Brampton cityscape keeps going vertical with launch of second DUO condo tower  

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Compared to nearby Mississauga, and certainly to Toronto further afield, homes in Brampton are rarely set more than a few storeys above their surroundings. But that’s changing fast, with the second phase of the DUO Condos community on Steeles Avenue West adding yet another tower to the rising cityscape. 

When National Homes and Brixen Developments introduced the 2.6-acre DUO project in late 2021, the City of Brampton was already four years into a “2040 Vision” building plan that aims to cluster residential towers around new and existing transit hubs. Steps from Brampton Transit’s Gateway Terminal bus station and forthcoming LRT stop, DUO’s inaugural phase proceeded to sell out in less than a month. Now, with construction of the 26-storey building nearing completion, “we’re getting the second phase going for all those people, especially families in Brampton’s South Asian community, who weren’t happy that they didn’t get into Phase 1,” says Jason Pantalone, National’s president and managing partner. 

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Now in registrations with public sales slated for the fall, the 29-storey DUO2 is the product of multiple focus groups conducted by the two developers, the Arcadis architecture firm, and the esQape interior design agency, Pantalone says. “A lot of the feedback we received showed that price is a sticking point, and that affordability is critical in this heightened mortgage-rate environment. So we studied the unit designs and came up with highly comfortable and functional studios and one-bedrooms in the $400,000 range for people who live in Brampton and want to stay there but can’t afford a million-plus townhouse or single detached home.” 

Along with two- and three-bedroom suites, DUO2’s open-concept units are lined with oversized windows and include balconies, patios or terraces, nine-foot ceilings, quartz countertops, undermount sinks and stainless-steel appliances. Smart home features include app-connected thermostats, utility metres, parcel lockers and video-based building, suite and amenity access, with DUO targeting LEED certification upon completion.  

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All three of DUO’s phases will share a retail-lined outdoor courtyard and multi-use path to the Gateway Terminal, with phases 1 and 2 featuring many of the same amenities: private dining areas with full kitchens, party rooms and lounges, fitness studios, outdoor terraces, EV chargers and co-working spaces. DUO2 will additionally offer a soundproof content creation room as well as a co-working space that has been upgraded to include double-sided fireplaces and a bar area.   

“A big thing we have learned is that details matter, like making sure sunsets are visible from the terrace, or that communal areas are warm and inviting places where residents are able to connect and meet new friends,” Pantalone says. “We also know that nothing will be built south of DUO over the Meadowvale Conservation Area, and the single-family homes in the area ensure that views towards Lake Ontario and the Toronto and Mississauga skylines will be there forever.” 

The Arcadis-designed tower will rise from a brick podium. Dotted with balconies and clad in glass, black and white metal panels, DUO2 “extends the same architectural principles of the first tower but is unique in its scale and expression,” says Aamer Shirazie, an architectural designer with Arcadis, adding that the staggered balconies create texture and movement on DUO2’s north and south façades. 

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Describing the three-tower DUO project as “the gateway into Brampton for anyone driving along Highway 407,” Pantalone says that National and Brixen are taking design cues from their diverse condo projects in Toronto. “We’re not about building cookie cutter-style condo communities, and we’re not about to start now.” 

For more information, call 905-450-3977 or visit duocondos.ca. The DUO presentation centre is located at 245 Steeles Ave. W. 

Three things 

Brampton Gateway Terminal bus station will be the northern terminus of the 19-stop Hurontario LRT. The 18-kilometre-long north-south transit line is scheduled for completion in 2024. 501 Main St. S., Brampton 

Sheridan College is partnering with the SpacesShared online platform to facilitate safe and affordable home-sharing arrangements among students and older adult hosts in Brampton, Mississauga, and Oakville. 

The City of Brampton’s planned transformation of the Shoppers World mall calls for the addition of 136,000 residential units as part of a 52-acre transit-oriented community with office and retail space, a school, a community centre and a library. 499 Main St. S., Brampton 

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