Newmarket builds first new condo development in 30 years (yes, you read that right)

When completed, The Davis Residences at Bakerfield will add a total of 500 units to the area

Nationalpost.com
August 15, 2019
Alex Newman

Originally a bedroom community of mostly detached homes, Newmarket is now one of the most densely populated municipalities in Ontario.

But when Rose Corporation built a rental property in 2017, it was clear the town’s real estate market hadn’t kept pace with change. “So many people asked about ownership,” says president Daniel Berholz, that when a 4.4-acre lot became available next door, the company decided to build not one but three new residential towers.

When completed, The Davis Residences at Bakerfield will add a total of 500 units to the area -- including the first condo development in Newmarket in 30 years.

Launching first is a 15-storey property with 219 suites for sale, followed by a 15-storey luxury rental building and a ten-storey development that will evolve into either further rental options or more units for purchase.

The focus for all of them will be livability, says Ruth Lynch, one of two leads from Bryon Patton Design on the project. A

split layout, with bedrooms on either side of the dining/living and kitchen area, allows for maximum privacy even in two- and three-bedroom units. The finishes will appeal both to younger buyers -- and home-owners who want to downsize without ditching all their furniture.
“The cabinetry and finishes are really more transitional than either modern or traditional, and that’s appropriate with current trends,” she says. But she adds that “the kitchens have a great wood texture that really adds warmth to the suite, and even if owners have more traditional furnishings it still works well.”

The development also addresses the needs of a broad range of buyers: For those shifting from larger homes, a hobby room has been added. “We kept hearing empty nesters say they left behind workshops but still wanted to do their projects,” says Berholz. But there is also a dedicated space for parents (and grandparents) “to take kids for arts and crafts, to play, read and be around other children.”

Designers want adults to socialize, too. Lynch says the property includes lots of “open and social spaces for greater connectivity.” An all-glass, two-storey grand hall at the rear of the building, for example, looks onto an outdoor courtyard with seating and BBQs. The two-story lobby encourages gathering with a grand fireplace. There are also rooftop and fifth-floor terraces, a games room and a yoga studio.

If less visible, the development’s LEED silver rating is another selling point. The property will reduce outdoor water use with low flow and efficient plumbing features, there’s low consumption lighting, an energy efficient HVAC system and a targeted 75 per cent waste diversion rate.

Not surprisingly, all of this speaks to a pretty broad swath of “new” Newmarket. “There is a mix of first-time buyers, starter families with two parents and a small child, young professionals, mature buyers looking for a maintenance-free lifestyle, single parents,” says Berholz. “There’s also a market for investors, though compared to downtown it’s a smaller portion of the buyer demographic.”

If the growth rate in Newmarket continues as expected, that may just change.

The first tower of The Davis is slated for occupancy in the fall of 2022. Suites range from 550 to 1,150 sq ft, priced from the $400s to $600s. For more information, call 905-235-9200 or visit http://www.thedaviscondos.com.

YOU ARE HERE

1) New markets: The town started as a critical hub for the fur trade. Today, there’s Upper Canada Mall, aka Yorkdale North, and vibrant Main Street.

2) Green space: For all its growth, bucolic farmland still surrounds Newmarket and there are several large parks and conservation areas nearby, including the 100-acre Aurora Community Arboretum.

3) Boats: Marinas and yacht clubs are plentiful on Lake Simcoe, just half an hour’s drive from The Davis.