HomeMy WebLinkAbout425"Article copied from THE TORONTO STAR, Sat., July 6, 1974.
Pickering gets its first high-rise apartment
Illustration: PEEKING ABOVE THE TREES of the community of Pickering,
the first high-rise tower to be built there is nearing completion. The building is close to
Duffin Creek and just a quarter of a mile off Highway 401.
It is in a heavily treed area. The building is aimed solely to adults which are likely to be
workers in downtown Toronto. It is only 22 miles from downtown. Rents have not yet
been set by the builders. The area is quite.
The first high-rise apartment building in Pickering Village is designed ""to attract city
workers who want to escape to the country every day.
The atmosphere of Pickering has not changed much in 50 years. It's still a quiet
community of about 1,000 people full of stately homes and trees. It's a place where
retired people take a pride in their gardens.
The new high-rise tower takes advantage of this country quiet. It is located on Church
St., the main north-south street of Pickering, on the banks of Duffin Creek, a quarter of
a mile north of Highway 401.
Just a whisper
It's far enough so that the noise of the highway is just a whisper.
There are 13 floors and 145 suites in the new tower. There are 12 three bedroom
apartments, 84 two-bedroom and 48 one-bedroom suites. It's strictly an adult building.
This was one of the stipulations made by the municipality when the permit for the
building was framed. It saves building new schools.
On the ground floor of the building is 10.000 square feet of professional office space
aimed at doctors, lawyers and business offices plus another 8,500 square feet of
recreational space for the tenants.
This area will include an indoor swimming pool, squash courts, saunas,
change and party rooms. Outside there will be tennis courts and a sundeck.
Ready in fall
The building which had its topping off ceremony a week ago Friday was designed by
architect Dietrich Boecker and is being built by Captain Developments Ltd. This is a
long established firm and is mainly involved in developing summer properties around
Georgian Bay and other resort areas.
The building will be finished in the fall.
Pickering Village, which is 20 miles from downtown Toronto, really doesn't exist as an
entity any more. It is not even in Pickering Township, but is part of Ajax.
This came about with the advent of regional government.
The older established residents of Pickering resented the change and didn't want to
be linked with Ajax and its boomtown atmosphere.
They also resented the intrusion of the new high-rise apartment building,
but the resentment wasn't strong enough to keep it out.
The building is visible from Highway 401 as a steel and concrete column topped by
two huge cranes peeping above the lush trees Pickering.
Although the company is taking reservations for specific suites the building,
final rent levels have not yet been set.
"