SATURDAY,APRIL28,2012 SECTION H Climate change Mark Cullen says Your new home 35 warranty explained. it’s real for gardeners, H4 YEARS Tarion.com

NEW IN HOMESON2 CE & CONDOS BEYOND THE BRICKS THE ANNEX Luxury living at The Perry High-end condo finishes Brad Lamb has been a vital force elevate urban standard in the "Condo Period," helping TRACY HANES to spur and shape SPECIAL TO THE STAR the growth of the Condos in the Yorkville and Annex industry over his neighbourhood have come to exem- 20-plus years in plify style, sophistication and luxury. the business of So the principals at Mansouri Living condominium knew the bar would be high for the development. project they planned to build at 128 Pears Ave. The result is The Perry, a modern elegant building that will establish some firsts on the Toronto condo scene. It’s the first development in North America to include kitchen and other components by international design firm Poliform. Plus an innova- tive window system will allow interior In living spaces to open expansively to the outdoors. Buyers will also receive a one-year membership to an exclusive concierge service. The Perry will open like to the public in June. “The underlying vision for the pro- a ject was to create a boutique, intimate building,” says Maryam Mansouri, vice-president of Mansouri Living, KEITH BEATY/TORONTO STAR which represents the evolution of a home construction business founded RYAN STARR 30 years ago by her father, Sharok, the SPECIAL TO THE STAR company president. Brad Lamb understands why people might think he’s a jerk. He and his wife, Fereshteh, are archi- On his HGTV reality series, Big City Broker, the six-foot-five, tects who met as university students smooth-headed Lamb could at times come across as a bit in their native Iran and came to Cana- unpleasant. da in 1984. Maryam’s sister, Nargues, is “I think everybody has good days and bad days and loses also a company vice-president and the their temper sometimes, and when you have camera crews sisters are concentrating on building a following you around 24/7, they’re going to capture that,” lifestyle brand focusing on urban con- Lamb says one afternoon in the boardroom of the King West do projects. headquarters of his development company and brokerage. “In the early stages of The Perry, we lion “I thought it would be interesting for people to see what worked with the neighbourhood and Brad Lamb is a force actually happens in the real estate sales and development the city to find something appropriate world, versus some staged performance. for the site and the marketplace. We to be reckoned with “So we let them film it and it was honest. went with an 11-storey building. in the condo world LAMB continued on H14 THE PERRY continued on H14

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>> HOMES & CONDOS Scoping out property near a new transit line

About a month ago in this space, I In addition to researching the promised to write a series of col- policies, we get down on the umns over the next year focused ground and do market research KEITH BEATY/TORONTO STAR on how our industry mobilizes studying the neighbourhoods. As a broker, Brad Lamb persuaded people to buy in the downtown core. when a transit plan is given the Look at who lives there, who would green light. want to live there, how they travel With the understanding that and if there are employment and people will want to live near a services in the area. We also test Aforce to reckon with transit line, this is my chance to the project to see if it’s economical- explain the ins and outs of the PAUL GOLINI JR. ly viable and start to engage the LAMB from H1 Dubbed 6thandTenth, the 230- development process — what some community by talking to ratepayer unit, 31-storey tower will be located of us call “from dirt to door” — and line, we have to look at what the groups to find out how they want “But that’s like 1 per cent of my in the city’s Beltline neighbour- what’s involved in building com- province and the city are doing in their neighbourhood to grow. personality being shown, and you hood, close to the downtown core. munities along a planned route. the area, what exists there and Before closing a deal on a parcel either hate me or you like me, Lamb started his career as an engi- Iwant to take you from research- what is proposed for the future. of land near this future transit line, right?” neer while also investing in proper- ing a piece of land right through to The province has plans and pol- we are heavily investing time and He pauses and smirks. “And even ty, buying his first townhouse in completing construction and give icies that direct where and how energy by engaging architects, that little 1 per cent is probably an London, Ont., and selling it for a tidy you visual cues so that you will be cities grow, one example is the urban designers and planners to acquired taste.” profit. able to recognize the stages of a province’s Growth Plan for the put together a preliminary design But the show proved quite pop- Before long, Lamb grew bored residential development in your that could