Award

June 2013

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photos: philip castleton The Residences of Spring Hill by Dan O'Reilly recently completed 200,000-square-foot adult lifestyle condominium in King City is an example of how developers are meeting the challenges of Ontario planning policies intended to direct growth towards existing towns and cities. Designed by AJ Tregebov Architects, built by construction manager Buttcon Limited and developed by Rossbro Development Corporation, the Residences of Spring Hill is a fourstorey, country-inspired adults' condominium that has been designed with the active adult in mind.  Situated on a three-acre site adjacent to a 20-acre conservation area, the building is dressed with a heritage brick and country rubble-stone facade that is in keeping with the surrounding countryside. Named after the original hamlet of Spring Hill, which later became the Village of King and subsequently King City, the Residences of Spring Hill is the culmination of three years of planning, design and construction, says Paul Rossetto, president of Rossbro Development Corporation that also acted as project manager. "This is not your standard condominium," says Rossetto, noting that it is the most ambitious and luxurious building his company has brought on stream. Just some of its amenities include a fitness and wellness centre managed by a full-time recreation director and more than 7,000-square-feet of amenity space. There are 26 different suite designs, with a varied choice of one-, two-, and two-bedroom-and-den layouts to choose from. Purchasers can also have their units specifically customized to suit their own tastes, says Rossetto. As a green building and a registered Green Globes condominium, the Residences of Spring Hill is at the "forefront of energy conservation and technical innovation, and will be among the greenest condominiums in the York Region," says the developer, citing an almost endless array of energy-saving and environmental initiatives. High on that list is the building's energy-efficient HVAC system that was A 13-05-10 1:49 PM The Residences of Spring Hill p80-81The Residences of Spring Hill.indd 81 designed and built by TRAK International as part of the total mechanical provision. The system features a central groundsource geothermal system, large capacity central water-towater heat pump modules manufactured by TRAK, custom TED Boxes and various energy recycling methods. The TRAK Energy Management Controls System coordinates the HVAC components and a natural-gas driven combined heat and power (CHP) generator provided by Buttcon Energy Inc. TRAK controls the technology to automatically optimize building comfort in a cost-efficient way, says Jeff Maxwell, president of TRAK . Each suite has low-flow showerheads, faucets and waterconserving toilets, plus individual electrical metering. "The Residences of Spring Hill takes its environmental responsibility seriously," says Rossetto, adding that these measures will help ensure quality of life while respecting the environment. Until the Spring Hill residences was built there was no other alternative housing available for people no longer willing, or able, to maintain their large houses, says Rossetto. "They simply had to move out of area." A clear demonstration of the void the condominium has filled is that almost all of the units have been sold, Rossetto points out. To reach that milestone, however, a number of key objectives had to be attained. The first of those was the regulatory approval process that was somewhat surprisingly straight-forward. "It's never easy to get a building built in Ontario. This was easier than most. The township was very supportive and wanted this project," says architect Alan Tregebov. The condominium meets the objectives of Ontario's growth policies and the township's own intensification plans for an approximately two-kilometre stretch of King Road, the main thoroughfare, he says. More formidable was the challenge of designing, building and placement of a 200,000-square-foot structure in a small village environment, says the architect. Another key feature in minimizing the impact of the Residences – an inverted L-shaped building located at the southwest quadrant of Keele Street and King Road at the west edge of King City – is the "King Road Buffer." Inspired by the area's farm hedgerows and laneways, the buffer consists of a discontinuous crossbuck fence that is interspersed with hedgerows of either coniferous trees or common lilacs with the intent being to create and coordinate a soft and predominantly green edge to the site. In fact, there is green perimeter right around the site. This has been achieved through the careful planting of trees and shrubs and number of both formal and informal gardens that are linked with a walking trail. Another design element is the use of native and rural plants, says Tregebov. n Location 80 Burns Boulevard, King City, Ontario Owner/Developer/ Project Manager Rossbro Development Corporation Architect AJ Tregebov Architects General Contractor Buttcon Limited Structural Consultant Brenik Engineering Mechanical/ Electrical Consultant M.V. Shore Associates Ltd. Geothermal Consultant Trak International Total Building Area 200,000 square feet Total Cost Undisclosed june 2013    /81 13-05-30 2:36 PM

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