Editor's Choice: Dunpar Homes

Streetsville Centre is a great spot for young urban couples and families

Location, location, location is still the real estate mantra when buying, but it probably means something a little different these days. For the modern urbanite, a good location is anywhere that gives them more time for living and less time spent in a car.Who'd have thought quaint historic Streetsville — in the northwest corner of Mississauga — would ever become a destination spot for young urban couples or families? But it's become just that, and Dunpar Homes is about to launch a new townhome development, Streetsville Centre, right in the middle of it at 80 Thomas St.The 200-unit enclave of executive back-to-back townhomes is walking distance to everything; 30 seconds to the GO Transit station across the road, two minutes to the main street retail and restaurants, and five minutes to Streetsville Memorial Park with its soccer field, baseball diamond, community centre, outdoor pool, hiking trail and 100-seat picnic grounds.The homes are spacious, ranging from 1,500 to 1,875 square feet with rooftop decks or balconies off the kitchen. All have three bedrooms, two-car garages, and well-proportioned principal rooms, with prices starting in the mid-$800,000s.Interior standard features include granite counters in kitchen and baths, undermount kitchen sink, frameless glass shower door in ensuite, smooth ceilings and stainless steel kitchen appliances. The space extends outdoors with a lovely 240-square-foot private rooftop patio on the back-to-back townhomes.When Jane Jacobs penned her now famous book, The Rise and Fall of American Cities, she noted how urban renewal usually meant the loss of neighbourhoods and an elimination of local people's experiences. It led Jacobs to lobby hard to save old buildings that were part of a community's tradition, those familiar landmarks that stuck in people's memories and create a sense of place.Thanks to being such a sleepy village until after the 1970s and '80s demolition policies, most of Streetsville's old buildings remain standing, its population relatively small and town centre walkable.Those same good urban planning principles have led Dunpar Homes to consistently build close to centres with existing amenities – transit, retail and transportation routes. Such centres present great potential for organic and healthy growth, while creating that solid sense of place that Jacobs celebrated.Originally founded in 1818 on a 648,000-acre tract of land, the last on the Credit River, Streetsville was named for Timothy Street, the Niagara-area surveyor who charted this huge tract. In exchange for his services, he was granted 1,000 acres on the fast-flowing Credit River where he built his home in 1825.Being off the beaten track, Streetsville has been able to grow slowly over two centuries, developing an architectural and cultural diversity over time. This is what Jacobs believed made for a healthy urban fabric – adding a few projects a year so that the town has buildings of all ages and architectural types.Streetsville has continued this tradition with a few new developments added each year. And Dunpar's more traditional townhome style blends well with both the heritage homes and some of the more recent modern condo developments. Thanks to extremely high construction values, these townhomes will be there for a very long time, contributing to the town's architectural fabric.DUNPAR HOMESStreetsville CentreBy appointment only.(416) 318-9112DunparHomes.com

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