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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2014 SECTION H CE ON2 brings the sweetener Love Condos gets to heart of Chinese community

‘Because I’m a newcomer, I understand,’ says builder

NEIL SHARMA SPECIAL TO THE STAR Love Condominiums aims to engage resi- dents with the world just outside their lobby door and the things they, well, love. “Love is being built in a neighbourhood surrounded by services and organizations that cater to the growing Chinese com- munity,” said Yan Wang, vice-president of Gemterra Developments Co., builder of the Scarborough highrise. “Simply walk a few steps and residents can shop at Agin- court (Mall), or enjoy a delicious meal at one of the many Chinese restaurants lo- cated nearby. “Love is more than a condo building, it’s a community,” added Wang. Located on Bonis Ave., near Kennedy Rd. and Sheppard Ave., the two towers plus townhomes will be located near Pac- ific Mall and the Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto, both the largest of their kind in . Moreover, the entire neighbourhood it- STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR self is an amenity with nearby doctors’ Aura Condos resident Derrick Lai works out at the building’s 42,000-sq.-ft. Hard Candy Fitness as Riz Dhanji, vice-president of sales and offices, law firms and other services for marketing for Aura builder Canderel Residential, looks on. Madonna, in the wall art, will be at the gym Tuesday for its grand opening. the community. Even Love Condominium’s sales centre has Mandarin and Cantonese speaking Madge in T.O. for grand opening receptionists. Guanning Yi and her fiancé, Stephen of Hard Candy Fitness at Aura Condo Hilchie, purchased an 800 square-foot, two-bedroom suite at Love because the IAN HARVEY “No one has to neighbourhood, building and price suited SPECIAL TO THE STAR their needs as first-time buyers. While Yi Madonna’s got some Hard Candy to sweeten the deal wait . . . there’s has lived here for nearly four years, having for prospective buyers at Aura Condominiums, and spin, yoga, moved from China, she says the multicul- she’ll be in Toronto Tuesday to add some perspiration steam rooms tural character that includes a large Chi- to that inspiration. nese community in and around Love That’s Hard Candy Fitness, as in the fitness centre and an amazing Condos is a bonus. which occupies 42,000 square feet and will have its juice bar.” The couple were initially unaware the grand opening on the fourth floor of what is Canada’s building would cater to the Chinese com- tallest condominium at Yonge and Gerrard Sts. RIZ DHANJI HARD CANDY FITNESS munity but say they enjoy that aspect. CANDEREL Madonna leads a class at Hard Candy Fitness in HARD CANDY continued on H6 RESIDENTIAL , . LOVE continued on H10

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*Prices and specifications are subject to change without notice.Illustrations are artist’s concept only. Building andviewnottoscale.Tridel®,TridelBuiltforLife®, Tridel Built Green. Built for Life.® are registered Facebook.com/Tridel Twitter.com/Tridel trademarks of Tridel and used under license. ©Tridel2014.Allrightsreserved.E.&O.E.January2014. tridel.com H6⎮TORONTO STAR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2014 ON ON2 >> HOMES & CONDOS Material Girl will lead upcoming workout

