SmartCentres’ ArtWalk breaks ground in growing SmartVMC community

Source: UrbanToronto

SmartLiving held a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, September 29 for ArtWalk Condos, marking a pivotal moment for the SmartVMC community in the Greater Toronto Area’s Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC). This event celebrated the start of a new residential project while highlighting the ongoing development of a dynamic, connected community within SmartVMC.

ArtWalk Condos, the 2.2-acre project planned and developed by SmartCentres REIT‘s residential arm, SmartLiving, is a key development in the expanding SmartVMC community. The development will comprise four distinct buildings, ranging from 4 to 40 storeys, with a total of 569 units, designed by the acclaimed Hariri Pontarini Architects. Each building is crafted to offer an engaging ground-floor experience with a shared courtyard designed to foster activity and interaction among residents.

Situated at 101 Edgeley Boulevard, ArtWalk Condos will be adjacent to the VMC subway entrance. With direct access to TTC Line 1, residents will enjoy seamless connectivity to various city locales.

With Union Station approximately 40 minutes away via the subway, ArtWalk Condos offers integration into Downtown Toronto’s transit network. Additionally, the nearby VIVA Station on Hwy 7 provides RapidBus connections to Markham, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, and Brampton, while the development’s proximity to the SmartVMC Bus Terminal further enhances its connectivity across Vaughan.

The development is a significant phase in the SmartVMC, a 100-acre master-planned city centre by SmartCentres in the VMC. ArtWalk Condos represents the 9th and 10th high-rise buildings to be constructed on the expansive site, with six residential buildings and two commercial buildings now completed.

The site is within walking distance of major employers, including KPMG and PwC, as well as community offerings, such as the YMCA, a Vaughan public library branch, and daycare facilities.

The development will also be adjacent to a 9-acre central park by CCxA — well known for local projects such as Love Park — providing residents with expansive green spaces featuring a dog park, trails, and sunken lawn for community events. The first phase of the park, consisting of 2.74 acres, is anticipated to start construction in 2024.

With over 30,000ft² of retail space completed and available for lease, the area has attracted a variety of tenants, including coffee shops like Balzac’s Coffee and major banks such as TD, BMO, RBC, and Scotiabank.

SmartLiving, backed by over 30 years of development experience across Canada, is at the helm of ArtWalk Condos. The condos are designed with a focus on sustainability, while also incorporating health-focused features and secure touch-free access to minimize health risks. The entire 12-acre development will be serviced from a centralized District Energy Plant (DEP), allowing for lower utility fees for residents and enabling future upgrades down the road.

ArtWalk Condos will integrate a suite of smart building features designed to enhance the living experience for its residents. These include Wi-Fi connections in all common areas, and smart thermostats installed in each unit. Keyless door entry systems will offer secure and hassle-free access to units, and a dedicated building app will allow residents to book amenities and common areas effortlessly.

The development also promises a range of amenities designed to foster community interaction, from co-working spaces and outdoor terraces to children’s play areas and barbecue areas.

ArtWalk Condos has a targeted completion of Summer 2027. For more information, you can visit their official site.

Canada’s tallest walk-through LED Christmas tree is now open for free near Toronto

Source: BlogTO

Nathan Phillips Square’s Cavalcade of Lights and the temporarily-treeless Eaton Centre are typically the top destinations for enormous Christmas trees, but the Toronto area’s biggest tree might be one that was newly unveiled just north of the city in the burgeoning Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC).

And you can even walk through the base of this colossal conical display, in what is being hailed as the country’s tallest walk-through LED tree experience.

The new tree was unveiled in a Nov. 30 ceremony at 100 New Park Place, kicking off the City Lights at SmartVMC festival.

Standing an impressive 34 metres, or 114 feet, above the SmartCentre Bus Terminal at VMC subway station, the tree gives the GTA’s more established trees a run for their money.

That’s eight freakin’ storeys tall.

That is indeed a shade taller than the (not present in 2022) Eaton Centre’s 32-metre tree and almost double the height of Nathan Phillips Square’s 16.75-metre tree installed this year for Cavalcade.

