Historically, downsizing wasn’t necessarily synonymous with excitement. We can be honest about that.
But times have changed.
Today, downsizing can translate to upgrading. This means improving everything from home design and finishes, to quality of daily life. It can also mean a more positive transition into condo living than was seen in the past – offering Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers more security to live their best empty-nesting lives.
Take, for example, Camrost Felcorp's Upper East Village mixed-use master-planned community. It goes without saying that the impressive, design-forward mixed-use development – located at the corner of Brentcliffe and Eglinton Avenues – shines in the location department. This rings especially true for existing Leaside residents who still want to live within walking distance of their favourite local shops and restaurants (and there are plenty of them), but part with the upkeep of a four-bedroom Leaside house.
In particular, Upper East Village offers two alluring offerings for today’s down-sizers.
Upper East Village
36 Brentcliffe: Redefining Rentals
One is 36 Brentcliffe, a shiny new purpose-built rental. We’re entering an era where new purpose-built rentals – buildings that have all the bells and whistles of urban condo living but are leased through a professional management company – are redefining the tenant experience in Toronto. For downsizers, the luxurious 36 Brentcliffe is a great opportunity to try out condo living before purchasing or committing to it long-term – especially for those making the big transition from a ground-level home. Not to mention, a potentially pesky landlord is removed from the equation.
“You’re dealing with a professional landlord, not a Mom-and-Pop investor, or someone who has a handful of units,” says Christopher Castellano, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Camrost Felcorp, of the 36 Brentcliffe experience. “Instead, you’re dealing with a large institution. If you’re coming from a house, you don’t know if you’re going to like condo living, or if it’s going to work for you in the long-term. Being in a purpose-built rental, where you know everything is going to be handled for you from a service perspective, is a great option as a first foray into condos.”
An upscale purpose-built rental like 36 Brentcliffe may also appeal to those who don’t live in Toronto full-time – those with secondary cottages, farms, and winter homes down south, for example.
“With a purpose-built rental run by one institution, you know that the management is going to look after everything when you’re away,” says Castellano. “We have better security guards, better maintenance, and the building is generally just better looked-after than if you were to go to a typical condo building.” Things like aging elevators don’t become issues in purpose-built rentals because potential issues are addressed at the get-go, he says.
Upper East Village
“We have the building’s best interest at heart, and are not trying to penny-pinch when it comes to maintenance,” Castellano explains. “We can address things before they become problems. As developers, we’ve set up a really robust condo budget in terms of things like maintenance, cleanliness, janitorial services, and HVAC issues. So, with a lot of management companies that come in after the developer, the first thing they do is start slashing budgets so they can show savings to the owners. This lets them be on good terms with the condo board. But, if you look five or six years down the road, it starts to cause a lot of issues with maintenance around the building.”
With 36 Brentcliffe, everything is managed from top to bottom. “So, downsizers don’t have a potentially inefficient building or management staff to worry about,” says Castellano.
And the hotel-inspired amenities don’t hurt either.
The Lifestyle Upgrade: 33 Frederick Todd
For downsizers who are looking to purchase, Upper East Village’s 33 Frederick Todd Way makes an appealing choice, with a well-rounded lifestyle front and centre.
“This is a building built for end-users, and features a lot of people who moved from outside of the city but still want to keep some of that suburban feel,” says Castellano.
With its location far enough from the downtown core (but still just a short drive away), and its unique cluster of nearby big box shops that complement its countless small businesses – a rarity in the city – Leaside offers a distinct suburban-meets-urban flavour. “Its residents want to live close to the core without being within it,” says Castellano. “They appreciate their breathing room. They’re done cleaning big homes, shovelling snow, and cutting grass, but they still want to live enriching, free lives.”
That’s not to say that the suites at 33 Frederick Todd are small; the building features no shortage of family-size suites, with units ranging from two-bedrooms to townhomes. And Upper East Village's new local park is an appreciated alternative to a backyard — minus the work.
What's more, in the sphere of lifestyle enrichment, 33 Frederick Todd features a slew of luxurious amenities. These range from a state-of-the-art fitness facility with top-quality equipment and a completely outfitted massage room, to two levels of outdoor space, fire pits, outdoor dining, and outdoor seating. All of this is currently waiting to be discovered, as the anticipated building is welcoming its first residents.
READ: Holistic Urban Living: How Upper East Village Elevates The Leaside Standard
And finally, if neither of the aforementioned options quite fit the bill — perhaps you're not quite ready to move out of your ground-level home, but you know doing so is in your near-future plans — you may opt to explore pre-construction suites at The Frederick. Like 33 Frederick Todd, these sleek and spacious residences range from one bedrooms through to townhomes, and promise an elevated approach for tomorrow's downsizer.
No matter what option you choose, residents of Upper East Village enjoy the vibrancy of Leaside and its abundance of boutique shops, restaurants, cafés, and green spaces – all within walking distance. Not to mention, for those downsizers looking to part with a car (or two), the development is just steps from Laird Station on the brand new Eglinton LRT.
So, if you’re in the market to downsize – while upgrading your lifestyle – exploring Upper East Village should be at the top of your honey-do list.
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This article was produced in partnership with STOREYS Custom Studio.