work on the site. That ular, playing in more than 20 coun- with engineering and got his real neighbourhood. When a transit line has the project has to be tested against all tries worldwide, he notes. Truth is, estate licence in the late ’80s. When a new transit line has the of those documents I mentioned the series can now serve as a histor- He started off working for Harry support of city council, it’s the support of city council, it’s the earlier to ensure that it fits with the ical snapshot of the early stages of Stinson’s real estate company and culmination of years of work culmination of years of work existing and future needs of the Toronto’s current condo boom. became a specialist in condo sales. studying the neighbourhoods and neighbourhood. “We’ll throw it into a time capsule,” In 1995, Lamb launched his own the needs of the people who live Greater Golden Horseshoe, and Next month, I’ll take you to the Lamb quips. “The Condo Period.” agency, Brad J. Lamb Realty, with a there. To support the transit line, the cities also have guiding docu- next step in the city-building pro- Like him or hate him, Lamb has focus on selling entry-level condos there has to be people to ride it and ments like official plans and zoning cess, which involves investing in a been a vital force in the Condo Peri- to first-time buyers. Six years later, the tax base to support it. That’s bylaws. All of these have to be parcel of land and banking on the od, helping to spur and shape the he started Lamb Development where our industry has a role to reviewed because they tell us transit project proceeding as growth of the industry over his 20- Corp. play in building homes. where residential development planned. plus years in the business. He did so As a developer, Lamb’s success has Contrary to popular belief, it’s not would be supported. Paul Golini is the chairman the Building first as a broker, selling people on much to do with his immense appe- as easy as it looks. There is a sci- We do all of this research before Industry and Land Development Associ- what he calls the “Manhattaniza- tite for risk, notes friend and busi- ence and a discipline to this pro- investing in a parcel of land be- ation (bildgta.ca) and can be found on tion” of the downtown core; and in ness associate Gary Freedman. cess. Before we can look at building cause we want to invest in support, Twitter @bildgta, Facebook, YouTube more recent years as a developer of “What separates the men from the homes along the planned transit as opposed to buying a fight. and BILD’s blog (bildblogs.ca). his own condo projects. boys in real estate development is “What we did in Toronto in the your ability to tolerate risk,” says early to mid-1990s was change how Freedman, the principal of Hyde people thought about condo living Park Homes, who is partnering with A CLOSER LOOK and living in the city,” explains Lamb on Riverside Towns. “And the AT THE PERRY Lamb, 50. “We knew that what key to Brad’s success is that he’s able young people wanted was to be to take risks that other people aren’t Project: The Perry, theperry.com downtown, to have a stylish New willing to take. Developer: Mansouri Living, York-style lifestyle. Freedman points to the Theatre mansouriliving.com “And we were right — that’s exactly Park condo project as an example of Architect: Drummond Hassan of what they wanted and they’re all Lamb’s audacity in action. Young + Wright/IBI Group Archi- down here now.” “(The site is) this little tiny parking tects, rywarch.ca Lamb continues to drive the local lot next to the historic Royal Al- Interior designers: Matt Davis and condo market. exandra Theatre, probably the most Anwar Mekayech, The Design Agen- Last year his brokerage, Brad J. historic theatre in the country,” he cy, the designagency.ca Lamb Realty, recorded approxi- says. “Nobody in their right mind Landscape architect: Diana Gerrard mately 1,300 sales, generating $650 would have thought he’d be able to of gh3, gh3.ca million in revenue. The develop- build that building. Location: 128 Pears Ave. at Daven- ment arm, Lamb Development “There were a lot of people think- port and Avenue Rds. Corp., completed 450 sales in 2011, ing he’d never recover from that Description: 11-storey contemporary about $200 million in revenue, ac- one.” building with 45 suites cording to Lamb. Lamb persevered, though. And de- Suite sizes: 687 to 3,950 sq. ft. This year the company is begin- spite immense pushback from the Price range: Starting in the mid- ning construction on King Char- city planning department on the $500,000s lotte, a 32-storey tower at King St. project, contributions toward pub- Amenities: Piano lounge, terrace, W. and Spadina Ave. It’s also lic art and a promise to create a park dining room with catering kitchen, launching the second phase of The on the property eventually helped meeting room, guest suite, 24-hour Brant Park, a 200-unit building at Lamb secure approval for Theatre concierge, fitness and wellness cen- Adelaide St. W. and Brant St. Park. (Construction is starting on tre, one year membership to Quint- Also in 2012, Lamb is starting work the project.) essentially concierge service. on Theatre Park, a controversial 47- Lamb prevailed, and while he still Sales centre: 199 Avenue Rd. (by storey tower that will be going up bears scars from the fight, he’s confi- appointment only), right beside the Royal Alexandra dent the finished product will speak www.theperry.com Theatre, as well as Riverside Towns for itself. at Queen St. E. and Broadview Ave. “When it’s done,” he says defiantly, Lamb Development recently an- “people are going to say ‘holy (dele- nounced plans to expand westward ted), why don’t we have more of with a condo project in Calgary. those?’ ” Sophistication and luxury

