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Once the address of the Hamilton Tiger Cats headquarters, 1 Jarvis Street is set to become a spectacular new local landmark in the transformation of this heritage district of Hamilton into a vibrant, booming new downtown.
To this writer’s eyes, 1 Jarvis makes a perfect location for a brand-new, innovative, design-forward boutique condominium. After all, it is in the epicentre of one of Canada’s most significant city-centre transformations.
And 1 Jarvis by Emblem Developments is a beautiful building. It achieves a perfect harmony of old and new, raising the standard of design and quality. Price points are certain to attract purchasers from the GTA and beyond.
This is the year the Hamilton condominium market will come into its own. For years it has been promising to arise as a significant player, but the latest figures show a clear trend: Year over year, average prices for condos increased by 13%, resales were up 77%, and average rental rates increased by 15% year-over-year in December. Proposed are 18,316 condo units for the Hamilton area, with demand partly driven by the 60,000 students attending McMaster University and Mohawk College.
Emblem is enthusiastically looking forward to contributing to further enhancing the transformation of Hamilton. Canada’s fastest-growing developer in the condominium market, Emblem has condo sites around Ontario, with more than 3,000 units under construction, pre-sale and planning, in Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, and Mississauga. Robinson Village in Ottawa, with 291 units of purpose-built rental living, is under construction.
Emblem is led by founder and CEO, Kash Pashootan, an individual who displays a keen passion for design. With his 20+ years in investment management for wealthy families, he marries numbers and finance with design and attention to detail - an unusual trait rarely witnessed.
“With 1 Jarvis, we are coming to market with a building that exceeds expectations of design and level of standard finishes,” Pashootan states. “1 Jarvis demonstrates our commitment and deep conviction to the future of Hamilton. We look to the long term, and this building will set the standard of what buyers can except from Emblem in the future. Within a 5-minute walk of 1 Jarvis we have nearly 1 million square feet of upcoming residential development. So we really are committed to this city."
Pashootan is an authority in the investment management industry and has experienced success at a national level. He is the founder of First Avenue, which manages investment portfolios and provides family office wealth planning for affluent families. First Avenue has been featured in Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Globe and Mail, MacLean’s, Hong Times and Washington Post.
"Our slogan, The Mark of Exceptional Design, epitomizes what we do every day at Emblem,” says Pashootan. “We are relentless in questioning and demanding more as we design each and every space that is integral to every building. We know our obsession with exceptional design will lead to greater enjoyment for each Emblem homeowner. We create spaces that we are proud of and our buyers are proud to live in.”
Shamil Jiwani is Emblem’s Director of Real Estate, and he also believes that obsession creates beauty in development. “Regardless of the market we build in, you will feel the soul behind our brand when you see the buildings or walk through them,” he says. “Our brand comes through in everything we do, from the font selection of our brochure to how the kitchen countertop interacts with the backsplash.”
In Hamilton, Emblem is about to begin building its new 15-storey condominium at 1 Jarvis in the vibrant central district. This new residence features a sophisticated yet airy and modern design by architects Studio JCI. It offers 354 units, all with balconies, and amenities and retail at podium level. Four levels of retro loft-like brick form the podium, topped by 11 contemporary-style storeys above.
Inside, “1 Jarvis will feature high-end finishes found in buildings with a much higher price point – such as stone countertops, full stone slab backsplashes and frameless showers – finishes comparable to downtown Toronto condominiums,” says Raki Raoufi, Vice President of Construction, Emblem Developments, who has more than 20 years of high-rise building expertise.
Part of downtown Hamilton’s draw is the restoration of historic buildings, and a $500 million investment into a new Entertainment Hub close to 1 Jarvis and revitalization of existing venues: the FirstOntario Concert Hall, the FirstOntario Centre, the Hamilton Convention Centre, and the Art Gallery of Hamilton. On the waterfront, a $140 million redevelopment project will transform the harbour into a beautiful, pedestrian-friendly community with a commercial village and a public plaza. A Bell investment of $400 million will be the largest digital infrastructure investment in the city’s history.
“Emblem is a full-service condominium developer,” says Alistair Rennie, Director of Development and Construction, Emblem Developments. "We will design, build and service all of our units, which makes us personally committed to each project, as we aspire to create spaces homeowners and investors will love.”
Emblem is looking forward to being part of a transformation that promises to make this city one of the best places to live in Canada. “We will continue to ‘resist the norm’ executing something at 1 Jarvis that is not yet seen in the new Hamilton,” promises Pashootan.