Vaughan’s Upper West Side story: Five builders, 10 luxury model homes

NationalPost.com
June 20, 2014
Lindsay Forsey

 

The way the GTA has grown, it’s hard to imagine a giant patch of open land smack in the middle of any community within its boundaries. But on the northwest corner of Major Mackenzie Avenue and Bathurst Street, complete with undulating hillside and natural ponds, sits 71 hectares of green space set to become Upper West Side in Thornhill Estates (uwscommunity.com) — a luxury development and collaboration between five builders.

Dust swirls around the site on this sunny afternoon as trades hustle to complete the 10 model homes; two from each builder, totaling a cool $20-million in real estate. The rest of the homes start at about $1-million apiece and the partners — Aspen Ridge, The Conservatory Group, Countrywide Homes, Regal Crest Homes and Townwood Homes — are chuffed to be working together on such an unusual project in such a desirable spot.

“When this large parcel of land became available, it was too expensive for any one, or even two, builders to take on,” says Art Rubino, Regal Crest’s sales and marketing manager. “We’ve ended up with this very unique group of five builders working cohesively to create a shared vision. The development is so special I think of it almost like having a child: First, it was a dream, then it became a creation and now we get to watch it grow.”

And grow it shall. The plans for Upper West Side (UWS) include about 800 homes ranging from just under 3,000 to just over 8,000 square feet, to be constructed over the next two years. Homes by each of the five builders, all of which are offering both traditional and contemporary designs, will be intermixed throughout the community, with MBTW Group/Watchorn Architect overseeing the project to ensure a smooth visual flow through the streetscapes.

The upscale project will embrace its natural setting amongst neighbouring pine forests, winding creeks, walking trails and the Don River ravine. “Builders often do a cut-and-fill, where they really flatten out the site, but we’re working with the natural slopes of the land,” Mr. Rubino says. “Every house will be unique because of the different terrain it’s built upon.”

A multitude of elevations is one element of UWS that inspired in the builders the idea of bringing Toronto’s posh Forest Hill neighbourhood vibe to the new community. “Forest Hill got its name because of its surrounding environment,” says Conservatory Group owner and vice-president, Mark Libfeld. “The concept of bringing Forest Hill to Thornhill is based on that feeling of rolling terrain, along with the different architectural styles of the homes and building them with ultimate luxury in mind.”

Brick, stone and stucco exteriors, elaborate porticos, steep roof pitches, massive windows and second-floor balconies are a few of the details inspired by upscale Toronto communities such as Forest Hill, Lawrence Park and Rosedale.

The Conservatory Group’s 7,300-square-foot Gleason is the first of the 10 model homes to be completed and Mr. Libfeld is delighted to show it off. (As Mr. Rubino suggests, the generous abode is one of their babies.) Open and airy, the foyer is drenched in sunlight pouring in through an enormous window at the front of the house — the 22-foot ceiling in the adjoining living room demands such soaring glass.

Underfoot, white Carrara marble accented with a dark volcanic stone leads into the home from the spacious entryway, past the dining room on one side and a grand open staircase on the other, into the open-concept kitchen and family room. Like the foyer, the back of the home is bright, with light gleaming in through a gallery of large windows.

“In the Gleason, we’ve taken inspiration from old English and French styles to create a very traditional European feeling in the home,” says Heather Carr, principal of Heather Carr Interior Design, who worked on the Conservatory Group models.

Honey-coloured, hand-scraped hickory floors in the living, dining and family rooms are reminiscent of an old European manor. In the kitchen, custom cabinetry is painted pale grey, and cream-coloured damask and silk fabrics stick with tradition.

“We’ve created something beautiful, but also something that is repeatable, within the realm of what the builder can offer,” Ms. Carr says. “These are essentially semi-custom homes and we’re setting a stage that buyers can recreate.”

All five Gleason bedrooms have en suite bathrooms, and the master boudoir impresses with its cathedral ceiling and ultra-private loft lounge space. One of the bedrooms also connects to an additional living space, making for a perfect guest or granny suite.

Mike Niven, principal of Mike Niven Interior Design, led the way for Aspen Ridge’s model homes. In the modern, 4,567-sq.-ft. KoolHaus, he drew inspiration from Armani Hotels, focusing on texture, natural materials, plush fabrics and interesting textiles.

“The model has really been opened up and doesn’t look much like the plan, so buyers will see just how customizable these homes are,”

Mr. Niven says. “The feeling in the house is quite contemporary, with a lot of brown and taupe textures and grains, glass panels, burnished metal and oversize parquet flooring. I haven’t seen anything like this before in low-rise residential design.”

With almost no interior walls on the ground floor, the glass panels help to distinguish living areas, such as the kitchen, which is decked out in taupe zebra wood floors and grey lacquer cabinets.

“People are looking for more interesting floor plans, more open-concept living, and these builders are bringing contemporary homes to the market,” Mr. Niven says. “At this point, buyers are spending money to get the house exactly the way they want it and builders are open to try new things.”

UW’s combination of traditional, transitional contemporary and modern homes is a fresh approach to building new development. “With so many different elevations and architectural styles, it’s very close to hacing a custom home,” says Paul Guglietti, vice-president of Townwood Homes. “We’re committed to building a unique community, not just houses.”

While the homes art UWS will create a new community, the development is surrounded by the well-established neighbourhoods of Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Thornhill, so residents will have access to schools, parks, playgrounds and an abundance of shops, amenities and recreation facilities,

There are a number of private schools in the area, such as Toronto Waldorf School, The Country Day School and Ner Israel Yeshiva College, as well as top-notch golf courses, such as Eagles Next Golf Course, Maple Downs Golf Course, Thornhill Golf and Country Club and Richmond Hill Golf and Country Club.

Folks who commute into the city can easily hop onto Highway 400 or catch the GO Train nearby. On the weekends, it’s a cinch to swap one set of rolling hills for another by heading north on the 400 to the countryside.