Rouge Bijou (Downtown Markham, Remington, 10 + 3x 7s, Quadrangle)

[Solaris]

August 26 2009 update

Rouge Bijou (Bldg 'A') - exterior is now (finally) completed
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Rouge Bijou Terraces (Bldg 'B') - still no occupancy yet
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Rouge Bijou Promenade (Bldg 'C')
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Rouge Bijou Arbor (Bldg 'D')
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The four Rouge Bijou Buildings seen from the south + north side ~
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The Benchmark Townhouses - what you can get for $600,000+

Rear View of Townhouses - some nice terraces here

 

[taal]

Damn, those are ugly ... they're worse in person.

The townhomes that is - the buildings are alright - the newer ones they built farther north/east are nicer though.

 

[MBS-Guru]

are u serious about the $600,000 townhouses?. If it is then those people might have overpaid becuase i don't know why any sane person would pay more than half a million to buy a townhouse like that when you can buy a 3000 sq ft or more fully detached house within the same vicinity.

Towns look alright though, not feeling those condos though. Not much style or maybe it's just not my taste.

 

[Dan416]

I actually like those townhouses, the buildings not so much. Not feeling the two-tone colour scheme.

 

[maestro]

No way!


600 grand for a plastic townhouse in the middle of nowhere?

 

[investican]

No way!


600 grand for a plastic townhouse in the middle of nowhere?

I actually just saw these 2 hours ago (2am) and at night and at day they have 0 curb appeal to me. The original "plan" for this was a mass shopping/living corso type living. I knew that it wouldn't be anything like advertised. I see big traffic problems to here and the original part fronting along Hwy.7 was originally "GREENSPACE" was sold to TImes Group where they are trying to get higher residential density. At one point they wanted 40 storey buildings at the front with 16 storeys in the middle of each of the 3 40 storey buildings. NOW -- its a bit lower density but i don't know how many storeys right now and they is a lot of neighbourhood complaints about that so until I see it approved; any height can go there.

 

[TheProfessor]

I like the townhomes, and while I agree that $600K seems excessive, I'd like to know what the square footage is and how they are finished inside.

 

[Alex S]

Thanks for the constant updates Solaris!

I like the town homes a lot better than the rouge bijou. I'm going to hold my judgment of this project until more is built. Living close to this area, i really hope it turns out how they invisioned it...It should work but my concern is that a bunch of asians (chinese) will move in... then instead of those high end stores you see in the renders, they're gonna be chinese restaurants, pirated dvd places, optic shops and small crappy boutiques selling $1 hk merchandizes for $30.

 

[scarberiankhatru]

I actually just saw these 2 hours ago (2am) and at night and at day they have 0 curb appeal to me. The original "plan" for this was a mass shopping/living corso type living. I knew that it wouldn't be anything like advertised. I see big traffic problems to here and the original part fronting along Hwy.7 was originally "GREENSPACE" was sold to TImes Group where they are trying to get higher residential density. At one point they wanted 40 storey buildings at the front with 16 storeys in the middle of each of the 3 40 storey buildings. NOW -- its a bit lower density but i don't know how many storeys right now and they is a lot of neighbourhood complaints about that so until I see it approved; any height can go there.

That "plan" still exists and is being followed pretty much to the letter. Solaris reposts the plan quite often...go back a page or two in any Downtown Markham thread to see it.

Now, all they've built so far is a few condos - most of the retail buildings, including the entire "high street," which will be to the east of the condos built so far, have not been built yet. There will also be about ten times as many jobs in the area, if the jobs show up. Will it be as good as imagined/rendered? Probably not, but condemning the heart of the plan based on a few condos with no retail and an unlandscaped townhouse or two really makes no sense.

Wasn't the land along 7 always owned separately from the land south of the Rouge?

