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At the end of the Sheppard subway line you will find the most significant suburban renewal project in Toronto, maybe in all of Canada. We are paying attention here, because what was Parkway Forest, a 60s and 70s tower-in-the-park neighbourhood with vast but little-used lawns and long walks between buildings, is becoming an up-to-date, higher-density, far more vital version of our suburban dream as it transforms into ELAD Canada’s Emerald City.
The development’s first three WZMH Architects-designed towers at Don Mills and Sheppard are making steady progress, finishing off one after the other. All three are now topped off, and the site’s flurry of activity has mostly moved indoors, sheltered from the elements. Now it's the buildings’ interiors that are moving forward. The 36-storey first phase tower is the closest to completion, and the first group of residents have begun moving into their units and getting acquainted with their new surroundings and neighbours.
While finishing touches are still being applied in the main lobby space, the interiors, by GNArchitecture & Design, are marked by bright white walls, complimented by warm-hued laminate hardwood floors, and accented by brightly coloured art by acclaimed Canadian multi-disciplinary artist and novelist, Douglas Coupland. Closest to being complete is the entrance for TTC subway and underground garage access, which is ready to show you, below.
With its connection to Don Mills subway station and Fairview Mall, we bet this will be busier than the driveway entrance actually. We are only hinting at it today, but Coupland’s multicoloured art, partially hidden in the image above by the pendant lights, is a recurring feature throughout Emerald City. The collection of Coupland work here spreads throughout the development, serving partly to enliven the common areas, and partly as the project’s public art contribution, while bringing unity to the development both the inside and out. We will dive into its eye-catching details for our next article.
The tower’s ground floor is where residents will get find many of their building’s amenity spaces. The pool, hot tub and sauna were all very inviting when we visited the site earlier this week, despite the temperatures outside dipping below -20 degrees. (We often regret not bringing gym gear and swimsuits on these visits!)
Right next to the pool area, a fitness studio overlooking Sheppard Avenue East is still a work in progress, with gym equipment and televisions still awaiting final installation.
The building’s main relaxation and entertainment spaces can be found a few floors above. On level 5, the party room features a large fireplace and seating area, a kitchen and dining area, billiards table, and a movie room with a 75-inch flatscreen TV.
Double glass doors from the party room lead out onto the spacious outdoor roof deck, but with bone chilling temperatures outside, we decided to view the roof deck from within! We didn't need to brave the weather to see that the location of the deck has been carefully chosen to make best use of afternoon sun, and that as outdoor lounge furniture arrives as the weather warms, this promises to be a popular spot.
Leaving the amenities below and riding an elevator to the 11th floor brings you to Emerald City's spacious model suite, a floor plan which paints a picture of the full potential of a unit at Emerald City. Sized at just under 1,100 square-feet, the fully furnished 2-bedroom unit boasts impressive west facing views of the growing North York skyline.
The master bedroom as well as the living room have access to a large south-facing balcony with views overlooking the surrounding development. The vantage point of this balcony gives us a great view of the townhomes now under construction between the towers. Later this year they will frame the street leading to the towers, bringing more intimacy and life to ground level here.
With the 36-storey first phase now seeing its first wave of occupants, it won’t be too much longer before occupancy starts at the 29-storey second phase and 25-storey third phase 'Dream Tower'. As mentioned above, will be returning shortly for a special look at Douglas Coupland’s art installations at Emerald City. Until then, you can find more information by visiting our dataBase file, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or voice your opinion in the comments section provided at the bottom of the page.
| Related Companies: | Almadev, Baker Real Estate Incorporated, BVGlazing Systems, Jablonsky, Ast and Partners, Unilux HVAC Industries Inc., Wilkinson Construction Services Inc., WZMH Architects |
