Located on Don Mills Road at Sheppard Avenue East, Emerald City has been an integral part of the transformation of North York’s Sheppard corridor since it launched 15 years ago. The 32-acre master-planned community by ELAD Canada recently celebrated a significant milestone as it achieved sell-out status in all nine towers.
Since its introduction, the multi-phase development has added nearly 3,000 new condo suites and 300 rental units to the neighbourhood. The master plan also includes a 50,000-square-foot community centre with a full-sized gym, dance studios and running track, a 5,000 square-foot aquatic centre with an outdoor pool, and several outdoor public spaces and children’s playgrounds. In 2015, a public art piece called The Four Seasons by Canadian artist and writer Douglas Coupland was unveiled, adding a colourful new landmark to the neighbourhood.
“When we started this journey, we were energized by the amazing potential that we saw in North York,” said Rafael Lazer, CEO of ELAD Canada. “We worked closely with Councillor Carroll and local community members to develop the vision for the next chapter of the Parkway Forest neighbourhood. It’s a very gratifying moment to see the streets lively and animated with people enjoying the community as we intended.”
The final phase, known as ‘Block C,’ is currently under construction and consists of three WZMH Architects-designed high-rise towers: The Point (24 storeys), The Peak (33 storeys) and Lumina (15 storeys).
Construction on Block C began in February 2018 after an official groundbreaking ceremony was held with members of the development, construction and sales teams. Shoring and excavation took place for most of the year and into 2019 as crews prepared the site’s shared parking garage.
In spring 2019, three cranes were assembled and workers began pouring the underground footings and foundation. The next significant milestone was achieved in March 2020 when construction on all three buildings reached grade, and by February 2021, all had topped off.
Today, the construction cranes are gone and much of the exterior façades are complete with precast cladding, balcony glass and newly installed windows. At ground level, road work and sidewalks are being finalized and landscaping has started on some sections of the site. Meantime, interior work is progressing on the project’s amenity spaces, while trades continue to install kitchens and bathrooms inside the residential suites. Occupancy is scheduled for October and November 2021.
With Emerald City near completion, ELAD Canada is moving full steam ahead on its next master-planned community, Galleria on the Park. The development is located on the site of the former Galleria Mall, which Elad Canada purchased in 2015 and plans to redevelop into a 20-acre mixed-use community with new residences, a pedestrian mews featuring retail spaces, a 95,000-square-foot community centre and a brand new eight-acre park.
To learn more about ELAD Canada, visit the developer listing on BuzzBuzzHome.
