Bluffs central to new project

The Scarborough Bluffs aren’t exactly a city secret, but f or Armaan Salek — the first time he visited the location of his new condominium development — they were certainly a surprise. “I’d never been to the Bluffs, personally, before going to visit the site, so I drove down and took a look, and I remember taking pictures and texting them to my friends and their response was, ‘ Wow, this is in our backyard,’” says the principal at Skale Developments. The developer did more than take pictures, though: he introduced a new mid- rise project there, aptly named The Bluffs. Surrounded by local low-rise neighbourhoods, the nine- storey building on Kingston Road at St. Clair Avenue East overlooks Scarborough’s natural landmark, with Highway 401 and the Scarborough Town Centre a 15-minute drive away. “As the city’s growing and expanding, I thought the location was such a ripe opportunity,” Salek adds.

50 Steps: “We’ve got some exciting things coming,” says Salek, and when The Bluffs is built that will include 20,000 square feet of retail located at the base of the building. “That alone is going to animate the whole area,” he says, and will contribute to the amenities already in the neighbourhood. That includes an existing Canadian Tire located just across the street, as well as favourite food spots like Big Boy’s Burgers, just a twominute walk from the site. “It’s delicious,” Salek says, naming King’s Garden Sushi and Wok, the Tara Inn and Rustico Italian Food as other local destinations.

800 Steps: Salek calls the local community family oriented — a fact made clear by all of the schools located throughout the area, from R.H. King Academy and John A. Leslie Public School, to St. Theresa Shrine Catholic School and Blessed Cardinal Newman Catholic High School. And with the kids at school, the adults can commute to their days at work easily enough as well.

2,000 Steps: “It’s a destination,” Salek says of Bluffer’s Park and Beach, one of the biggest drawing points of the local neighbourhood. With a sandy beach, walking trails, picnicking and a boat launch — not to mention Bluffer’s Park Restaurant — it’s no wonder it’s a go-to spot for people. “It’s a beach that you would see at a resort. It’s pretty, white, clean, sandy,” the developer says.

Suites at The Bluffs range from 484 to 1,580 square feet and are priced from the mid$200,000s.