On the map
4Hundred East Mall townhomes rise in Etobicoke
Some kids go wild for Hot Wheels, but growing up, Jordan Teperman was keen on the real deal. “Before I could talk, my bubbie would tell me, I’d say, ‘Look!’ whenever we passed a Teperman truck,” says the fifth-generation lawyer-turned-developer and executive vice-president of Haven Developments.
With its black script on an orange backdrop, the Teperman logo has been synonymous with demolition in the city for the better part of a century. “My grandfather tore down five blocks so they could build The Eaton Centre. And his father tore down the original store at Yonge and Queen, so they could build those buildings,” Teperman says.
The firm also contributed to the city’s transportation infrastructure, flattening factories in Toronto to make way for the Gardiner and in Montreal took down houses in advance of the Decarie Expressway.
Though Teperman’s company Haven Developments, started about a decade ago, works on the flipside of destruction, he thinks about his family’s legacy with each of his builds. He wants, he says, “to drive by 20 years from now with my kids” and show that he too made a mark.
His most recent project is 4Hundred East Mall: 62 stacked townhouses in Etobicoke at The East Mall and Burnhamthorpe Road. Construction is underway on the three-level homes spread out over two buildings, with occupancy set for as early as spring this year. The units start at just under $900,000 and range in size from 1,176 to 1,400 square feet for twoand three-bedroom layouts.
Interior design work by Ambience Interiors includes sleek kitchens with panelled appliances and granite countertops. Amenities include a chef’s kitchen, party room and outdoor fitness and barbecue areas.
The building has been designed by Graziani + Corazza Architects. Teperman calls principal Barry Graziani “one of his architectural role models,” and jokes, “Barry always says he’ll not only design me a nice-looking building but a building that I can build.”
Graziani is also the architect behind the Aura skyscraper at Yonge and College. While dramatically different in scope, the townhomes bear a similar deftness. Teperman points to the mixed-material exterior — a contemporary interplay of brick and wood — that will last forever. That’s because it isn’t actually brick, or wood, but a maintenance-free, environmentally friendly synthetic from the international manufacturing firm Sto. The panelized European system is said not to fade, and because tuck-pointing isn’t necessary, residents won’t have to deal with sidestepping a tangle of scaffolding down the line. “(It) washes itself when it rains and snows, and the sunlight cleans the exterior, so it doesn’t get discoloured,” says Teperman. “It’s not stucco, it’s not grungy and it will never have sick building syndrome.”
According to Teperman, the synthetic material is also better for noise transfer.
As far as the townhomes’ Eatonville location goes — a fairytale name that sounds like it was plucked from a TV series — Teperman says he’s always been impressed by the local amenities.
“(It) has a Loblaws with a Goodlife across the street; there’s a brand-new library that’s architecturally stunning. There are schools,” he says; Trillium hospital and St. Joseph’s are both less than 15 minutes away by car.
“It’s a good part of Etobicoke that is ever-gentrifying with the evolution of The Westwood Theatre, which is going to be a city park and community centre — and it’s still in the 416,” he says.
Transit is another part of the attraction. “We’re all about opening up the city. When we started years ago, everyone was running downtown to get the cream-of-thecrop parking lot. My attitude was different. I followed Metrolinx and crosstown expansions to create value for our customers.”
To that end, Haven Developments has a condo on the Sheppard line, the Keele line and yet another on the Black Creek Kodak expansion of the Eglinton LRT.
Teperman says he’s proud to be a bit off-centre. And he thinks it’s in tune with buying trends. Given the pandemic, and the surge in workfrom-home set-ups, the idea of sharing an elevator is unpleasant. “We’ve seen young families looking to downsize, and first- and second-time homebuyers looking to move because of the front-door access, due to COVID,” says Teperman.
But people also want to be part of a community. “They don’t want to be isolated; they want to be healthy and safe, and not locked into a square in a 20-storey tower,” he says. “Here, you walk up to the front door as if you’re in a single-detached house on multiple levels,” he says. “You have a condominium structure and amenities with a house feel.”
And then there’s location: “They’re selling houses on the other side of us north of $2 million.”
Prices at 4Hundred East Mall start at $900,000.
For more information, visit havendevelopments. ca/400eastmall.