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Earlier this year, a planning application to the City of Toronto introduced us to the long-anticipated redevelopment of Newtonbrook Plaza in North York. More details are now emerging for the first Canadian project by Hong-Kong listed developer Aoyuan Property Holdings, set to include residential condominiums, 180,000 ft² of office and retail space, a daycare, a community centre, and a new public park. Dubbed M2M as a nod to the local postal code, the Wallman Architects-designed five-tower community is primed to bring new density to Yonge Street through 810 new residential units.
New renderings build on the initial images from the project's early 2018 planning submission. Describing the architecture, Aoyuan declares in a statement "a series of geometric glass block forms frame the site with playful textures to differentiate different faces of the building." The block's south end would be anchored to the Yonge and Turnberry Crescent intersection with a podium containing 40,000 ft² of office space, where the Canadian corporate headquarters for Aoyuan will be located. At ground level of the podium, 35,000 ft² of retail space will front onto Yonge Street.
“M2M will become a new destination for North York—a residential community with rich retail and office space, framed by an active new public park on the east,” reads a statement issued by Vince Santino, Senior Vice President - Development (Eastern Canada), Aoyuan Property Holdings (Canada) Ltd. The park will run along the east side of the property, providing a space where both residents of the existing low-rise neighbourhood to the east and those of the M2M community can relax together outdoors. A new active laneway will also connect the park over to the retail offerings of Yonge Street.
Townhomes will feature at the base of the podiums where they face the park, serving as a contextual bridge between the site's planned density and the low-rise homes found throughout the Newtonbrook neighbourhood. "We are very excited about the way the building is addressing the new park to the east. We had an opportunity to design a very open and engaging façade anchored by townhomes that have direct access to the street,” reads a statement from project architect Rudy Wallman. “Functionality and views from the suites were another key focus of the design. Balconies face the park while light-filled living spaces take advantage of views of an internal courtyard.” These community upgrades built as part of the first phase will be accompanied by a new daycare and community centre as part of the second phase of the M2M development.
Phase 1 residents will be welcomed to the building via a two-storey lobby featuring oversized planters, a back-lit onyx reception desk, natural stone walls, and wood-panel ceilings. Residents will enjoy a selection of amenity spaces on the third and ninth floors, appointed by interior designers U31 and landscape architects Ferris + Associates Inc. On the third floor they will find a theatre and children’s play area along with a double-height yoga lounge and fitness studio. On the ninth floor they will find a party room indoors, while a waterfall infinity pool, deck, and barbecue area will be provided outside.
M2M's first phase is offering condominium suites ranging in size from 500 ft² to 1,400 ft², with prices starting from $389,900.
Additional information and images can be found in our database file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.
