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Expo City is the first new major development in the transformation of more than 300 hectares in the Jane Street and Highway 7 area into the Vaughan Metopolitan Centre, a new downtown hub for that city. To set the tone for the largest and most ambitious master planned project - and the first truly urban one - in Vaughan's history, Expo City by the Cortel Group is designed as a sustainable, pedestrian friendly urban centre, featuring luxury residences, a retail avenue, and over 14 acres of naturalized space on the Black Creek, including a sprawling central park filled with recreational trails, ponds, and protected wildlife areas.
Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua is excited about the prospect of Expo City anchoring Vaughan's new centre. “This avant-garde project marks the beginning of a new era in our city’s history. It will set the standard for future development in the downtown core and will embody the essence of Vaughan’s transformation from a suburban municipality to a world-class city.”
Whether Vaughan ever achieves world-class status or not aside, things are happening which will help transform the core of the municipality into the kind of urban growth centre envisioned by Ontario's Places To Grow plan.
The driving force behind the change is the coming of the TTC subway to Vaughan. For the first time in its history, the subway will extend outside the city of Toronto with the extension of the Spadina line up to Highway 7, adding six new stops, the last of which will be at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. The new subway stations will link Vaughan residents directly to downtown Toronto. The planned transformation of Highway 7 into a tree-lined avenue with dedicated VIVA Rapid Transit bus lanes converging at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre will further enhance the north-south transportation axis across the east-west corridor as well.
A short walk to the east of the new Vaughan Centre Station is Expo City, a community which will eventually comprise five residential towers that will each have a unique identity while sharing similar elements. The Cortel Group's master plan for the complex includes an urban square, retail galleria, and a pedestrian and bike-friendly grand boulevard. Taking Canadian weather into account, covered walkways and an underground retail arcade will connect Expo City residents to their everyday needs. Facilitating an active lifestyle year round, Expo City also features an extensive 20,000 sq. ft. amenity space that includes a fitness centre equipped with a yoga studio, and an indoor pool that opens to a roof top garden.
As the first project to break ground, Expo 1 will set the tone for all future development in the new city centre. Inspired by the lush greenery and water reservoirs which border the site, the 37-storey building designed by architect Alan Tregebov of YYZed Project Management evokes the feeling of movement with waves ascending the building’s façade. “Incorporating vertical motion in the building’s design gives this first residential tower for Expo City an organic character” says Tregebov.
Expo City will feature many green intiatives, including the latest in rainwater management systems: over an acre of green rooftops will capture excess rainwater, which is then treated and funneled back into the community’s natural eco-system. Working to reduce the building’s carbon footprint, YYZed and the Cortel Group sourced predominantly local construction materials and have opted for a post-tensioned structural system, allowing for a lighter structure that uses less material. Another unique feature of Expo 1 is the building's 18 degree skew, ensuring maximum sun exposure in each of the 337 units and unobstructed views for each residential tower. Six penthouses will create a lantern effect on top of the building.
Set for completion in 2014, the first residence of Expo City offers suites ranging from 527 sq. ft. to 2088 sq. ft. priced from the mid-$200,000s to over $1M. All suites feature 9 ft. ceilings and luxury finishes including ceramic tiling and granite countertops. Kitchens feature contemporary cabinetry, full sized integrated appliances, and a broad range of design options. Floor plans offer wide hallways and walk-in closets.
Two full sized model suites at the presentation centre include a one-bedroom-plus-den with a contemporary black and white scheme that features a solarium for dining, and a two-bedroom model featuring a more tailored look with tone-on-tone gray accented with touches of cream.
“We are proud to launch Expo City in the same tradition as some of the greatest cities in the world by encouraging walkability and opportunities for people to gather and share in civic life,” says Dr. Mario Cortellucci, President and CEO Cortel Group. “We are fortunate to have this rare opportunity to create a sustainable community from a clean slate and help bring the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre to life.”
For a fuller look at Expo City, check out the dataBase listing linked below. You can join in the discussion of this project in the forum threads linked below as well.
| Related Companies: | Cortel Group, LiveRoof Ontario Inc, Precise ParkLink, Tarra Engineering & Structural Consultants Inc |