 

[Solaris]

I actually just saw these 2 hours ago (2am) and at night and at day they have 0 curb appeal to me. The original "plan" for this was a mass shopping/living corso type living. I knew that it wouldn't be anything like advertised. I see big traffic problems to here and the original part fronting along Hwy.7 was originally "GREENSPACE" was sold to Times Group where they are trying to get higher residential density. At one point they wanted 40 storey buildings at the front with 16 storeys in the middle of each of the 3 40 storey buildings. NOW -- its a bit lower density but i don't know how many storeys right now and they is a lot of neighbourhood complaints about that so until I see it approved; any height can go there.

scarberiankhatru is correct in that the lands north of the Rouge River Tributary (+ south of Highway 7) were always owned separately by another developer ... formerly Lonsmount and now Time Group, with the project name of Uptown Markham ... these lands were never ever intended as 'Greenspace' (I'm not sure who told you that), these lands are entirely separate from the Remington's Downtown Markham project.

This plan shows the separate ownerships within the Markham Centre Urban Centre:



And this is the Remington Downtown Markham Master Plan ... notice how this plan does not 'reach' Highway 7 to the north:



With respect to Remington's project, what we see built on the ground today is only the first block in this multi-phase 15 year development ... within this first block we have only pure residential building thus far (Benchmark Townhomes, Rouge Bijou Condominiums, Verdale Condominiums) ... the first (grade level) retail component will be introduced within this block when the next 2 towers (Nexus Condominums @ Downtown Markham) is launched at the northwest corner of Entreprise + Birchmond ... majority of the commercial spaces envisioned/proposed is to be located east of Birchmont and west of the new central park, so it is still too early to tell

However, I will agree with you Remington's vision of a creating a new vibrant "urban" neighbourhood containing live, work, play may be better said then done ... Although I like the concept of atrium style pathways and Piazzas/Squares, I question how the viability of businesses surviving through the winter months ~

 

[Towered]

Oh my god - can they build anything with sensible architecture in this place?? Virtually all of it looks like a joke.

 

[investican]

That "plan" still exists and is being followed pretty much to the letter. Solaris reposts the plan quite often...go back a page or two in any Downtown Markham thread to see it.

Now, all they've built so far is a few condos - most of the retail buildings, including the entire "high street," which will be to the east of the condos built so far, have not been built yet. There will also be about ten times as many jobs in the area, if the jobs show up. Will it be as good as imagined/rendered? Probably not, but condemning the heart of the plan based on a few condos with no retail and an unlandscaped townhouse or two really makes no sense.

Wasn't the land along 7 always owned separately from the land south of the Rouge?

Originally Remington bought all the land in the 1970's. ( I guess then it was in the middle of nowhere - but close to some new developments at that time)

I just assumed they sold the front part to times Group within the last while. I guess it must of been quite a while ago.

The Ayreh part are those two little lots fronting on warden that connects to the Times Group piece. They are getting quite good density -- i beleive it was 3 buildings -- I remember they were taller the ones in the Downtown Markham section.

 

[gristle]

Those townhouses - they're just trying way too hard.

 

[iloveyiyi]

And just to clarify, Rouge Bijou, Verdale, and Verdale on the Valley will not have any retail stores at the bottom of the buildings. The upcoming construction - Nexus, will incorporate retail stores + residential units in one building - hence, it is labelled as mixed use.

 

[Solaris]

iloveyiyi ... welcome to UT ~

I think it was pretty clear from previous posts that:

• there is no retail in the 4 Rouge Bijou towers or the 3 Verdale towers (including 'Verdale on the Valley', aka Verdale 3)
• grade retail will be introduced in the next phase, the 2 Nexus towers

With respect to Remington's project, what we see built on the ground today is only the first block in this multi-phase 15 year development ... within this first block we have only pure residential building thus far (Benchmark Townhomes, Rouge Bijou Condominiums, Verdale Condominiums) ... the first (grade level) retail component will be introduced within this block when the next 2 towers (Nexus Condominums @ Downtown Markham) is launched at the northwest corner of Entreprise + Birchmond ... majority of the commercial spaces envisioned/proposed is to be located east of Birchmont and west of the new central park, so it is still too early to tell