Landmark Expo tower officially topped off in Vaughan's future downtown

YorkRegion.com
July 10, 2014
 Tim Kelly

More than 25 years of planning and work was celebrated near the corner of Creditstone and Hwy. 7 Friday as Expo Tower 1, the 37-storey building that is the first big landmark of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, was officially opened.

While the event was dubbed a roof-topping party, it had the feel of a celebration as municipal officials and developers Mario Cortelluci of the Cortel Group and partner David Braley welcomed the beginning of a three-phase plan to radically change the neighbourhood.

Expo Tower 1, which includes commercial businesses on the lower levels and residential condos on the upper floors, will be joined by towers 2 and 3 in the next two years to form a hub cheek-by-jowl with the Vaughan Metropolitan subway station, set to open in the fall of 2016.

Expo Tower 1 is just a five-minute walk from the subway station at Hwy. 7 and Jane Street and Viva rapidway buses will drive by its doors at regular intervals once that project is completed.

Cortelluci said it was a good feeling to see the tower go up.

“It’s like a child being born, it’s a beautiful child and it looks good.”

His son, Peter, who is the developer of the project, proudly displayed the distinct building, designed by architect Allan Tregebov.

“This is a very exciting day and the building is a landmark in Vaughan,” said Peter Cortelluci.

He said the $200-million building includes condos that average about 850-square-feet and said the average sales price for the units range from the low $300,000s to more than $1 million for the penthouse units.

“These will be the first residential units built on the TTC line outside of Toronto,” he said.

Mario Cortelluci said he had been thinking about the project for the past quarter-century, ever since he purchased the land.

“This is going to be the future for Vaughan. The beginning is always painful and we are first out of the block, but I believe the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, and don’t hold me to it, will be the best city in North America in 10 to 15 years and well-respected because of our new planning concept. This is pedestrian-friendly for people,” he said about the construction taking place near Jane Street and Hwy. 7.

He’s hopeful people can begin moving into units by January of 2015.

Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua welcomed the new building saying, “it’s a testament to the willingness of people to create housing opportunities for people to come and live here.

“In many ways today is an historical moment for the city and to also pay tribute to Mr. Cortelluci for having the vision and for also having the confidence in our city to invest and bring about the type of change the city has been calling for — for a long time.”