Life’s a beach at new pool-joined towers in Vaughan

Nationalpost.ca
July 16, 2021

The Vincent’s two buildings, connected by a third-floor outdoor lounge, will be home to 766 suites and a host of amenities

As the GTA’s skyline fills out, one benefit of new condos, beyond providing needed housing to a growing population, is that the amenities keep getting better -- and better looking.

At The Vincent in Vaughan, interiors by the design group Figure3 are hotel-inspired. A 60-foot-long outdoor pool is slated for the third-floor rooftop podium that will join two towers as part of the 766-unit project. White shaded aluminum pergolas over loungers, cabanas, a firepit and barbecue stations give the patio the feel of a Miami Beach resort.

“Residents can gather for drinks or alfresco dining with stunning views of the landscaped pool area,” says Tina Amato, sales manager on the Vincent development team, a project developed by Rosehaven Homes, Townwood Homes and Guglietti Brothers Investments, of the adjoining pool lounge. “It’s an ideal space to watch a game with friends on a big-screen TV followed by an afternoon swim.”

Parents not quite at the freedom phase yet can let the kids loose in the imaginative children’s play room on the ground floor, where a stylish boulder-like structure has a staircase and hidden nooks. The room connects to an enclosed outdoor play space with a sports simulator, a virtual-reality experience for golfing and other games.

“When we set out to design the amenity spaces, we wanted to create both indoor and outdoor spaces that provide a full living experience,” says Amato, so that residents can benefit from a rounded lifestyle beyond their private suites. They’ll be connected to “nature, light, fun and positivity.”

That bridge to the outdoors is carried through in the suites, most of which have balconies, some Juliet-style. “[A selection of] units on the ground floor have patios,” says Amato. “The building steps back on certain floors, so we have beautiful terraces as well. Some of them are as big as the suites themselves.”

A 60-foot-long outdoor pool plus cabanas, a firepit and barbecue stations are slated for the third-floor rooftop podium.

Located at Jane Street and Highway 7 and designed by KIRKOR Architects and Planners, The Vincent’s two towers will rise to 27 and 37 storeys. Contemporary suites feature nine- and 10-foot ceilings and wide-plank laminate flooring.

“The suites are open, airy and welcoming,” says Amato. “The kitchens [have] an integrated 24-inch appliance package with panelled refrigerators and dishwashers to match the cabinetry and polished quartz countertops.” She describes the look as “sleek and contemporary.”

Studio, one-, one-plus-den, two and three bedrooms ranging from 343 to 1,489 square feet begin in the upper $400s. Residents will move in January 2026.

Additional amenities include a hotel-style lobby that has a private dining and lounge area with a bar and fireplace, a billiards table and a large-screen TV.

Also on the ground floor: a fitness centre, with space dedicated to cardio and weights and a separate studio for yoga, plus a co-working room with open rooms and enclosed spots for Zooming in private.

“Savvy residents can choose their work-from-home space, whether it be the co-working lounge, or by the pool with complimentary Wi-Fi,” says Amato, noting smart features fill the building, from entry-door facial recognition to a parcel pick-up app alert.

As for the demographic, the suite styles and amenities package are meant to appeal to a range of residents. “We are obviously hoping to attract end users who are going to be living in the building,” says Amato. “It’s perfect for first-time home buyers, empty nesters, young professionals and families.”

Proximity to transportation makes it easy to get around. “The new Vaughan Metropolitan Centre [VMC] is 400 metres from our building -- it’s a 10-minute walk to the subway and then you’re 45 minutes to Union Station,” says Amato, who describes the VMC as a “subway hub.”

VIVA, Züm and YRT offer rapid bus services across Vaughan, Brampton and Richmond Hill, and GO Transit routes are nearby.

“Vaughan is the only city outside of Toronto with subway access,” says Michelle Sampson, an economic development officer with the City of Vaughan. Swiftly connecting the suburbs to downtown Toronto has meant a shift in people’s perceptions about living and working outside of the core.

Cutting back travel time has enticed major corporations, too. Companies that have opened in the past few years in the heart of Vaughan include PricewaterhouseCoopers, GFL Environmental and Harley-Davidson Canada. Niagara University, whose main campus is in Lewiston, NY, has relocated to Vaughan, and the YMCA’s flagship location in the region -- with two pools and childcare -- is under construction. The PwC-YMCA Tower will also be home to a new Vaughan Public Libraries branch, performing arts studios and a community kitchen.

“Vaughan is fast-growing and vibrant,” says Amato. “You have great restaurants, entertainment and shopping downtown -- you’ve got a little bit of everything,” she says. “There’s the fabulous Edgeley Pond and Park five minutes away, too.”

The 18-acre recreation area has skating on the pond, places to picnic, and cycling and walking trails. The largest open space and city-owned piece of land in the VMC, it’s undergoing a dynamic upgrade by landscape architect and urban design firm DTAH, with engineering by WSP. Its pathways, trails and bridges will be an appealing option for nearby residents when pool season at The Vincent wraps.