Thornhill City Centre nearing its final stage
Legacy Park Condos the last phase of 10-year project

TheStar.com
Feb. 20, 2015
Ryan Starr

“People lined up overnight to buy a unit,” recalls Marco Filice about the first condo building that went on sale a decade ago at Thornhill City Centre.

The price of units back then was just north of $240 a square foot — or $192,000 for an 800 square foot suite. “That’s unheard of today,” says Filice, senior vice-president of Liberty Developments, the builder of the master-planned mega-development community at Bathurst and Centre Sts.

Much has changed in the intervening years at Thornhill City Centre, which has grown from that one tower back in 2004 into an expansive community that, with 11 buildings and 2,500 units when complete, represents one of the largest developments in the 905. It includes the City of Vaughan’s first urban park, Thornhill Green, a five-acre swath that the developer donated back to the community.

Liberty has just launched the final phase at Thornhill City Centre: Legacy Park Condos. A two-tower project, the first building will be 25 storeys, with 437 units ranging from 563-square-foot, one-bedrooms to 1,485-square-foot,two-bedroom-plus-den suites. Prices go from $244,600 to $747,000. The project is slated for completion in 2016.

Legacy Park will have a landscaped rooftop terrace overlooking Thornhill Green, plus a guest suite, bike storage room and full-time concierge. There’ll be a fitness room, yoga room and whirlpool. The building will also have a party room, media room, and an amenity that Filice says is a big hit at other Liberty buildings: a golf simulator.

“People book a week ahead to use it.”

Not as popular? Swimming pools. Liberty actually removed one from an earlier building at Thornhill City Centre. “We found the number of users was sometimes as low as eight people per week,” says Filice.

Suites at Legacy Park have nine-foot ceilings and laminate flooring. Kitchens come with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Bathrooms have marble countertops with integrated sinks.

Thornhill City Centre traces its history back to 2003, when Liberty purchased the 25-acre property from the Disera family, which had operated a motel on the site. (The remaining pieces of concrete from the Disera Motel’s footings were removed last summer in preparation for the development of Legacy Park.)

The decade-long timeline for Thornhill City Centre’s creation means the community’s built-form has changed through the years, a reflection of the GTA’s evolving approach to density. It has gone from stockier slab-style buildings early on, to taller, slimmer point towers in TCC’s more recent phases. “When you look at the whole development you can see the changing nature of design,” Filice says. (The community also has townhomes.)

Liberty’s development is an integral part of a burgeoning mixed-use node at Bathurst and Centre that boasts an array of retail options for the growing residential population. Promenade Mall is just across the road, and SmartCentres Thornhill is steps away, with a Walmart Supercentre, The Shoe Company, Rogers Wireless and Starbucks, among other retailers. “Within 250 metres you can get any product or service you wish,” Filice says.

The residential-retail hub that’s taken shape at Bathurst and Centre is emblematic of the direction Vaughan has been heading over the past decade as it carries out the pro-intensification directives of the province’s growth plan. “It’s a reflection of Places to Grow, which calls for density at important growth points in the city,” explains City of Vaughan councillor Alan Shefman.

It helps that Thornhill City Centre is well-positioned when it comes to transit. There are TTC and Viva bus terminals at Promenade Mall, with service connecting to both Finch and Downsview subway stations. And Shefman notes the new Viva bus rapidway will run through the area, connecting to the new Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway station that’s opening in 2016. “It allows people to get out of their cars and relieve some of the traffic gridlock.”

Thornhill City Centre has played a big part in ushering in a new era in a place that Shefman points out had been a “single-family home environment” only a decade ago.

“Now people living here feel 100 per cent that they’re in an urban environment,” says Filice. “They don’t feel like they’re living in a traditional suburban development.”

Meet the residents of Thornhill City Centre:

Jerry & Merle Birnbaum
Their condo: A 1,520-square-foot, two-bedroom suite with office.
Their story: Jerry and his wife Merle were the very first buyers at Thornhill City Centre, purchasing a suite from Liberty Developments president Fred Darvish himself back in 2004. “We were empty nesters and my wife really wanted to be in that spot, because our children live in the immediate area,” Jerry Birnbaum explains. Merle closely followed the progress of the development over several years, but when the first building was finally ready to go on sale, the Birnbaums were supposed to be traveling to Europe. They explained their predicament to the folks at Liberty, who arranged a private meeting with Darvish two days before the project launched. The Birnbaums had done their homework, so when the developer showed them floor plans, Jerry says, “we bought the condo in 10 minutes.”
What they like about TCC: The Birnbaums are within walking distance of both their children’s homes—a big plus. “And the shopping’s excellent,” says Jerry. “Everything here is within a couple of miles. I can’t put any mileage on my car.” He also really digs the pool at his building: “It’s probably the best pool I’ve ever seen in an apartment.”

Irina Garanina
Her place: A 1,400-square-foot penthouse with two bedrooms, office, plus 650-square-foot terrace.
Her story: Garanina has lived at TCC for nearly a decade and has owned units in two different buildings. She and her son moved into the project’s second building in 2005. “Back then there wasn’t much other development in the area,” she recalls. “It was kind of empty.” A few years later Garanina found love, got married, and realized her place was too small for three. The family mulled moving into a house, but in the end opted to remain at TCC, purchasing a more spacious place in a newer phase. “I knew I didn’t want to move anywhere,” says Garanina.
What she likes about TCC: The architecture, for starters. “It’s got a beautiful design,” she says. “People say it reminds them of Europe.” When friends come calling in nicer weather, Garanina enjoys grabbing ice cream or sushi and taking leisurely strolls around the neighbourhood, or entertaining on her condo’s large terrace. She gets good use out of the gym, too. “I used to have a membership but it was a waste of money.” And when her son was attending York University, transit took him door to door. “For years we didn’t have to bother getting him a car.”

Mary McManus
Her place: A 1,200-square-foot, two-bedroom-plus-den, top-floor penthouse unit with a “huge” terrace.
Her story: Previously a resident of nearby Concord, McManus wondered what life was like at Thornhill City Centre. So she and her daughter rented a unit for a year to see. Satisfied it was the spot for them, McManus bought a condo there the following year, 2009.
When a new phase, Fountains of Thornhill, launched in 2010, McManus decided to upgrade to a unit there. She moved in last June. “I’ve watched this community grow from my window,” she says. “It was just a huge open field back then, and it’s developed so fast. It’s been great to see it all going up.”
What she likes about TCC: It’s convenient. Promenade Mall and SmartCentre are within walking distance. “Plus we have the Viva bus, which will take us to either Yonge or Downsview subway stations.” It came in handy when her daughter was attending York University and took the bus every day. McManus is a big fan of the five-acre park, Thornhill Green. “When my niece and nephew come over it works out really great.” And resale at TCC is a breeze, she says. “I sold my first condo in a few weeks.”