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As one of the fastest-growing communities in Canada, Milton’s population is projected to hit 335,000 by 2051, or nearly triple where it stands today. Yet the downtown core of Ontario’s largest town remains mostly limited to a single strip along and around Main Street.
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Five kilometres to the southeast, however, another retail hub is taking shape around The Laurels, the latest multi-residential development from Mattamy Homes. Phase 1 of the project, which went on sale in September, is part of a master-planned community that will eventually include 1,768 residential units in seven buildings ranging from 12 to 15 storeys, and tens of thousands of square feet of retail space around the intersection of Britannia Road and Regional Road 25.
“We’re taking a phased approach to ensure that existing residents aren’t living in a construction zone for years,” explains Niall Haggart, president of Mattamy’s GTA Urban Division. “Our aim is to create a cohesive, vibrant gateway neighbourhood while building efficiently.”
Designed to establish a “Main Street” feel, the 14-storey Phase 1 tower will offer 5,000 square feet of retail space at grade and a promenade along the adjacent Natural Heritage System (NHS) network of trails, parkland and recreational facilities. The 216 one- and two-bedroom units, meanwhile, are “designed to appeal to first-time buyers, families and professionals,” Haggart says. While the pre-construction housing market has shifted toward detached homes, he adds, “demand (for condos) is still there, particularly for thoughtfully designed, attainable homes like those in The Laurels.”
Starting in the $500,000s, The Laurels’ one-bedroom-plus-den units “cater to buyers who need flexible living spaces that accommodate work-from-home or multi-functional layouts,” Haggart says.
CORE Architects’ exterior designs blend a curtain wall’s rusted copper panels with brickwork on the first and second storeys. Brian Laye, a partner at CORE, emphasizes the importance of integrating the development into its natural surroundings: “We’ve designed the first phase to reflect the natural beauty of Milton. The promenade along the NHS will provide a peaceful, beautiful space for residents to enjoy, making it a focal point of the entire community.”
Upon entering the lobby, residents will encounter a co-working space with Zoom rooms. Other communal amenities include a fitness centre and social lounge linked to an outdoor gathering area where a “cantina” facilitates dining and socializing.
Suite features and finishes include open-concept layouts with square-edged quartz countertops in kitchens and stacked laundry facilities. Ground-floor and ninth-floor terraces come with gas connections and hose bibs for barbecues. In-suite energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) and heat pumps provide efficient climate control and improved air quality, with a geothermal heating and cooling system serving the building and some parking spaces equipped with smart charging stations for electric vehicles. Smart technology includes automated parcel lockers, in-suite thermostats and a residents’ app that controls access to common areas and suites with smart locks.
Construction is set to begin in March 2025, with Phase 1 slated for occupancy in 2027 and full build-out expected to be complete by 2029.
Starting in the $500,000s for one-bedroom-plus-den units. For more information, visit mattamyhomes.com.
Three things
With construction on the 162-hectare Milton Education Village having recently started, Conestoga College and Wilfrid Laurier University are moving closer to hosting students in a master-planned mixed-use institutional, residential and commercial development on the lands west of Tremaine Road, south of Derry Road and north of Britannia Road.
The sprawling Milton Community Sports Park is home to a range of active amenities. Outdoors there’s a large playground, spray pad, accessible swing, skate park, BMX course, four basketball courts, six beach volleyball courts, soccer fields and baseball diamonds. The on-site community centre, meanwhile, offers a swimming pool, sports gyms, fitness facilities and more. 805 Santa Maria Blvd.
As of Nov. 4, an additional morning rush-hour GO train departs Milton GO Station at 8:15 a.m., making all stops to Union Station. For the commute home, an additional afternoon rush-hour trip departs Union Station at 4:40 p.m., making all stops to the Milton GO Station.