Created by responsive lighting and digital media company urbanvisuals, the tree features over 70,000 LED lights, forming something of a tree-shaped screen that can be programmed with animated displays.

And, of course, you can take all the selfies you want while walking through the tree’s glowing tunnel base.

The completely free attraction will remain on public display until January, and is sure to make a fun addition to your holiday camera roll.

Though it’s technically in the 905, urban dwellers can easily check this fun attraction out, with the tree and festival set up just steps from the TTC’s VMC Station.

SmartLiving’s The Millway is a brand new rental building in Vaughan’s new city centre

Source: BlogTO

Every Canadian has likely hopped off at a SmartCentres location near them at some point, the recognizable penguin statues beckoning them to come get all of their shopping done at their favourite retailers in one convenient place.

But, what some may not know is that after 30 years in business, SmartCentres has moved into the residential sphere with its SmartLiving arm.

Located in Vaughan’s new downtown core, the SmartVMC master planned community surrounds a major transit hub. Building on the success of five sold-out condo towers, The Millway offers a new type of rental living at SmartVMC. Residents can quickly connect to the TTC, York Rapid Transit, GO Transit, Züm, and VIVA. 

Whether you believe you’ll be renting forever or simply don’t feel like traditional home ownership is the be-all-end-all, you can still live the life you want in SmartLiving’s The Millway, which elevates the conventional apartment building.

This elevated rental building is uniquely located within a giant, 100-acre master-planned community, to be completed with brand new parks and trails; office spaces; retail stores; a variety of transit options; arts and culture activations and events; and, of course, a variety of residential options including condos, townhomes and rental suites.

Located at the bustling Vaughan Metropolitan Centre at Highway 7 and Jane Street, The Millway is a quick ride up the University subway line, close to the downtown core but without the downtown prices.

Being close to, but out of T.O.’s city centre and its traffic, living at The Millway also grants residents an easier trip to Markham, Richmond Hill, Newmarket, Brampton and other GTA cities by bus or car.

And besides, who needs to travel when you have every amenity you need right at your front door?

SmartVMC has amenities you’re familiar with from downtown living — a Balzac’s Coffee, PenguinPickUp, a BUCA (opening soon), outdoor patios, dog park, YMCA, a public library and more — but The Millway also has some amenities you won’t find in the city, like co-working spaces, an indoor running track, infinity pool, 36th-floor sky lounge and the largest LED art wall in Canada.

There’s also a 1-acre park at the foot of The Millway, designed by renowned landscape architect Claude Cormier.

The event programming could rival any downtown city centre, with things like movies under the stars, music festivals and concerts, and yoga in the park — all perfect opportunities to meet your new neighbours.

SmartVMC’s much-awaited luxurious condos just launched & here’s a first-look

Source: Curiocity

One of Vaughan Metropolitan Centre’s (VMC) largest developers, SmartCentres, just announced the launch of their newest offering- the much-awaited, luxury condos, Park Place. And registrations for bookings are now open. YAY, indeed!

The project featuring two high-rises will tower over the Highway 7-Jane Street intersection. It’s part of SmartCentres’ pedestrian-focused, transit-connected and master-planned community, SmartVMC. The 100-acre community at the core of DT Vaughan is now an urban cultural hub, commerce centre and recreational hotspot brimming with modern conveniences.

Park Place
Photo via SmartVMC

SmartVMC quite literally brings the best of both worlds together. On the one hand, you have the downtown lifestyle with everything you need for a quality life- live, work and play- within walking distance. On the other hand, you have the suburban luxury of green spaces and a community vibe.

The community boasts of a retail centre, a YMCA, a library, daycare, new office spaces and top employers like KPMG, PwC, Miller Thomson, GFL, etc. Plus, it’s centrally located and well-connected with the VMC Subway station and the VIVA station a 5-minute walk away. And of course, you have highways 401 and 407 a quick drive away.

The 9-acre Central Park-style park that runs through the middle is a highlight of the community. And Park Place is adjacent to this green beauty. Meaning, all 1,100 residences here will have a massive manicured greenscape for a backyard.

