A trio of seven-storey apartment buildings are slated for construction this year, next to Aurora’s Salvation Army on Leslie Street.
The development is to have a total of 345 units at 15286 to 15306 Leslie St., near the intersection with Wellington Street.
Behind the proposed development lies the Northridge Community Church of The Salvation Army, with the church excited to welcome new neighbours to its corner of Leslie, according to head pastor Fred Reid.
“We are in the people business, so to speak, and so we look forward to welcoming our new neighbours,” said Reid. “We want to be good neighbours, and I think that being a good neighbour fosters the opportunity to have good neighbours."
“It's been a lonely part of Leslie for a while,” he added. “It's kind of nice to see some development going in.”
Woodbridge-based developer Royalpark is behind the project, which has been dubbed the Polo Club Condos, with the company touting its “boutique architecture” on its website.
The plans had a circuitous journey to approval, with the Ontario Land Tribunal giving the OK to the official plan and zoning bylaw amendment applications on Aug. 26, 2022.
From there, Aurora council subsequently green-lit the site plan application on Dec. 12, 2023.
Site works and construction are set to start this year on the project, according to Marco Ramunno, the town's director of planning and development services.
Townhouse development
On the north side of Northridge, another condominium development has been built recently.
Council, sitting as a committee of the whole on Jan. 14, looked at a proposal from Toronto-based developer Skale to set up a common elements condominium corporation for the 32-townhouse development at 15370 Leslie St.
Speaking during the meeting, Ramunno said establishing the condominium corporation was the “standard, typical, final step” to allow for tenure of ownership, with the townhouses already built.
“They've been very considerate in their timing and how things work and recognizing that we are a fairly busy church and operation here at the Salvation Army,” added Reid. “So they've been more than willing to work with us around our own needs and some of their own, too.”
“I anticipate that our new neighbours to the south here on Leslie will have the same relationship,” added Reid.
The development is on 2.8-acre plot on Leslie, next to the church. It also backs onto Stewart Burnett Park.
The project has been in the works for several years, with the plan of subdivision being approved Dec. 23, 2020.
