Plan for former industrial site earns kudos

The revitalization of a former ship-building site into an upscale resort-inspired community on Georgian Bay has earned Fram Building Group and Slokker Real Estate Group a major award over other innovative and environmentally sustainable developments on brownfield sites across Canada.

Based on several factors – including inventive resolutions regarding contamination issues and high-quality urban designs and public spaces – the project, known as the Shipyards, was named Best Large-Scale Project at the Canadian Urban Institute's annual Brownie Awards held last month.

“We are thrilled to receive The Shipyards' first Brownie Award in recognition of our commitment to the environment and the Collingwood community," said Fred Serrafero, vice-president of development and construction at Fram.

The developers went to great lengths to clean up and enhance the natural assets of the 40-acre property where the Collingwood Shipyards was founded in 1883.

Located 90 minutes north of Toronto, the master-planned community will house 600 condominium residences, from bungalows to mid-rise buildings, as well as retail and recreational amenities within a pedestrian-friendly setting.

Contaminated soil was reused to form a seven-acre public park, which is nearly completed with an amphitheatre, lookout point, native plantings and trails connecting to the Georgian Trail.

Along the shoreline, there is a nature preserve, man-made fish habitat and a waterfront promenade, in addition to future docks, public square, shops and restaurants on the pier.

“The Brownie Awards are a true reflection of our environmental commitment over the past five years and will add credence to The Shipyards' continued success in the future," states Bruce Kerr, president of Slokker Real Estate Canada.

To date, 150 homes were released and 70 per cent sold. Roughly 40 residences are complete and the balance will be ready later this year through to 2010.

Existing roads from Collingwood's commercial centre are being extended into the project, which will ultimately reconnect the downtown to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years.

“It is a revitalization project that is incredible for the local residents and also anyone that's moving into a Shipyards property," says the project's director of sales, Tara Parsons.

Specialty grocers, boutiques and restaurants, such as Café Chartreuse and Tesoro, currently serve the town, which is also undergoing changes, including a new library, wider roads and improved streetscapes.

“If someone's purchasing now and moving in next year, the majority of all the local construction will be finished," says Ms. Parsons.

Year round, outdoor enthusiasts can ski, snowshoe, golf and sail, as well as explore the Scenic Caves or Wasaga Beach nearby.

Arts and culture fans can visit annual music festivals, museums and theatres, along with Le Scandinave Spa.

To give buyers a sense of the lifestyle, they will get a social membership to OslerBrook Golf and Country Club. Valued up to $11,500 with a $5,000 credit for upgrades to other memberships, the package gives owners access to the clubhouse, dining room and golf facilities, among other perks. 

“This is truly a unique opportunity that will provide Shipyards residents exclusive access to one of the best golf facilities in the region," says Mr. Kerr. “It speaks to the active lifestyle that we know our owners and prospects have and the four season appeal of the Collingwood region as a whole."

Buyers can select from two types of homes now, starting with the Mackinaw Village Townhomes, which will offer two and three-storey units with two to four bedrooms, up to four-car parking and storage, plus front entrances off park-like mews with benches and views of the water.

Monthly fees will be $248 or $244 depending on the model.

Adjacent to the launch basin, a three-storey building, called Side Launch Building No. 1, will contain 38 suites with one and two bedroom plans, with or without dens, and three-bedroom layouts.

Each will come with parking and a locker, plus a monthly fee of 34 cents per square foot. Visitor parking, ski and bike storage will be available.

Standard finishes will include granite counters, oak hardwood floors and 40-ounce broadloom carpeting, plus stainless-steel appliances and minimum nine-foot ceilings on the main floor.

Units under construction will come with $15,000 to $50,000 in upgrades. 

The Shipyards
Location: Collingwood, Ont.
Builders/developers: Fram Building Group and Slokker Real Estate Group
Size: 828 to 3,964 square feet
Price: $264,900 to $934,900
Sales centre: 28 Huron St., at St. Marie Street. Open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from noon to 5 p.m.; Wednesday by appointment; Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Contact: Phone 1-877-446-2626 or visit www.theshipyards.com

Sydnia Yu (Nov. 26, 2009). Plan for former industrial site earns kudos. The Globe And Mail. Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com