Photos: James Bombales
Kingston-based developer CaraCo Development Corp is presenting prospective homebuyers a rare opportunity for dockside living amongst the renowned Thousand Islands. Stone & South Condos is a new residential project consisting of two boutique six-storey buildings with a total of 70 water-facing units, idyllic landscaped grounds and its own private boat slip. To learn more about the community, BuzzBuzzNews was invited to “Gan” — as the locals call it — for a tour of the project and to experience the impressive amenities and generous hospitality of the picturesque town.
After disembarking from our three-hour train ride from downtown Toronto, our journey began in the neighbouring city of Kingston. Home to major attractions and landmarks like the Cataraqui Centre, K-Rock Centre and Fort Henry, the historic city is easily accessible from Gan, offering residents of Stone & South the charm of small town living with the conveniences of a big city just minutes away.
During the scenic drive towards downtown Gan, trees and greenery give way to old heritage buildings and mansions that have been converted into quaint bed and breakfasts and family-run inns. Architecture buffs will fall in love with the red-bricked Gananoque Town Hall along the north side of King Street East. Built in 1831-32, the structure is one of the best remaining examples of Neo-Classical design throughout Ontario.
Gan’s village-like downtown core is lined with boutique shops and restaurants including Woodchuck Gallery, Riva’s Restaurant and Laverne’s Eatery, known for its eclectic decor, excellent coffee and mouth-watering array of dishes made from local ingredients.
Next door is the Gananoque Brewing Company, located in the 19th-century stone Bell Tower building, which was originally used to manufacture springs and axles for horse-drawn carriages.
Owner Bruce David renovated the historic landmark into a state-of-the-art brewery serving a variety of craft beer including its biggest seller, the Naughty Otter Lager.
The Stone & South Discovery Centre is adjacent to the Brewery at 5 King Street East, inside a former retail building. That’s where we met with Gennaro DiSanto, CEO of Caraco Group of Companies, to hear more about Stone & South.
“We’re tremendously excited about this project. We designed something that’s in keeping with the historical look of the surrounding area, but has a kind of new feel to it,” said DiSanto. “I think the focus of the site is truly based on the location — it’s water-based living — and the town has been very supportive.”
The site itself is a 10-minute walk south of the Discovery Centre, situated between the charming Gananoque Inn and the renowned Thousand Islands Playhouse, a waterfront performing arts venue with two theatres and a boat dock.
With such a prominent location along the St. Lawrence, Stone & South’s exterior by Chamberlain Architects was designed with its historic and natural surroundings in mind. The final plan consists of two six-storey mid-rise buildings characterized by natural stone cladding, floor-to-ceiling windows and grand eight-foot deep balconies that provide the perfect spot to watch the peaceful movement of the tide, breathe in the fresh air, or marvel at the sunrise over the horizon.
Since its original launch in 2017, the project has undergone a few changes to the master-plan in order to maximize views, while creating a more intimate building for residents. However, the same amenities have been maintained throughout the two residences.
“We recently submitted a revised plan to the Town of Gananoque,” said DiSanto. “The West Building remains as initially outlined, with all south suites featuring water views, however, it made sense to create a more intimate and exclusive building for residents, so the east and north-facing suites were eliminated.”
Priced from $488,900, all suites come complete with an underground parking spot, a storage locker and beautiful views of the St. Lawrence River and the majestic Thousand Islands. These open-concept, urban-rustic suites are offered in two-bedroom, two-bedroom-plus-flex and three-bedroom-plus-flex models up to 1,547 square feet.
Interiors are by Reid & Siemonsen and include standard finishes like wide plank engineered hardwood floors, high ceilings and custom-designed kitchens with Shaker-style cabinets, and the choice of open shelving or full-height uppers. The kitchens also come equipped with granite or quartz countertops and an appliance package with a stainless steel dishwasher, stove, range hood and counter-depth Fisher & Paykel refrigerator. While each suite has been designed with style and functionality in mind, homebuyers do have the opportunity to customize their homes to individual tastes and styles.
“We encourage people to customize and upgrade their suites, so we’re going to be spending a lot of time with our purchasers to ensure they get the home they want,” said DiSanto. “We will do our best to accommodate their design requests with our trades.”
Amenities include an elegant lobby with fireplace, bike, canoe and kayak storage, and a state-of-the-art fitness centre. When entertaining large parties, residents can reserve a stunning entertainment lounge complete with kitchen, dining room, games room and WiFi internet access. And of course, waterfront living isn’t complete without a private marina. Boat slips suitable for 30-, 35-, and 40-foot crafts and visitor boat parking are available in the Stone & South Marina, exclusive to residents and their guests. The marina also features a power supply and deckhand, making it easy to spend a day out fishing, swimming or just cruising the St. Lawrence.
Phase One of Stone & South is now selling with construction scheduled to start this fall once the site is excavated and construction crews finish maintenance work on the sea wall.
“Our Discovery Centre re-opened over the Victoria Day weekend and we are very encouraged about the high traffic interest with visitors coming from the Greater Toronto Area, the National Capital Region and Kingston, just down the road,” said Mariah Hamilton, Regional Director at Milborne Group. “We are offering suites for sale only in the East Building during the next few months to enable the presale requirement to be easily attained before this September.”
To learn more about Stone & South Condos, visit the Discovery Centre at 5 King Street East in Gananoque. Hours are Tuesday to Friday from 11am to 5pm and weekends from 12pm to 5pm.
For more information please call 613-876-2524 or email info@stoneandsouthcondos.ca.
