium to have a fully retractable roof, uncovering the complete field area and over 91 per cent of the seats. The SkyDome's Jumbotron video display board is the largest video display board in North America and the second largest in the world. Enjoy the unique experience from one of SkyDome's hotel rooms overlooking the playing field.

For more info.

October 20, 2004 in Location, Location ... | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack