A little mis-information can go a long way…
At a Public Meeting some years back, once my matter was concluded, I stayed and watched the proceedings for a contentious application for the proposed redevelopment of a 1-storey local commercial plaza to a 7-storey mixed use development, to which there was a lot of resident and political opposition. It was standing room only in the Council Chamber.
As the consultant for the applicant was presenting, a couple of residents next to me asked me if I was there in support or against the application, to which I responded neither as I was just an observer. When they pressed me for my thoughts on the application, my response was “you don’t want my opinion”.
Intrigued, they asked me to explain. Once I told them that I was a developer, I explained that the public outcry had been based on misinformation being circulated that any development on the site was limited to a 1-storey structure, when a 4-storey mixed-use development was permitted by City policies. As such, the developer was requesting an additional 3 storeys and not the 6 storeys that was making the rounds amongst the area residents in attendance. I also mentioned that all the submitted technical reports provided support for the proposed redevelopment.
As we were chatting, I also mentioned that there was an ability to secure some public benefits through the application approval process. When pressed for examples, I mentioned a potential improvement to the existing park adjacent to the site (eg. additional seating areas to augment a gathering place or a bocce court considering the area demographics). Another example was the provision of City owned/leased community space on the ground floor of the proposed redevelopment, which could be used by both existing and new residents of the development.
Once the residents had this additional information, I could sense that their opinion about the project was tempered somewhat.
The project was eventually approved.
A little correct information can also go a long way!!
My name is Gabriel DiMartino and I am the Senior Executive Vice President of Trinity Point Developments. I am a 38-year veteran of the development and building industry in the GTA and my experience ranges from residential, mixed-use, commercial, industrial, retirement home, hospitality and hotel developments.
The development process is fraught with hurdles and challenges, from approvals to market conditions to construction issues and everything in between.
So I’m starting a Blog Series to provide insight and de-mystify the process, using real life projects and challenges that I encounter and deal with on a day-to-day basis.
The first Blog in the series is Trinity Point’s Noble Residences, a boutique mixed-use development that is currently under construction in the Heritage Maple Village community in the City of Vaughan.
The challenge starts with …11.2 meters