HARD CANDY from H1

The Material Girl is an investor in the club which not only feature cool, modern exercise machines and equipment but is also chock full of exercise programming and covers everything from abs to cycling to spinning to yoga. “Madge” is no virgin when it comes to fitness clubs and has been invest- ing in and extending her brand to Hard Candy, right down to the choosing the name. She’ll personally lead an “Addicted to Sweat” workout Tuesday with some 50 participants who have been brought in, winners of contests held at the other Hard Candy clubs around the world, at the Grand Opening event. “They’ve been practising for At Yonge and Gerrard Sts., months, getting all the dance steps in 78-storey Aura is Canada’s tallest the routine down,” said Annick-Isa- condo tower. belle Marcoux, president and CEO of the Toronto club. “It’s exhausting. utility space — it really makes you No wonder she’s in such good shape.” want to use it.” Leonard Schlemm, chairman and He has a one-bedroom-plus-den co-owner of Hard Candy Fitness To- suite with about 700 square feet and ronto, said while Madonna doesn’t adds that after living in three condos invest in all Hard Candy Fitness over five years, he said it’s a welcome clubs personally, she has in Toronto change to see a fitness space which is “because it was on her wish list of not just useable but inviting. favourite cities. She’s always felt wel- What Hard Candy Fitness and Au- come in Toronto.” ra represent, says Mark Stables, CEO Hard Candy was founded in 2010 as of Movement Haus, which specializ- a partnership with Madonna and es in designing, installing and operat- New Evolution Ventures, itself creat- ing fitness centres in condominium ed two years earlier in San Francisco. buildings, is a tipping point in the The co-founders of NeV, Mark Mas- market place. trov and Schlemm are icons in the Simply put, Madonna’s Hard Can- fitness business. They began in 1983 dy is in vogue. with a $17,000 investment in a small Stables has fitness centres in 60 California gym and went on to build buildings, most in Toronto but a cou- an empire which they later sold for ple in Miami and he’s next aiming for more than $1 billion. Their experi- New York City. ence spans more than 800 clubs and “A lot of the buyers are moving in over one million members in 20 from the ’burbs and they don’t have countries. the money to pay for personal train- Schlemm, also a runner and cyclist, ers and fitness clubs,” he said. “So and based in Montreal, and said the they want group classes at their con- partnership with Hard Candy is the dos. first in Canada and adds to clubs in “It’s also social for them and a , , Santiago, Mexico chance to meet their neighbours and City, , St. Petersburg, and HARD CANDY FITNESS have a sense of community.” Berlin. He has also partnered with Hard Candy Fitness in opened three years ago with Madonna in attendance to lead a class. He adds that while many develop- Canadian basketball legend Steve ers have picked up on the trend and Nash in a chain of B.C. Fitness Clubs. “(Madonna) says everything are incorporating fitness centre de- Schlemm recently married Mar- > AURA signs early in the process, “You have coux whose love of sports and fitness is better when it’s hard, to understand the demographics and Location: 388 Yonge St., Toronto bedroom-plus-den, 900 sq. ft., $1 as an alpine ski racer, former nation- actually live in condos to get it, and especially bodies” 78 floors; 985 units million to $3.75 million; top floor, al champion mountain- and road- some still don’t,” he said. Builder: Canderel Residential Inc.; 11,379 sq. ft., from $18.3 million biker and Ironman competitor led to ANNICK-ISABELLE MARCOUX, As for Madge herself, she’s never HARD CANDY FITNESS Graziani + Corazza Architects Other amenities: Two-storey glass her current role with Toronto’s Hard been shy about exposure or making a Partially occupied enclosed lobby; 5th-floor land- Candy, and Club Athletic Mansfield spectacle of herself. It’s also nice to Still under construction: Executive scaped rooftop; guest suites ; 9 and Club Atwater in Montreal. initially considered the traditional know that all is forgiven and that T.O. units: $1,458 sq. ft., $1.25 million; high-speed elevators; 24-7 con- Marcoux said some 60 per cent of route of selling the space back to the is back on her on her “love you baby” penthouses, 2-bedroom and 2- cierge; 180,000 sq. ft. of retail. Hard Candy’s programming is based condo corporation and letting them list (with credit to singer Robbie Wil- on Madonna’s concept and Tues- run it. liams). It was here in 1990, according day’s big launch event will feature a Putting in just anything, however, buyers want a multi-function party Hard Candy. to news reports at the time, that To- series of live DJs and other artist wasn’t going to work for Canderal or room to entertain large groups, out- Aura Condo residents get a mem- ronto police investigated Madonna’s performances, including the cre- Aura, he added, and that’s what led to door space like a terrace or rooftop bership as part of their maintenance Blond Ambition tour performance ation of a graffiti mural. the partnership with Schlemm. and they want a gym,” he said. fees. Non-residents can also join for a over obscenity concerns. With 19-foot floor-to-ceiling win- “I’ve never seen anything like this,” What they don’t want, though, is a membership fee and sign up for pro- Madonna (Louise Veronica Cic- dows surrounding the gym and over- says Dhanji. “It’s massive. No one has fitness centre tucked away in a win- grams on a pay-as-you-sweat basis. cone), who includes “no sweat, no looking Yonge St. and Dundas to wait for a machine, there’s spin, dowless room with entry-level Condo owner Derrick Lai already candy” as one of her mantras, also Square, it’s light years away from typ- yoga, steam rooms and an amazing equipment that is not maintained loves what he has seen, and experi- came up with the name for the chain ical condo gyms. juice bar.” and not enough room to accommo- enced, since the soft launch back in of fitness centres. It is, however, in keeping with de- Notes Josh MacLean of Urbana- date the number of residents who October. “Hard Candy comes from Madon- veloper Canderel Residential Inc.’s tion, a condo market analytics firm, want to work out. “Getting Hard Candy was a bonus,” na,” says Marcoux. “She says every- strategy to stand out in the gyms are in the top three demands of The changing demands of buyers said Lai, an architect who has just thing is better when it’s hard, espe- Riz Dhanji, vice-president of sales new condo buyers. are driving developers to step up hung out a shingle with his own firm, cially bodies. I don’t think I can go and marketing at Canderel, said they “Top three across all demographics, their game and that opened doors for Prop. “The view is great and it’s not a much further than that.”