Park Place
Photo via SmartVMC

Now, here’s the thing— Park Place doesn’t piggyback on the community’s conveniences alone. Of course, the highly urban lifestyle is what’s piquing the interest of the whole of GTA. But the skyscraper comes with its own merits that promise a refined luxury experience.

The building has a classy modern vibe with lush interiors,  upscale finishes, custom cabinetry, modern appliances, floor-to-ceiling windows and large balconies. And it has all the amenities you’d expect- a world-class fitness centre with a yoga room and wellness spa, an outdoor kitchen, party room and co-working spaces among others.

Then there are the smart features like smart building controls, smart thermostats, keyless door entry, a building app and WiFi in all common areas. 

TBH, we get now what the whole buzz was about and why everyone we know seems to be flocking to VMC. C’mon, who can resist that urban DT lifestyle minus the compromises?

Anyway, here’s the Park Place website in case you need more deets on the project.

Refined luxury condos in burgeoning Vaughan Metropolitan Centre

SmartVMC, one of Canada’s fastest growing communities for couples, families and young business professionals, introduces Park Place Condominiums.

Source: Thestar

In the centre of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) at Jane Street and Highway 7 is the SmartVMC, a mixed-use development of residential living combined with such amenities as a state-of-the-art YMCA recreational facility, the Vaughan Public Library, world-class employment and outstanding greenspaces. In the heart of the development, SmartVMC will feature two highly anticipated new residential towers situated next to a newly planned nine-acre park, which will be the new downtown centre of Vaughan.

Park Place is a residential condominium project and the next phase of SmartVMC development by SmartLiving, SmartCentres REIT’s residential development arm. “No other development in York Region is quite like SmartVMC because it is a transit hub,” explains Director of Sales Alan Law. “We have one of only two TTC subway stops in the 905 area in the heart of the development. We also have the SmartVMC regional bus terminal that connects most of York Region, from Brampton to Markham and from Aurora and Newmarket to downtown. Whether you’re heading to a smaller community beyond the business district or downtown Toronto, there’s an easy way to get there by transit, or by car because you’re minutes away from Highway 7 and the 400-series highways.”

The development is also five minutes from York University, 15 minutes from Yorkdale, 35 minutes from University of Toronto and under 45 minutes to Union Station. “There are several triple A employers with offices on site at SmartVMC — KPMG, PwC, SmartCentres’ Home Office, Harley Davidson and all the major banks, to name a few,” adds Law. Canada’s first smart hospital, Vaughan Mills Shopping Centre and Canada’s Wonderland are also nearby.

SmartVMC’s centrepiece will be the spectacular nine-acre park, designed by award-winning Claude Cormier + Associés. “The park will be a landmark destination, designed for the benefit of residents and visitors,” says Law. Park amenities include cycling trails, a sunken lawn for picnics and play, an off-leash dog park and a children’s play zone.

Located at the northeast corner of Highway 7 and the newly constructed Commerce Street, Park Place will be defined by refined luxury and world-class architecture. Two exquisite towers, 48 and 56 storeys, will be connected by a three-storey podium, with 1,100 residential suites overlooking the SmartVMC park. Award-winning architectural firm Hariri Pontarini has designed the exterior to be visually exceptional, “sculpting each tower by using distinctive ‘fins’ that create a stepped silhouette,” says Law. The towers are oriented to preserve views and maximize access to light.

The ground floor will be a retail plaza and public promenade. The second and third floors of the podium will include a fitness area with a gym, yoga and wellness spaces, a children’s play area, co-working space, a lounge, games room, cycle lab, and indoor and outdoor living spaces.

Individual units will range from 477 to 1,100 square feet, in a variety of one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts. Each suite has floor-to-ceiling windows, smooth nine-foot ceilings, luxury vinyl flooring and a balcony off the living room. Kitchens will feature full-slab backsplashes and wall-mounted appliances; kitchens and baths have Corian countertops and a selection of designer features. Several designs include kitchen islands and walk-in closets. “There is a wide variety of suite designs to provide something to suit every buyer,” says Law. Smart capabilities include Wi-Fi connections in all common areas, smart thermostats, keyless door entry, secure touch-free building and suite access and other touch-free points designed to reduce virus and bacteria transfer.

