There is plenty of land to be found for development and intensification venturing north of Toronto’s city limits into the towns and cities of York Region. Elegance Residence is a proposed condominium in the Woodbridge area of southwest Vaughan. for which Avalee Homes has submitted a Zoning By-law Amendment and Site Plan Approval applications.

Looking southeast to Elegance Residence, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects for Avalee Homes

The site is on the west side of Lansdowne Avenue, just northeast of the intersection of Kipling Avenue and Highway 7. It is about 3,040m² in area and is an assembly of five properties from 4 to 24 Lansdowne, previously home to a commercial unit and several detached dwellings which have been demolished. The site is south of single detached dwellings, west of Woodbridge Public School, and a five-minute walk to multiple parks.

An aerial view of the site and the surrounding area, image from submission to the City of Vaughan

The design by Diamond Schmitt Architects calls for a 13-storey building standing 47.68m tall and containing 72 residential units. With two elevators included in the architectural plans, that would result in 36 units per elevator, a very high ratio promising short waits. A step back at the ground floor along Highway 7 would allow for a cantilevered area for the main entrance. The design also features descending masonry volumes stepping down from south to north, providing scale for the condominium relative to the surrounding residences.

The proposal has undergone revisions since a high-level concept was first  presented to the City of Vaughan in 2018, initially proposed at 12 storeys with a three-storey podium. City staff provided feedback that included improving transition of density with the dwellings to the north, as well as opportunities for public art.

A revised submission in 2019 proposed 93 units with a floating podium and enhanced landscaping for a private park space. The City of Vaughan then provided further feedback compiled in a comments and response matrix. The current architectural plans and the 2019 resubmission both call for three levels of underground parking, with 149 parking spaces and 44 bicycle parking spots.

The initial concept for Elegance Residence, designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects for Avalee Homes

The resubmission also includes plans for a two-storey co-working office space, along with a retail space of 338m². There would also be a private amenity space totalling 4,104m². The park area of 660m², situated along Highway 7, would be designated a POPS (Privately Owned Publicly accessible Space).

Looking northwest from Lansdowne Avenue to the site, image retrieved from Google Street View

The site is only 50m from local bus stops for the VIVA Bus Rapid Transit, York Regional Transit local bus services, and a Brampton Transit ZÜM route. The proposal notes the Vaughan Official Plan, declaring it is in line with the Plan in regards to increased density and environmental features.  

UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on this development, but in the meantime, you can learn more about it from our Database file, linked below. If you'd like, you can join in on the conversation in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.

* * *

UrbanToronto has a research service, UrbanToronto Pro, that provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.

Related Companies:  Diamond Schmitt Architects, Entuitive, MHBC Planning, RWDI Climate and Performance Engineering