New condo set to Debut along Barrie waterfront
Debut, a new condominium, is coming soon to Barrie’s downtown waterfront, from artist and real estate developer Gary Silverberg.
Comprising two 33-storey towers, Debut is the first highrise condo in Barrie and Simcoe County.
At Debut’s base will be curated retail shops and a pedestrian arcade serving as the gateway to the waterfront, marina, farmer’s market and transit.
Debut’s location at Dunlop Street and Mary Street is steps from the lake, retail and restaurants. It is also close to Hwy. 400, the Allandale Waterfront GO Station, other shopping and dining options, Georgian College and more.
“The city is becoming very cool, with one of the best waterfronts,” says Silverberg. “Barrie wants a booming downtown core, and (the City) saw the logic in what we were proposing. Everything has been a collaboration.”
With 42 years of real estate experience, Silverberg understands how areas gentrify. He notes how shopping is shifting from big box stores, as Millennials look for more authentic retail.
“(Barrie) has cool retail and restaurants, and when retail starts to get cool and hip, it’s on its way,” says Silverberg. “I always believed there would be a swing away from Toronto, and Millennials would be coming to Barrie. It’s happening a lot faster than we thought.”
World-class architects (Oleson Worland Architects and Scott Shields Architects) and leading-edge designers (Johnson Chou) have created Debut with great attention to detail.
The building towers twist to maximize views of the waterfront, and offer an extensive selection of suites with state-of-the-art finishes, European kitchens and spa-inspired bathrooms. Flexible designs maximize space and allow for multiple uses.
The residences are expected to appeal to a wide range of buyers, from first-time buyers to downsizers.
Project marketing is from Mark Cohen, managing partner of The Condo Store, Toronto.
“The building is modelled after the lifestyle in a place like Whistler,” says Silverberg. “Instead of a mountain at your door, you have Lake Simcoe.”
Queen & Ashbridge is the name of a new redevelopment coming to the Queen and Coxwell area of east Toronto. A joint development between Riocan Living and Context, the project has an A-plus location straddling the heighbourhoods of Leslieville and The Beach. The plan includes a 17-storey condo, a 17 storey rental residence and more than 16,000 sq. ft. of retail. 
Cutting-edge classrooms are part of the plan for a brand new Toronto Catholic District School Board elementary school in Etobicoke.
The school will be located on the former Toronto District School Board site of the old Buttonwood Hill school at 100 Allanhurst Dr., in the Royal York Road and Eglinton Avenue area. The Ontario government says it is contributing $15.9 million to the project, creating 88 more childcare spaces in Etobicoke. The new school will accommodate 600 students and is part of the province's commitment to invest $12 billion over 10 years in new and existing schools, more than $500 million this year alone.
The sales gallery for Gairloch Developments' new 1414 Bayview condominium is now open at 1416 Bayview Ave.
This eight-storey, midrise project features only 44 suites in total, with a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom designs.
Located just north of Merton Street on the west side of Bayview Avenue and within walking distance to Bennington Heights and Moore Park, 1414 Bayview sales will be managed by local real estate team The Heaps Estrin Team. Prices start from $650,000.
Last month, the Ontario government announced it is extending tunneling work on the Eglinton Crosstown westwards towards Etobicoke and into Mississauga, and opened a Request for Proposals to advance the project.
Premier Doug Ford says the province is working with the Greater Toronto Airport Authority for a connection to Pearson Airport and that Eglinton Avenue would not be closed during the work.
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MARK COHEN is a founding partner of The Condo Store Marketing Systems, a firm specializing in the design, marketing and sales of condo and new home communities in and outside of the GTA.