Backed by more than 30 years of experience, SmartLiving leverages an in-house team of land development experts to drive all residential initiatives across SmartCentres’ communities coast-to-coast. Their flagship SmartVMC is a 100-acre+ master-planned community that incorporates connectivity, convenience, open-space, art and culture, and world-class architecture. Park Place Condominiums launches in spring 2022.

The March Towards Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Has Begun, The Highly Anticipated Park Place Condominiums are About to Hit the Market!

Source: CanIndia

The development of the SmartVMC located in the heart of Vaughan is well underway and demand shows no signs of slowing.

To keep up with the demand in this burgeoning community; SmartLiving, SmartCentres REIT’s wholly owned in-house residential development brand, is launching Park Place Condominiums, the next phase of mixed-use living at SmartVMC this Spring 2022.

Coming to the corner of Highway 7 and Commerce Street, immediately adjacent to SmartVMC’s future 9-acre central park, are two elegant, luxury-inspired towers of 48 and 56 storeys comprising of 1100 suites.

Park Place will bring refined luxury to the SmartCentres flagship 100+ acre master-planned new City Centre, with world-class architecture punctuating Vaughan’s emerging skyline. No other location in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre incorporates connectivity, urban conveniences, and architectural beauty quite like Park Place Condominiums

Featuring a modern curved design, with two towers elegantly rising from a three-storey podium; Park Place will stand as a beacon of elevated living for the city. From its sculpted, curvy exterior to its exquisitely crafted interiors, Park Place offers elevated modern design and quiet luxury. A high level of quality in materials and craftsmanship married with artistic flair, creates the ultimate living experience.

Park Place attracts and draws people into its large, open promenade that encourages walking to the retail outlets at ground level and other areas of the SmartVMC along landscaped paths.

Acclaimed architects Hariri Pontarini have designed the two towers and their podium base to be eye-catching and different from the norm for condos, sculpting each tower by using distinctive “fins” that create a stepped silhouette.

The two elegant towers of Park Place will be steps from the future 9-acre central park designed by the internationally renowned landscape architects at Claude Cormier + Associés, featuring a sunken lawn, children’s play area and dog park.

Park Place Condominiums will include one, two and three-bedroom suites, ranging from approximately 470 to 1,100 square feet and will feature smart capabilities including touch-free entry and smart thermostats, accessible through dedicated app integration. Suites are designed for the busy lifestyle and growing family needs featuring multiple-use spaces, efficient layouts, plenty of natural light, and functional balconies.

Park Place Condominiums, Vaughan’s New Luxury Condominiums

  • Designed by award-winning architectural firm Hariri Pontarini
  • Two Towers: 48 and 56 storeys, housing 1,100 suites
  • Overlooking SmartVMC’s 9-acre central park
  • Integrated building amenities including retail, co-working space, fitness, yoga and wellness facilities located directly in the building.
  • Steps from the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (TTC) Subway

SmartLiving gives Canadians access to city living without compromise. They do not simply build homes; SmartLiving apartments, condos, towns, and seniors’ residences are designed around public squares and parks, within pedestrian-focused, transit-connected master-planned communities. Backed by over 30 years of experience, SmartLiving leverages an in-house team of land development experts to drive all residential initiatives across SmartCentres’ communities coast-to-coast.

Park Place Condominiums is launching this Spring 2022. Do not miss this opportunity to live in the vibrant Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. Visit theparkplacecondos.ca and learn more about Park Place Condominiums!

SmartCentres’ mixed use art district in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre

Source: World Architecture News

The first phase of ArtWalk includes three residential buildings within walking distance of transit, urban amenities and a 9 acre park, with Hariri Pontarini Architects behind the architecture and interiors

Plans for the next block of SmartCentres’ 100 acre, 20 million sq ft SmartVMC city centre have been revealed. The ArtWalk district will include a block of mixed use developments, by SmartLiving, SmartCentres’ residential development brand. 

