Bronte Village condos appeal to downsizers, empty-nesters

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Claystone’s unique amenities include rooftop garden plots that can be purchased by individual unit owners

Sitting on the shores of Lake Ontario, the Oakville neighbourhood of Bronte Village is both unmistakably quaint and tranquil.

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A substantial number of the estimated 2,500 new homes slated for construction in Bronte Village in the coming years will be in condominiums catering to empty nesters — especially locals.

And considering Oakville’s median household income in 2024 was $144,804, outstripping the provincial average of $98,866, these equity-rich buyers are uncompromising.

That’s moved a couple of local condo developers to offer combined suites — a process typically complicated by engineering and architectural modifications that developers prefer avoiding.

However, Graywood Developments and Hankyu Hanshin Properties are flouting convention with Claystone Condos, their joint boutique development in the south Oakville enclave.

That it’s a seven-storey building (with 140 planned units) makes suite combinations simpler, and should attract who Jordan Kemp, Graywood’s VP of development, calls “local loyalists.”

“These folks live in Bronte or Oakville, even Burlington, and may have 3,000-4,000 sq. ft. homes they want to downsize from because it’s a lot to take care of, especially with their kids gone,” Kemp said.

So unit sizes at Claystone vary from 480 sq. ft. to north of 1,800. They’re looking for space and don’t want to compromise on amenities, but they want to get away from the hassle of managing a single-detached house.”

Also available at Claystone are rooftop plots that can be purchased by individual unit owners. Says the developer: “It’s like having your own slice of an urban farm (should you want to grow your own summer vegetables) or a spot to barbecue with friends – or just a place to read in a hammock above the city.”

And while many project launches which rely on investors sales have stalled, Claystone’s buyers are end-users which makes it less vulnerable to market slowdowns.

“We’re certainly more adaptable on a project like this than we would be on a conventional investor product in downtown Toronto,” Kemp said.

A stone’s throw away, Residences at Bronte Lakeside — a six-storey, 203-unit boutique condominium being built by Alliance United — also offers buyers the option of combining units. Bronte Lakeside will also have its share of empty nesters, who Diane Bertolin, partner at Alliance United, says are discerning.

“Empty nesters can sometimes have difficulty adjusting to a smaller home after spending decades in a house, especially if it’s the one in which they raised their family,” Bertolin said. “But combined suites afford more space and tend to have layouts that can be reminiscent of a house.”

That’s, in part, because each unit has its own plumbing stack, thereby affording the homeowner some customization, like choosing which side of the unit the kitchen and washrooms belong.

But empty nesters will be increasingly drawn to Bronte Village for reasons that lie beyond the walls of their condominiums. It’s evolving into a community for residents of a particular life stage, but who are starting anew, and the neighbourhood’s amenities will foster community.

It’s unsurprising, then, that Amica chose Bronte Rd. for a senior lifestyle community.

However, when the revitalization is complete, Bronte Village will have something to offer everyone, says Kylie Wilson, executive director of the Bronte Business Improvement Area.

“We’re a targeted area for intensification, so the area will be developed at a higher density, which will bring more jobs and economic activity,” she said.

That includes boutique retail, restaurant, salons, cafes, and more.

“I believe within the next three to five years, we’ll be the most sought-after community in Oakville, not only because of our commercial district, but because of our beautiful waterfront, heritage trails and public beach here,” Wilson continued.

“You’re not just buying a home in Bronte. You’re committing to a lifestyle.”