Canary District condominiums slated for Toronto’s West Don Lands. Site of the athlete’s village for the 2015 Pan Am Games, the buildings will be sold as condos thereafter.
Canary District
Location: West Don Lands
Builder/developer Dundee Kilmer Developments Ltd.
Size 485 to 1,475 square feet
Price $272,900 to $724,000
Sales centre 9 Mill St., at Parliament Street. Open Monday to Thursday from noon to 6 p.m.; weekends from noon to 5 p.m
Contact Phone 416-603-7576 or visit canarydistrict.com
A section of the West Don Lands undergoing redevelopment in consultation with Waterfront Toronto will accommodate thousands of athletes vying for a spot on a medal podium in the Pan Am Games in 2015.
But today, buyers can jockey for a permanent place on the 35-acre site, which Dundee Kilmer Developments Ltd. will later convert from an athletes' village into one of the city's largest urban communities with new residential and rental buildings, a George Brown College residence for students, a YMCA recreation centre and top-notch retail establishments.
"There are a lot of resources poured into this; it's not a standalone condo project," says David Opie, a Right at Home Realty agent who was among few realtors invited to preview the project before the launch last month.
"This is something the city is well-invested in and the developer is well-invested in, so that adds to the security and strength of the project going forward."
The first phase of the sustainable, mixed-use development – named Canary District after a former restaurant that remains on site – will contain 369 suites in a modern 11-storey compound, which will be joined by four more mid-rise condominiums east of Cherry Street at Front Street.
"One thing that makes this really unique is the fact that you're really close to the Distillery District – which is a world-class, world-renowned district – and the fact they're building one of the largest parks downtown – being 18 acres – from scratch along the Don River," says Glen Schultz, another Right at Home Realty agent who previewed the infill project. "So you kind of have the best of both worlds."
Other established amenities nearby include waterfront trails and beaches along Queens Quay and upscale grocers at the St. Lawrence Market, as well as the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway.
To improve access to the site, streetcar routes will be added along Cherry Street and Front Street will be extended east through the heart of the development, which will also create a pedestrian promenade showcasing 50,000 square feet of commercial space at the base of several Canary District buildings.
"Another thing that's really attractive about the location … is the fact that not only does it have new transit built into it, but we can't forget that a lot of these condominiums will have great lake views," adds Mr. Schultz.
Athletes from the Pan Am Games will occupy the raw suites, which will be finished to a much-higher degree in time for occupancy in March, 2016.
Standard appointments will include nine-foot ceilings, engineered hardwood floors and custom European-style kitchen cabinetry, quartz counters and tile backsplashes.
To accommodate buyers with different lifestyles, there will be one- to two-bedroom-plus-den suites, as well as work/live townhouses with street access, two levels and entertaining areas that open to above.
Plans will generally feature open living and dining areas, linear or L-shaped kitchens and separated or side-by-side bedrooms, plus private outdoor space.
Monthly fees of 51 cents per square foot will pay for maintenance of a gym, party and billiards rooms and a central courtyard with cabanas and barbecue stations.
Select units can buy parking for $35,000 and lockers for $3,500, which will have monthly fees of $46 and $10 respectively.