Bordered by Portage Parkway to the north and Apple Mill Road to the south, ArtWalk will be developed in four phases, the first with 38 storey and 18 storey towers on top of a shared podium, alongside a six storey mixed use residence building with retail at grade. 

Hariri Pontarini Architects’ plan calls for a variety of heights, floorplates, and suite sizes to accommodate the residents anticipated for the community. The architecture utilises natural materials and colour palettes, creating variation between the buildings, while crafting a striking skyline.

The project’s amenity rich programming offers residents outdoor terraces with gardens, an outdoor movie area, intimate lounge seating with firepits, as well as outdoor dining space with BBQs. An indoor outdoor childrens’ play area will be offered, as well as a 2,500 sq ft co-working space facing the courtyard.

The double height co-working space features neutral tones and a community café. A spiral staircase leads to a reading lounge with a range of spaces that can be used for quiet time or chatting up with friends.

A shared courtyard is framed by common areas and amenities to encourage activity along the ground floor and build a sense of community. All residents will have access to the amenities in the development, offered across the three buildings.

Designed as a future ready building, WiFi will be offered in all common areas, amenities can be booked via a mobile app and suites will include smart thermostats and keyless entry. 

ArtWalk is located across the street from TTC subway access, the SmartVMC Bus Terminal, and provides access to Highways 400 and 7 within minutes.

Park Place Bringing Refined Living to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre

Source: UrbanToronto

One of the fastest-growing neighbourhoods in Canada is about to grow a little more as SmartLiving introduces Park Place, the next phase of SmartVMC, SmartCentres REIT’s 100+ acre master-planned city centre in Vaughan’s new downtown hub. Located on the northeast corner of Highway 7 and Commerce Street and immediately adjacent to SmartVMC’s central 9-acre park, the two-tower proposal is set to expand the area’s emerging skyline, rising to heights of 48 and 56 storeys. These mixed-use towers build on SmartVMC’s transit-oriented, pedestrian-friendly development, adding to the vibrant community growing in Vaughan’s burgeoning downtown.

Park Place, SmartCentres REIT, SmartLiving, Hariri Pontarini Architects, Vaughan, SmartVMC
Park Place looking east, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT.

The two towers are designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects and will contain more than 1,100 residential units, with over 10,000 ft² of retail space at the base. The south tower rises 56 storeys with the north tower reaching 48 storeys, both of which sit atop a connected 3-storey podium. Given their location adjacent to the park and the Highway 7 corridor, the towers will offer uninterrupted views across the entire GTA. The proposal includes generous sidewalks and public realm around the building, including a north-south pedestrian mews along the east edge of the site connecting Highway 7 to New Park Place.

The proposed development fronts directly onto the middle section of the 9-acre central park at the heart of the SmartVMC master plan. The park is designed by renowned landscape architects Claude Cormier + Associés, and the central heart of the park will contain a sunken lawn, a kids’ play area, and a dog park, essentially becoming a big backyard for residents. The first phase of the park will begin construction later this year.

Park Place, SmartCentres REIT, SmartLiving, Hariri Pontarini Architects, Vaughan, SmartVMC
View of Park Place from within the central park looking southeast, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT.

The buildings feature a signature curving design from Hariri Pontarini Architects, with the podium swerving inward to embrace a courtyard on the west. “The project conveys a contemporary expression that is distinguished and notable on the newly created Vaughan skyline,” states Michael Attard, Associate Partner at Hariri Pontarini, “a simple, graceful residential tower lightly resting on an iconic three-storey retail and amenity base. It is informed by the constraints of its context and celebrates the relationship of program and structure, tracing its form to a natural conclusion.”

Attard describes how the massing of the towers was sculpted and integrated seamlessly with the public realm: “We carved away the massing next to Commerce Street to create a retail plaza which links into the new park. The towers were oriented with an offset to preserve views and maximize access to light. The podium is seen as an extension of the plaza and activated by outdoor amenities which terrace upwards away from the plaza. The base and corners of the tower are defined by a warm terracotta screen which links through the development like a ribbon.”

Park Place, SmartCentres REIT, SmartLiving, Hariri Pontarini Architects, Vaughan, SmartVMC
The base of Park Place, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT.