Act to the New Neighbours Tax Act to provide clarity to Ontarians about Bryan the purpose, intent and cumulative effect that these charges have on Tuckey families being able to afford a new home or business in Ontario. According to a study by the Altus ‘Neighbour Group, a Toronto-based global real estate consultant, more than one- Tax’ an apt fifth of the cost of a new home is made up of government fees and charges, of which DCs make up the moniker most significant portion. In the six municipalities that the study looked It isn’t easy being a new neighbour at, DCs have increased between 143 KATE in this province. and 357 per cent since 2004. TORONTO STAR FILE PHOTO If you have just bought a new We believe new neighbours al- Buyers of new condos and houses home or business in Ontario, you ready do their fair share. They con- contribute about $1 billion in might know this from paying devel- tribute about $1billion in devel- development charges every year to opment charges (DCs). opment charges every year to GTA GTA municipalities. DCs are used by municipalities to municipalities. KNOWS. pay for new, growth-related infra- We also think new neighbours be secure in their finances. structure like bridges, sewers, librar- deserve accountability, so I’d like to Third, as experts of this industry, ies and other public services. These present three solutions that give we feel our association would be charges are paid by new-home them what’s deserved. most qualified to assist in the cre- buyers within the final purchase First, each municipality’s DC re- ation of a best practices manual price of a new home or business. serve fund should be the focus of a related to DCs in partnership with Did you know that you also pay yearly public meeting to inform new the province and municipalities so HST on DCs? Since DCs are part of neighbours about the infrastructure that we can be even more effective the final purchase price, that makes their payments contributed to. at building quality, complete com- them HST applicable. Is it fair that These meetings should cover con- munities. new-home buyers in the GTA are struction schedules and estimated The province, municipalities and essentially paying a tax on a tax? completion times for all projects development industry rely heavily BILD and the Ontario Home that receive DC funds. Ideally, the on new neighbours. They deserve to Builders’ Association teamed up for province would pass a law to make be treated properly for their role in the recent 80-day public consulta- these meetings mandatory. keeping our economy moving. tion over the Development Charges Second, to eliminate uncertainty For more information, visit tiny- Forthoseintheknow. Act. We collaborated on a solutions- and the burden of an unexpected url.com/ndhzomv. oriented set of recommendations on DC increase, we have also recom- Bryan Tuckey is president and CEO of behalf of new-home buyers and mended that the province makes it the Building Industry and Land Devel- industry professionals. compulsory for municipalities to set opment Association and a land-use PREVIEW REGISTRATION One of the recommendations in up DCs in a transition phase before planner who has worked for municipal, THECUMBERLAND.CA the submission to the province was a new DCs bylaw is introduced. The regional and provincial governments. that our leaders should change the framework would give new neigh- Follow him at twitter.com/bildgta, name of the Development Charges bours the information so they can facebook.com/bildgta, and bildblogs.ca.