Recently, the Newinhomes.com team had the opportunity to meet with Luigi (Louie) Santaguida, the President of Stanton Renaissance, to discuss his latest project in Etobicoke, “ON the GO Mimico.”

The former Mimico Station

We met Santaguida across the street from the ON the GO Mimico site in a very important heritage building that will soon serve as the project’s Presentation Centre. Why is this particular building so important? It is the original Mimico Station!

Santaguida explained the plans for the former station: “It was transplanted here around 2006 or 2007, and it just sat here. We got involved in 2008. We said we would take it for a couple years, and return it to its original lustre. We’re bringing some eco-friendly features to the building. It’s going to have geothermal heating and cooling - it will be a clean building with history behind it - it’s the beginning of the area’s renaissance.”

Santaguida continued, telling us more about what he and his team learned through the process of acquiring and repurposing the station: “As we were getting involved in this project, we were fortunate enough to meet all the, what I call, historians, and older generations that are pivotal in making this project happen. We came across the individual that put a substantial amount of money into moving this station from there to here [pointed over the hill, across the street]. What’s really interesting is this is where he landed when he came from Europe. If you came by boat, and were headed to Toronto on the train from Halifax, you either got off here or Union Station - that’s Toronto back in the day.”

Obviously, this station is a very important piece of history for locals and the entire city. Santaguida and his team are not just restoring the station, they are recreating the exact layout, including a bagging and ticketing area. They are even reusing the historical wood in the floor. After the station fulfills its purpose as a Presentation Centre for ON the GO Mimico, Stanton Renaissance is giving the station back to the community to serve as both an historical train museum and a community centre.

The ON the GO Mimico community

When discussing the future of the ON the GO Mimico project, Santaguida expressed that enhancing the community as a whole is the primary goal. Santaguida stated, “My parents still live here, just up the street on Royal York, so I basically grew up here. I know Etobicoke well, my roots are here.”

Santaguida continued, explaining Stanton Renaissance’s approach to developing a new site: “We become involved in a community well in advance. If we take a position within the community, it’s because I really feel strongly about the community. You will never see us do a Yonge and Bloor - they don’t need us - it’s not our cup of tea. We’re boutique, community oriented. I don’t like being pigeonholed as a developer - I’m really not one. I’m trying to transform things in a community.”

Within Santaguida’s team, and soon to the rest of the world, he is considered a “Community Transformer.” Santaguida expressed that developers get a bad rap because of their cookie-cutter projects. The idea that if something was successful in one area, it will be successful in another is not how Santaguida thinks. Every community is different, and if it is to be truly transformed, then it needs to be approached properly, and that’s what Stanton Renaissance is doing.

About ON the GO Mimico

According to Santaguida, ON the GO Mimico will stand 26 storeys (possibly 27 if they decide to include an exclusive penthouse). The unit sizes range between 500 and 1,200 square feet, and it looks like prices will be starting in the mid $200,000s. Also, a grocer and potentially a coffee shop will be featured on the main floor.

The modern-contemporary design is simple and inspiring, and the location right next to Mimico Station is very convenient for residents. Santaguida stated, “I’m told it’s the only site you can walk out of your condo and be on the GO. You’re not walking across the street or down the road - you will actually walk onto the GO from the site.”

So, the design stands out, the location is great, and the price is right. What else could make ON the GO Mimico the perfect condo development? Santaguida explained, “My background is environmental, development, and planning. So we’re currently engineering the building to be the first of its kind (from a high-rise perspective) to involve geothermal and cogeneration technologies.” According to Santaguida, after about seven years, residents will not have to worry about hydro costs. The incorporation of these technologies is still up in the air, but apparently things are looking good!

We would like to thank Louie Santaguida for taking the time to meet with the Newinhomes.com team to discuss Stanton Renaissance’s highly anticipated project, ON the GO Mimico. We are really looking forward to following this project closely over the coming years.

To learn more about ON the GO Mimico, Register now or visit onthegomimico.com for more information.