The Met condominium an example of urbanism done right

Condo project attractive for those who can't afford to buy downtown

MetroNews.ca
Nov. 10, 2016
By Duncan McAllister

The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre is rapidly becoming one of the GTA’s major success stories. It’s urbanism done right, with a carefully thought-out, collaborative game plan involving major players like the City of Vaughan, Metrolinx and a host of private sector developers.

Plans are underway for an 8.6 kilometre subway extension line with six new stations and a regional transportation hub. The initiative is a major enabler for residential and commercial growth in the region.

Several new condo developments have arrived early to the game, with projects like Cosmos by Liberty Development and Charisma by Greenpark Homes, setting the pace for residential expansion in the downtown, where 12,000 residents are anticipated to move in the coming years.

The Met, a new transit-oriented project from Plaza and Berkley Developments, boasts a prime location close to the emerging city centre, with two stops on the TTC subway extension providing direct connections to York University and downtown Toronto.

Plaza senior VP Scott McLellan says that the subway is the predominant anchor for the development boom.

The Met is attracting first-time buyers who work in downtown Toronto, says McLellan.

“Affordability is always going to be a driver in the condo market, and the Met is probably about $150 to $200 a foot less than what it would cost to live in downtown Toronto.”

With the suites selling like hotcakes, exceeding all initial sales projections, it’s a testament to the popularity of the new urban centre.

“We’re getting young couples who are looking at our two-bedrooms, and saying hey, we can park the car here, we both work downtown and their parents live up in the Vaughan-Woodbridge area.” says McLellan.

The Met, designed by Quadrangle Architects with interiors by Mike Niven Design, will offer luxurious touches in each suite. The kitchens are equipped with quartz countertops and undermount sink, Moen faucets and six premium stainless steel appliances. The bathrooms feature ceramic or porcelain tile, deep soaker tubs and glass-walled showers.

Nearby, Expo City was one of the first projects out of the gate. The master-planned, multi-phase undertaking is one of the largest mixed-use developments that the region has ever experienced.

The development will figure prominently in Vaughan’s new downtown, with the Cortel Group’s five residential towers rising up on Highway 7 between Maplecrete and Creditstone roads. Tower one is now complete, tower two is under construction, and the third phase, Expo Condos 3, has been announced and will be underway soon.