In this white hot market with sellers demanding a king’s ransom for even the most nondescript house, it’s good to know a marquee project like Kleinburg Crown Estates is still well within the reach of many.
It’s a collection of elegant, executive homes on 60 and 70 ft. lots in a picturesque community that seems a million miles from the big city, but it’s really just a short hop to downtown Toronto.
The Village of Kleinburg, located in the City of Vaughan and running along the northern edge of Toronto, is filled with unique restaurants and quaint yet trendy boutiques. It’s home to the renowned McMichael Canadian Art Collection, the expansive Humber River Trails, the Kortright Conservation Centre, and the popular Copper Creek Golf Club.
Vaughan’s mixture of prestigious schools, cycling trails, high end shopping, sports facilities and farmers market completes this delicious recipe for a fulfilling lifestyle.
Simply put, it’s an enviable, established destination—not a subdivision.
The exclusive development, surrounded by ravines and mature woodlots, is just north of Major Mackenzie Drive and west of Highway 27. That’s the route that connects the community with all the 400 series highways in and around the Greater Toronto Area.
The houses range in size from 4,300 sq. ft to 7,840 sq. ft. and are being constructed by two of the industry’s top builders —Caliber Homes and SkyHomes.
Prices start in the low $2 millions but with the current “Spring into Luxury Living” offer, buyers will receive up to $125,000 in upgrades. As well, the deal also includes eligibility in a draw with two winners ultimately parking a luxury BMW vehicle in their new garages (draw closes end of November, 2016).
With basic “no frill” homes selling for well over the $1 million in Toronto most real estate analysts are recognizing Kleinburg Crown Estates as a wonderful opportunity.
“You’re getting everything with this project,” says Alda Neves Dubé, director of sales and marketing at Intercity Realty Inc., the developments brokerage firm. “A quick look around the quiet community sees kids playing and families going for long walks. But if you want to go to Toronto (for theatre, a Raptors or Jays game) Highway 27 is right there.”
Kleinburg is connected to the GTA through extensive services supplied by local and regional transit systems as well as the TTC. There are two GO Train stops in Vaughan, (one close to Kleinburg.) Also, Vaughan is soon to be the site of a subway station (end of 2017) for the Toronto—York Spadina Extension at Jane St. and Highway 7.
The elegance of the community—featuring only fully detached homes—is only surpassed by the actual homes themselves.
Two models at Kleinburg Crown Estates are waiting to show off soaring ceilings, reaching 10 feet in many of the homes, with oversized baseboards, cornice mouldings, smooth ceilings, oak stairs. and iron pickets.
For a new level of luxury there are also gorgeous flooring options, trimmed archways, custom cabinetry, and unique countertops. Neves Dubé says some of the more spectacular “custom options” include elevators, loggias, wine rooms, and theatres “that will add exceptional glamour to your dream home.”
“We have beautiful rooflines and integrated pre-cast brick,” Neves Dubé says. “A lot of time and detail have been put into every house. They’re works of art.”
The loggia—a space that is covered on top, attached to the home with one side open to the rear yard—is becoming a popular entertainment feature in North America following the tradition of many European countries.
“It’s something different …. Something new and something that is really catching on.” says Neves Dubé. “It’s unique and setting a new standard.”
All the homes are special, but for those with distinct tastes Caliber has provided the Crown Jewel Collection with Skyhomes offering up its Faberge Collection. These homes are on 70 ft. lots and offer the ultimate in luxury living.
She says the attention to detail, including sweeping staircases and lighting, add to the cachet of living at Kleinburg Crown Estates.
Caliber Homes won a BILD (Building Industry and Land Development) Award for the Philip Model home at Kleinburg Crown Estates. The builder’s Sofia model home surpasses expectations with its integrated stone, brick and pre-cast concrete elements creating a grand distinguished facade.
The inside features 11 foot ceilings on the main level, a sweeping oak staircase with custom ornamental wrought iron railings, a majestic pre-cast limestone mantel fireplace, luxe porcelain floors, a stunning waterfall kitchen island, as well as granite and marble bathroom vanity tops, and sumptuous ensuite.
With more than four decades of fine homebuilding, Skyhomes’ reputation precedes them at Kleinburg Crown Estates. Luxury is personified in the Opal Model with beautiful waffle ceilings, elegant wall paneling, oversized plank hardwood floors, rope lighting an open riser staircase in addition to a personal cinema room, and a spacious loft.
Known for their superior craftsmanship, Skyhomes was proudly nominated at this year’s BILD Awards for Best Model Home.
Neves Dubé, who says there has been growing interest in the development from the Asian community, added that some of the homes feature five bedrooms and are perfect for new families or for those who wish to entertain family and friends.
“The demand for luxury homes is still high, but the supply is rapidly decreasing,” she says. “The homes in this project have so many features and the lot sizes are so large they will always keep their value.”
Neves Dubé says amenities abound with Vaughan Mills Shopping Mall nearby, one of the largest centres of its kind in North America and offers a range of products for the entire community including high end clothing, restaurants, and more. “Kleinburg is special,” she says. “It’s a wonderful place to raise a family.”
Marilyn Iafrate, Vaughan’s town councillor for Kleinburg and Maple, called the community a “jewel” that’s “surrounded by so much green you'd think you were in the country.”
“It has the feel of a real village because it is one,” she says. “You drive in from the hectic city and soon as you arrive you’re at peace.”
Iafrate says the McMichael Canadian Art Collection—which houses an extensive collection of paintings by Canadian artist Tom Thomson, the Group of Seven, as well as First Nations and Inuit artists—isn’t just an asset to Kleinberg but to all of Canada.
“The gallery is very, very important,” Iafrate says. “It’s our history ... it’s about our country. It’s a spot to go and learn, enjoy, and appreciate beautiful works of art.”
She feels the same appreciation for the community’s expansive Kortright Centre, a major conservation centre operated by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.
Iafrate says the centre, surrounded by nature, is a wonderful platform where students receive a “hands on” “environment education about plant and wildlife populations and their relationship with the ecosystem. It also features one of Canada’s largest renewable energy demonstrations and helps individuals understand their role in maintaining a healthy environment. Between March and mid-April it holds its annual Maple Syrup festival.
Iafrate is very proud that there will soon be a ground breaking for a new Vaughan hospital that will be located at Jane St. and Major Mackenzie Dr.
The model home and sales office for Caliber Homes is at 221 Timber Creek Blvd. open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Mon. to Thur. and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends, holidays and Friday by appointment. Call 905-552-1040 or visit caliberhomes.ca.
The model home and sales office for Skyhomes is at 1 Tiburon Trail and open from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., Mon. to Thur. and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekends, holidays, and Friday by appointment. Call 905-552-0847 or visit Skyhomes.ca or kleinburgcrown.ca.
Paul Irish is a Toronto-based freelance journalist.