Sustainability also informed the design of the towers. “The towers are wrapped in bands of white fritted glass which quiet the division of envelope to balcony and provide locations for us to introduce solid walls to improve our window-to-wall ratio,” explains Attard. “Incorporating concepts of passive sustainable design, the project strikes a balance between responsive solar strategies, cohesive skin design, and the needs and comforts of the occupants who desire maximum access to view and light.”   

At ground level, a generous retail plaza and expansive public realm integrate the development with its surroundings, with a trellis tracing the edge of the site to create an intimate gathering space. “We’ve softened the threshold from street to building by incorporating a public plaza that is visually connected to the central park and bordered by an elevated sun-shading trellis,” Attard states. ”Stairs with integrated benches mitigate the grade change along Commerce Street.” Attard adds that, “The building form and program helped to shape the public space, encourage connectivity, and provide opportunities for neighbourhood interaction.”

Park Place, SmartCentres REIT, SmartLiving, Hariri Pontarini Architects, Vaughan, SmartVMC
Retail plaza along Commerce Street, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT.

Condo units in the building are available in a variety of sizes, ranging from 470 to more than 1,100 square feet, and from one to three bedrooms. SmartLiving describes the development as offering their highest level of refined living in SmartVMC to date. Amenities are located on the second and third floors of the podium and include a fitness area with yoga and wellness spaces; a cycle lab; a lounge and games room; and a large outdoor terrace, complete with an outdoor cooking area. It is also being designed as a smart building, with Wi-Fi available in all common areas, and features such as touch-free entry, smart thermostats, and app integration.

Park Place joins a growing collection of high-rise developments in SmartVMC, where several other SmartLiving residential projects are planned, completed, or under construction, including five Transit City Condo towers; Artwalk Condos; and The Millway purpose-built rental tower.  SmartVMC’s skyline also features the award-winning Class A KPMG Tower and the PwC-YMCA Tower, which is home to a brand new YMCA, slated to open very soon. These buildings are all centred around immediate access to public transit, with the TTC’s Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway station and SmartVMC regional bus terminal at the heart of the community, and the VIVA/BRT line on Highway 7 along its perimeter. Park Place benefits from its location directly adjacent to the Commerce Street stop on the BRT line and is a short walk from the subway station.

Park Place, SmartCentres REIT, SmartLiving, Hariri Pontarini Architects, Vaughan, SmartVMC
SmartVMC master plan with Park Place highlighted in orange, image courtesy of SmartCentres REIT.

Unprecedented Growth Reshaping Vaughan Metropolitan Centre’s Guiding Principles

Source: UrbanToronto

Residents of the former Village of Edgeley—established in the early 1800s at the intersection of Jane Street and Highway 7 in present-day Vaughan—would be awestruck at what their quaint village has become. Vaughan officially transitioned from Town to City status almost 30 years ago, and a tidal wave of change has followed.

Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, VMC, EdgeleyArchival photo of Edgeley, image courtesy of City of Vaughan

Vaughan has lived up to its upgrade in status with booming population growth and the nascent urbanization of its core. The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) area has become the centrepiece of Vaughan’s metamorphosis, with the 2017-opened VMC subway station and a glittering new skyline being the jewels in this crown. The planning groundwork for VMC was laid in 2006 when the provincial government committed to extending the Spadina subway line to Vaughan, and the area around the new terminus was designated as an Urban Growth Centre. The VMC Sub-Committee would be formed by Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua four years later, its goal to create the framework for a new urban centre for the traditionally suburban municipality. A decade later, the emphasis on urban feel has begun to bear fruit.

Created from an almost blank slate, VMC is now home to active projects from multiple landowners and developers, with the first major investment coming back in 2012, when the Cortel Group broke ground on their Expo City community. Expo City has since grown to four towers, with a fifth—CG Tower—now under construction, at 189 metres to be the new tallest building on Vaughan’s skyline. Its title may be short-lived though as an even taller tower has been proposed as of early November, 2020, Vaughan’s first to break the 200-metre mark. There are several developers active in bringing the VMC master plan to realization, with the biggest current players being SmartCentres REIT and QuadReal, each working off their own sub-community master plans for sites of 100 and 80 acres respectively.

