The boutique condominium by Castle Group Developments will have about 200 upscale units in a mid-rise building.
Vida, Bayview Village
Builder/developer Castle Group Developments
Size 328 to 1,600 square feet
Price $199,990 to $1-million
Contact To register, phone 416-304-1212 or visit vidacondos.com
To satiate buyers with an appetite for luxury, from high-end fashion to gourmet fare, Castle Group Developments designed a boutique condominium residence in one of Toronto's most affluent neighbourhoods.
Later this summer, a grand opening will be hosted for the mixed-use development, dubbed Vida, or "life" in Spanish, which will contain about 200 upscale suites and street-level shops and services within steps of the Bayview Village Shopping Centre.
"The project is within the heart of the city life, but it's still very quiet and private," says company president Mona Bhamani, who acquired one of the last infill sites on Sheppard Avenue, just east of Bayview.
"The location is very unique … so I wanted an outstanding building."
Harry Christakis of HCA Architecture devised the modern mid-rise with an iridescent glass, concrete-and-stone facade evocative of a linked bracelet.
"It's totally different from the normal designs you see on Bayview," says Ms. Bhamani, who cites inspiration from Yorkville and Europe.
"[Plus] it's not a tower, it's a mid-rise building with six storeys at the front, eight at the west and three at the south, so it's like a U-shape."
A grand arched entranceway will lead into the private compound with a courtyard inspired by European palazzos and an outdoor terrace with a barbecue, as well as a multipurpose room, chef's kitchen, sports bar, gym and guest suite.
"The building environment is very much like a resort," Ms. Bhamani says. "It's like an enclave, a little cove by itself."
However, residents will be a short walk to coveted retailers and restaurateurs at Bayview Village – home to Brian Bailey and Pink Tartan, Pusateri's Fine Foods and Oliver & Bonacini Café Grill – in addition to hundreds of brands at the nearby Fairview Mall and the Shops at Don Mills.
"The neighbourhood is a very established, very old neighbourhood, well-known for million-dollar homes," Ms. Bhamani says. "For people living in that area with homes for 50 to 60 years and trying to downsize, this is an ideal location."
Other local attractions include parks, trails, golf courses, schools, hospitals, Yonge Street cinemas and arts centres, as well as the Sheppard subway line and highways 401, 404 and Don Valley Parkway.
"People who don't want a car don't have to have a car," Ms. Bhamani says.
Investors and parents of university students will also feel welcome, with most plans around 497 square feet, though some designs incorporate three bedrooms and all will get outdoor space.
"In some cases, from the terraces or the units, you can see the CN Tower at night or when the weather is clear," Ms. Bhamani says. "The units, the way I designed them, they look like million-dollar condos, but you can afford it."
Standard finishes will include nine-foot ceilings, laminate plank floors and granite kitchen counters, ceramic-tile backsplashes, European-styled cabinetry and stainless-steel appliances.
Monthly fees are 54 cents per square feet. Most units will include parking.
Scheduled occupancy is 2017.