York Region's first new rental building since 1980s opens in Newmarket

YorkRegion.com
Sept. 29, 2017
Lisa Queen

When Briane and Sandra Standeaven’s daughter, Dana-Michelle, was born with cancer years ago, there were many days the Newmarket family relied on the kindness of the late Charlie Tugwell, a driver for the Canadian Cancer Society, to take them to medical appointments.

The Standeavens and their new neighbour Allison Tugwell, who is Charlie’s daughter-in-law, discovered their connection at the grand opening of 212 Davis Apartments, the first new, privately funded rental apartment building in York Region since the 1980s.

The pet-friendly building contains 225 apartments, a mix of one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den and two-bedroom units.

The developers are now hoping to build three apartment buildings with a total of 460 units next door at 175 Deerfield Rd.

The Standeavens initially selected the building for Dana-Michelle and her husband Ryan Damiani, both with special needs who were living in a basement apartment.

But the couple, who were living in Alliston after selling their home in Newmarket years earlier, decided they also wanted to rent a unit.

They are now living in a temporary apartment on the second floor before moving into their two-bedroom, 920-square-foot unit on the 14th floor in November. Their rent is $2,455 plus utilities.

Selling their home and renting frees up money and time to spend on activities such as travelling, attractive to empty-nesters looking to downsize, Briane said.

“People say ‘why rent?’ Well, why not?” he said.

“Nothing has been built here for 40 years and they’re so behind,” Sandra added.

Allison Tugwell, her husband, Victor, and son 25-year-old son, Matthew, are living in a two-bedroom, 840-square-foot apartment for $1,930 a month plus utilities after downsizing from their four-bedroom home.

She praised the location of the building close to transit, amenities and the future rental buildings next door.

“I’ll be excited to tell my son that’s where he can go in three years,” she said.

Developer behind the project Sam Reisman, CEO of the Rose Corporation, said it is possible for rental housing to be built in York Region if government and developers work together.

“We have demonstrated what can happen when people of good faith engage in a transparent process to change their community. It’s called city building,” he said.

The project is the type of development Newmarket is welcoming along Davis Drive and Yonge Street, Mayor Ton Van Bynen said, adding the town will add 33,000 residents and 32,000 jobs over the next 40 years.

“This will be a critical time for our community as we continue to balance the character and suburban elements of our town with the increasing urban elements that will shape our corridors,” he said.

Newmarket Coun. John Taylor, chair of York Region’s community and health services committee and co-chair of the region’s human services planning board, said rental housing is needed for people like a single mother he met a couple of years ago who worked at a Newmarket Tim Hortons because it offered full-time hours but had to live in Barrie because she couldn’t find rental housing here.