A 160-unit condo – the largest Whitby development in 30 years – breaks ground

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Published March 29, 2022 at 2:15 pm

The largest development in Whitby in 30 years, the Station No. 3 condominium, has broken ground to officially kick off construction.

The Brookfield Residential project has been in the works for several years and is now finally moving forward. Both Whitby and Durham Region have committed funds to the project in effort to “incentivize” new positive developments and investment in the the downtown core. Durham put up $630,000 for the project, while Whitby provided $1,167,500.

Station No. 3, a 6-storey mixed use complex, will sit at Brock St and Colborne St on the former site of Whitby Firehall No. 3. Once occupied, 160 families will call the condo home. The condo units come in one to three bedroom varieties of up to 1,517 square feet.

The goal is to provide more housing in Whitby to a variety of residents, including young professionals, young families and retirees looking to downsize. As a mixed-use building businesses will line the Brock Street frontage, filling 9,500 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor.

The development site is close to the Whitby four corners and the Brock and Dundas Growth Area, which features numerous historic buildings. There are also four schools in the area; Julie Payette Public, West Lynde Public, St Theresa Catholic School, and Henry Street High. 

This mixed-used Brookfield Residential development aligns with Council’s goal of building downtowns where people can work and live close to the shops and services they need. “This will make historic downtown Whitby more vibrant and attractive, ” said Whitby Mayor Don Mitchell.

Developments such as Station No. 3 are being pursued across the Region as Durham’s population is expected to double over the next 20 years to 1.2 million people. Whitby specifically expects a 40 per cent growth by 2033.

This ongoing population growth, driven in part by an exodus from Toronto is pushing housing costs higher. According to real estate tracker Zolo, Whitby’s housing market has become nearly 35 per cent more expensive over the last year with the average house sell fetching $1.3 million.

Housing supply has rebounded to 200 homes on the market in March after a year-long dip reaching 14. However, it has still not returned to the availability seen this time last year.

Meanwhile, per the Toronto Region Real Estate Board February report, condo prices across the GTA climbed last year to $799,999, up 24.6 per cent from 2021. Whitby specifically falls below that at $730,550. However, it remains the highest in Durham Region.

Brookfield Residential hasn’t announced a price range for Station No. 3 units, nor is there an expected opening date for the project.

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