THE PERRY from H1 and was very conscious of the con- souri. “For us, it’s a package and ev- text of the site and building. We ery suite will come with Poliform “That’s pretty rare in the Toronto appreciated his sensitivity to de- vanities, kitchens and wardrobes. NEW Homes ontario condo world. It has only 45 suites sign.” ‘Offer luxury as a standard’ has been and is fairly exclusive,” says Man- The entrance to The Perry from our mantra since the beginning.” souri. Pears Ave. will be distinguished by The Perry kitchens will also in- The Perry will include 2,500 custom-crafted solid wood doors clude high-end Gaggeneau appli- square feet of commercial space at with a classic chevron pattern, ances. street level that will house a high- stained in dark grey for a contem- The suites will have nine-foot ceil- end fitness and wellness centre porary flair. ings and floor-to-ceiling windows, with private access from Pears Separate from the rest of the which will employ an innovative lift Ave. building will be two street-level ur- and slide system so the living room The Perry team was carefully ban townhouses framed in char- becomes a true indoor/outdoor liv- chosen and includes Drummond coal limestone and with open-con- ing space opening to a Juliet balco- Hassan of Young + Wright/IBI cept interior layouts. ny, standard balcony or terrace. Group Architects, interior design- Mansouri also was impressed by Another perk for buyers will be a ers Matt Davis and Anwar Me- the clean, modern interiors creat- year’s free membership to Quintes- kayech of The Design Agency and ed by The Design Agency that sentially, a private members’ club landscape architect Diana Gerrard blended cohesively with the archi- with a 24-hour global concierge that of gh3. They came together for an tecture. The gallery-style lobby can accommodate requests for ev- integrated design process that also will boast a modern fireplace, Cal- erything from travel arrangements included Mansouri, who holds a cutta marble floors and a custom- to dry cleaning to restaurant reser- master’s degree from the Universi- made sculptural concierge desk. vations. The Perry will also have its ty of Waterloo’s school of architec- “They (Davis and Mekayech) are own 24-hour concierge. ture. very grounded. It’s very easy for Mansouri says it was important to “The essence of the project is some designers to put their interi- offer an intimate green space and contemporary but we’ve incorpo- or design brand first and make that Gerrard came up with an “amazing” rated really rich finishes and de- acentrepiece. For us, it’s about outdoor amenity that will be clad in tails into the suites and common good design and good intention blue and mulberry granite. areas,” says Mansouri. and good components,” says Man- “We call it the Serenity Terrace “The palate of today’s buyer is souri. and it will be wrapped in white pine very refined and they definitely “They created a lot of proprietary trees,” Mansouri says. “We part- have an appreciation for a contem- design details especially when it nered with Kiosk in Toronto to fur- Cottonwood 1360 sq. ft. $199,985.00 porary aesthetic, but it’s not always came to the kitchen and Poliform nish the common areas in the entire AN ADULTRETIREMENTLIFESTYLE easily achieved. is a huge part of the project.” building from their selection of COMMUNITY IN PORT ROWAN “You have to spend more time in Among the signature elements of pieces and the exterior terrace will ON THE SHORES OF LAKE ERIE the design process and in refining The Perry will be the components have beautiful, crafted artful pieces details. You can’t distract the eye created by Poliform, a high-end by Paola Lenti (a luxury furniture Featuring detached freehold bungalows with with busy details or extra accesso- Italian company which recently brand based in Milan).” 8acreparkandclubhousewithindoorpool. ries or components. opened a showroom in Toronto. Mansouri says the building is For an information package “Drummond has such an intelli- “Poliform has been involved in a geared to the end user as “it’s truly a gent approach when it comes to few condo projects but in minor building people will live in and feel Please call 1-800-648-7011 design,” she adds. “He looks at it parts of interiors, such as upgraded at home in. We are very excited www.thevillages.ca 4230034A very cohesively and holistically kitchens or wardrobes,” says Man- about it.”