A number of other active projects within and beyond these community master plans are bringing much more urban density to VMC, including under-construction buildings such as phases 1 through 5 of Transit City, Mobilio, and a much longer list of upcoming projects either working their way through planning and approvals, or currently in pre-construction sales. Complementing all of this residential growth, the VMC Centre of Community including a YMCA, daycare, library branch, and community recreation space is set to open its doors next year, and three new public art installations are underway.

Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, VMC, Transit City Condos, SmartCentresTransit City Condos, image by Forum contributor DarkSideDenizen

Another jewel in the crown is the planned Edgeley Pond and Park, a signature community amenity that will double as a stormwater management facility

Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, VMC, Edgeley Pond + ParkEdgeley Pond + Park, image via vaughan.ca

All of this investment and demand has far outpaced Vaughan’s initial expectations for height, density, and speed of city building, exceeding projections even during the most turbulent months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The VMC Secondary Plan established a population target of approximately 25,000 residents and 6,500 jobs by 2031, though due to the unexpectedly high volume in development activity, this projection has swelled considerably. Current development potential measured through approved and proposed developments represent more than 63,352 residents across 31,996 residential units moving into the VMC, a staggering 267% of the units and 253% of the population target identified for the 2031 planning horizon.

Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, VMC, Transit City Condos, SmartCentresConstruction in the VMC area, image by Jack Landau

Vaughan is responding to this unprecedented growth in VMC with a plan to update and expand documents guiding the area’s development, outlined in a VMC Sub-Committee report recommending sweeping changes to reassess and refocus efforts for the new downtown’s build-out moving forward based on development trends. This November 10th report identified and explained a range of issues and goals stemming from this outpacing of targets, noting that:

  • Proposed densities are rising exponentially each year
  • Greater diversity of building types and tenures is desired for a complete community
  • The downtown’s Neighbourhood Precincts need to be protected
  • Development must be balanced with delivery of supporting social infrastructure to achieve a complete community
  • The VMC needs a critical review of parkland provisions based on development trends
  • The right moment to reassess and refocus efforts
  • Proposed new office uses have increased significantly over the last year
  • Proposed retail uses have been lagging behind other uses, though there has been a significant increase since 2019

Factoring in all of the growth, an update to the VMC Secondary Plan has been initiated with an aim to address new provincial and regional policies, while staying true to the initial framework that has guided existing, approved, and proposed development in the VMC zone. This Secondary Plan revision is set to be adopted under the Vaughan Official Plan Update, which would functionally guarantee that planning goals are realized as envisioned.

Vaughan Metropolitan Centre

Source:

 

The Vaughan Metropolitan Centre is the biggest and most exciting development in Canada in a generation. Located only 25km north of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highways 400 and 407 and bisected by Highway 7 in the City of Vaughan, the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) is an exciting and unparalleled emerging urban core within the Greater Toronto Area. This 400-acre planned downtown for the City of Vaughan will provide all the amenities of a vibrant city centre including direct access to multi-modal public transit with a direct connection to downtown Toronto and Union Station, while maintaining excellent access to the 400 series highway network within the GTA.

 

SMARTCENTRES PLACE

SmartCentres® co-owns and manages the development of 100 acres of land within the greater 400-acre VMC area. Named SmartCentres Place, the first office building, the 360,000sf, Class A LEED Gold KPMG Tower was completed in the Fall of 2016. Construction has begun on the 220,000 sf PwC-YMCA Tower slated for completion in 2019. With PwC as one of its lead tenants, this Tower will also be home to a 100,000 sf YMCA, City of Vaughan Library and other civic facilities. Construction on Transit City which consists of three condominium towers totalling 1716 units, each 55 storeys high, will commence later in 2017. The TTC subway extension, with a station located directly at SmartCentres Place, opened in December 2017.

With a 9-acre central park as its core, a transit hub that connects Vaughan to all parts of the GTA, and built with the community in mind, SmartCentres Place will be a world-class master planned development in the heart of the VMC.

Click to learn more about SmartCentres Place