In Conversation With... Jason Shiff, Executive Sales Manager, Amexon Development Corp.

For those who love living close to nature, but also seek an inner-city condominium lifestyle, The Residences at Central Park might be for you. The 12-acre, master-planned, mixed-use community from Amexon Development Corp., located on Sheppard Avenue in the Bayview Village neighbourhood of Toronto, is positioned as an environmentally sustainable community. Close to the downtown and all its conveniences, but also near lush forests and trails for relaxing and decompressing, Central Park blends urban and natural, in a luxurious living environment.

For further insights into this unique project, we spoke with Jason Shiff, executive sales manager.

How has the market reception been to the launch of The Residences at Central Park?

In a word, tremendous. We’re almost sold out of the first tower, and we will launch the second one in five weeks. Buyers really appreciate the unique, nature-inspired aspects of this development. We are marketing the community as “Where the Urban and Natural Worlds Connect” for good reason. Being adjacent to the East Don Parkland means residents will have direct access to the trails in the ravine, which lead all the way south to downtown Toronto and the lake. At the heart of the community, Central Park common is a three-acre, award-winning urban park at the heart of the community that will call to mind a traditional village green. In addition, buyers are excited about The Park Club, 55,000 sq. ft. of lifestyle amenities that foster fitness, wellness, leisure and social activities.

Purchasers also see the value in having both the subway and GO Transit right at their front door. They will be connected to everything that matters, including a nonstop GO Train trip to Union Station. Of course, living in the prestigious Bayview Village neighbourhood is very attractive to them for nearby retail.

A desirable location, a natural setting, easy connections to urban destinations, incredible community amenities, great designs and appointments… what more could condominium buyers ask for? In addition, potential purchasers are captivated by our 10,000-sq.-ft. all-glass Presentation Centre, where they can see and touch many of the high-end appointments that come standard in Central Park. After occupancies are complete, we will repurpose this remarkable centre as an event space and restaurant.

What is the entire timeline for the project, since there are multiple towers that will eventually encompass more than 1,500 suites…

Eventually, there will be five residential buildings in Central Park. Four of them will be going up simultaneously, with occupancies in late 2025 and early 2026.

Who is the target demographic?

With end-users in mind, we designed Central Park for the spectrum of the purchasing public, from first-time buyers to families. Busy professionals love the fact that we offer a 5,000-sq.-ft. co-working space. This forward-thinking, flexible space redefines what it means to work from home. For families, we offer a lot of two-bedroom layouts, and we have several amenities focused on children, such as an onsite private daycare facility. This all contributes to the ultimate in lifestyle convenience.

We hear a lot about how long the planning and approvals process in Toronto is. How long has Central Park been in the works?

It’s been more than 10 years in the planning. The process involved us co-ordinating direct access to the East Don Parkland ravine. In addition, we designed the community around a central urban park, accommodated retail at the base, and made easy and direct connections to the subway and GO Transit. Central Park is a 12-acre, master-planned, mixed-use community, so it took a lot of care to come up with the ideal scenario.

What, if anything, changed with the master plan, as a result of community or City feedback?

We worked with the community and the City of Toronto to design something very special, to include a central urban park that is unrivalled in the GTA, direct connections to the ravine, and leading-edge, environmentally sustainable buildings. We’re the first large-scale project in Canada to include EV charging stations throughout the parking areas in the residential, and visitor parking spaces.

You’ve said you took a lot of time and care in planning the look and lifestyle potential of Central Park. How did that process play out… for example, were there inclusions or amenities that came to life as a result of this process?

During the planning phases, the trend toward a hybrid lifestyle of working from home occurred. That inspired us to create a never-before-seen 5,000-sq.-ft. co-working space. The design incorporates flexibility to foster networking and productivity, with breakout areas, meeting rooms and a business centre. In addition, we’re offering 55,000 sq. ft. of lifestyle amenities that foster fitness, wellness, leisure and social activities. We have also introduced compact dens in most of the suites to accommodate another work-from-home option.

What are some of the signature amenities that will really say “Central Park”?

First, our Central Park common. This three-acre, award-winning urban park will be at the heart of the community. There, residents and visitors will be able to access cafes and restaurants, as well as year-round programming that includes a skating rink and farmers’ market.

Oh, and the 55,000-sq.-ft. Park Club amenity complex is unheard of in Toronto. It features indoor and outdoor saltwater pools, two expansive rooftop terraces, an outdoor skating rink, a co-working space, a fully-equipped fitness club, the Park Spa, a media/music studio, private event/dining area and even visitor hotel suites. There is something for everyone from the young to the young-at-heart. The Leslie subway station and the relocated Oriole GO station are right at the front door, which is another unique perk to
living there.

And what about key environmental features?

The entire community will be built to Amexon’s Green Development Standard, incorporating industry-leading green features. There are EV charging stations throughout the parking areas to promote safe, clean travel free of emissions; rooftop solar panels that supplement the building’s power needs; Green roofs to reduce energy consumption; plus car-share and bike-share services. As I mentioned, Central Park is the first large-scale project in Canada to include EV charging stations throughout the residential and visitor parking areas.

Affordability is something that is on everyone’s mind these days. How have you addressed this issue with Central Park, or is this project positioned purely as a luxury project, and therefore pricing that reflects this?

Central Park is a luxurious high-end development, but to offer a more entry-level opportunity, II BY IV DESIGN configured some incredibly efficient smaller one-bedroom and one-bedroom plus den suite layouts.

What’s next for Amexon?

We’re excited to offer 225 Jarvis Street Condos, a 68-storey condominium tower plus hotel. It’s a striking mixed-use development that will accommodate a 200-suite, five-star hotel and luxurious condominium residences. The mixed-use character of the development will really encourage an increasingly active and dynamic downtown beyond typical residential uses. CORE Architects has designed a head-turning exterior for this condominium that will be close to the Dundas and Jarvis intersection, close to a myriad of local dining, cultural, artistic, shopping and sports venues. We also have 12,000 units coming on board over the next couple of years on current sites, and within our portfolio in the GTA.

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