Festival Condos Construction Progresses in Vaughan Metropolitan Centre

Urbantoronto.ca
July 26, 2023
Anthony Teles

The ambitious 75-acre master-planned community Assembly Park from developers Menkes Developments and QuadReal Property Group is gradually coming to life in Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC). Nestled between Highways 7 and 407, the site's transformation is evident in recent months, as Festival Condominiums, the the lynchpin component of South VMC, gradually takes shape.

The project is part of the development duo's contributions to VMC's evolution. Designed by Arcadis -- the Amsterdam-based global firm that acquired Toronto-based IBI Group in Fall 2022 -- the initial two towers of Festival Condominiums have started to define the South VMC skyline, while two more begin to take shape.

The first phase of the Festival Condominiums project has made continued progress since our last update. UrbanToronto Forum contributor yrt+viva=1system's snapshot from June 18 offers a view of the shared podium, with towering yellow shoring poles set up fronting the intersection at Interchange Way and Highway 7. Blue hoarding delineates the work area along Interchange Way, with the booms of the four cranes all pointing south, ready for the tasks ahead.

As we progress into July, UrbanToronto's video drone provided a new aerial perspective. The bird's eye view showcases the sleek black cladding partially enveloping the corners of the western tower, which will have horizontal white columns across its four facades. The other tower, set to have a separate envelope progression, stands partially clad as the backdrop of the vibrant construction site that will eventually be home to the development's courtyard. Turning our eyes northwest, the vast green space awaiting further development hints at the sheer scale of the future 75-acre Assembly Park community.

An expanded view in the image below highlights the strategic proximity of the development to the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre station, painting a picture of the enhanced urban connectivity future residents will enjoy. The station is about 500m east of the site, placing it within walking distance. The cladding installation's continued ascent up the towers is strikingly visible from this point, underscored by the towering cranes marking the site.

Stepping back for a wider view, this northward gaze from near Highway 407 sees the Festival Condominiums emerging on the west side. The image serves as a reminder of the transformation VMC has undergone, with major projects such as the Transit City Condos and The Met gracing the skyline east of the construction site.

Closer examination of the eastern tower reveals more details. The unique features of the exterior design come into view, with the top southeastern corner and an oval cutout in the middle of the southern facade concaving in, interrupting the white wraparound balconies that will otherwise characterize the towers. Bare concrete while it grows, the podium at the forefront with its shoring poles of yellow and grey marks the ongoing construction. A crane's jib, carrying a concrete slab piece, depicts the ceaseless activity at the construction site.

That same day, another image by yrt+viva=1system captures construction progress of the tower from Highway 7. The cladding had risen five storeys since our last update in June to around 15 floors, further encapsulating the tower. The building's aesthetic begins to take shape with the first of the curtainwall glazing sections applied to the podium, with its distinct vertical fins hinting at what's to come.

With these distinctive features take shape, it becomes easier to visualize the renderings as they come to life. These four towers will bring 2,470 new residential units to the emerging neighbourhood, a number set to grow to 4,600 in subsequent phases. Assembly Park aims to be the anchor of a vibrant, complete community in South VMC.