Aurora Allegro single family home Can you create a master-planned luxury community and fit it on a former golf course in downtown Aurora? That’s what Geranium is doing with Allegro. This is the third phase of the project and homeowners are already living in the area. Allegro will consist of 157 single-family detached homes, released in phases. The property is scenic, filled with mature trees and surrounded by plenty of amenities. You’ll find Allegro between Yonge and Bathurst, near the heart of Aurora.

Livabl spoke with Stephanie Lane, Geranium’s director of sales and marketing, about Allegro and its vision.

Allegro is being built on a former golf course. How do you plan to fit into that space?
It has been a carefully and thoughtfully planned design, [that pays] homage to the existing community. We worked with residents, the municipality, and approval agencies to ensure the best residential community was achieved. As well, the community has some amazing environmental features, including streams, and mature trees which we are preserving and enhancing.

Approximately half of the developable area is being maintained as public park space for the community. The new homes in Allegro are knit into the existing and established neighbourhood, so it feels like we’ve always been there.

What kinds of challenges have you faced in placing a development into this infill?
As an infill development and working within the narrow confines of the former fairways of the golf course, traditional streetscapes of a road with homes on either side wouldn’t fit. Instead, a single-loaded road concept (homes on only one side of the street) was designed, and we introduced an approximate 30-foot-wide trail system opposite, which in addition to enhancing the walkability of the community, acts as a buffer area between the existing and new homes.

With hundreds of trees that are being preserved – many over 100-feet tall – we wanted to maintain as much of the natural beauty as possible. The challenge in doing so, however, was how we designed our homes to fit the lots with the set-back requirements while respecting the tree-preservation areas throughout.

What is something that makes Allegro truly unique?
Allegro’s most unique characteristic is, as we’ve mentioned, that it’s built on a former golf course in an established community. The Aurora Highlands area features homes built 20, 30-plus years ago providing a mature and lush [environment] as the backdrop for the new homes.

Unlike a new subdivision where sapling trees are planted and require many years to flourish, the song of the birds and natural fauna welcome you home the day you move in. Given Allegro’s location in downtown Aurora, everyday conveniences of shopping (both big box and smaller, privately owned businesses) and plentiful transportation options are ready and waiting for you to enjoy. Finally, Allegro’s uniqueness is also evident in our leading-edge designs and behind-the-wall building practices where we place a lot of emphasis on construction innovation.

Aurora Allegro single family home

What type of buyer are you hoping to attract with Allegro? Who would Allegro appeal to?
Due to Allegro’s desirable location in the north end of York Region, homeowners to date have primarily been moving from Richmond Hill, Vaughan and Markham, looking for additional space and internal amenities such as offices and media rooms.

Also, our optional elevator plans are proving attractive for those considering multi-generational family living. Allegro offers exceptional single family detached residences on 52- and 61-foot lots, perfect for growing families. But, we’re also appealing to those looking to downsize in acreage while maintaining a similar house size, for example, someone from King City on a multiple-acre lot where the upkeep and maintenance has become a bit too much to manage.

What makes downtown Aurora an appealing place to live?
Aurora is recognized as one of the top 25 places to live in Canada, so it makes sense as to why families would want to live here. Downtown Aurora combines small town charm and mature neighbourhoods, with a generous helping of urban amenities and first-class attractions. You will see that downtown Aurora accommodates all age groups.

For those looking for an easy commute, Highways 400, 404 and 407 are nearby, as well as the Aurora GO train and the new Bloomington GO station, which will have you in Toronto in about an hour. For families who like to stay active, you can enjoy a relaxing stroll or bike ride as you explore Sheppard’s Bush Conservation Area.

For children who are looking for something to do outside of school, you can discover your artistic passion at the Aurora Cultural Centre. The Town of Aurora does an excellent job at coming up with events to keep the community involved. Each season they have an array of events for the community to partake in. Some of their most notable events are Cycle Aurora, Hello Spring, and their own Christmas market.

To learn more about Allegro, visit geranium.com.

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