8.4K 
Over the last nine months, Fitzrovia, alongside its institutional capital partners, have acquired three master planned development sites in Toronto; one at Bloor and Dufferin in the West End, another at 6 Dawes Road in the East End, and the third — dubbed The Grainger and The Sanderson — located Downtown at King East and Ontario streets. The three sites will be developed with a total of eight high-rise towers, bringing a combined 2.8 million ft² of density and almost 3,000 purpose-built rental units to the city.
“We are focused on building long-lasting, sustainable communities that improve the lives of our residents and the surrounding neighbourhoods," Adrian Rocca, Founder and CEO of Fitzrovia told us. "These three new site acquisitions represent the continuation of this strategy.”
With these recent acquisitions, Fitzrovia has become the largest developer of purpose-built rental buildings in Toronto, an important housing category for the city, given the high demand plus supply constraints on rental housing.
“We are thrilled to be leading the City of Toronto in rental development and are proud to be setting new standards for what it means to live in a rental community," said Rocca. "We are working with leading designers, architects, and consultants, and will continue our reputation for delivering great building designs, amenities, programming, and customer service.”
Fitzrovia is specifically targeting young families and down-sizers as tenants for their upcoming developments, as the company believes no other developer is building this high demand product. Part of creating housing for this specific demographic is designing the types of living spaces, and including the types of amenities that would best serve them. Starting with The Elm and The Ledbury located at 88 Queen Street East, Fitzrovia will be incorporating Montessori early learning centres. Each Fitzrovia Montessori school will be bright and designed to maximize natural light, to spark imaginations.
"At Fitzrovia, we actively participate in every phase of the buildings and communities we create; from construction to onsite hotel-quality concierge and management services," Corey Pacht, Senior Director of Investments told us. "We are designing living spaces that have a premium hotel feel and providing distinctive resort-style amenities."
Other unique premium amenities that Fitzrovia has included in its previous developments include arcade and billiards rooms, bowling lanes, double height fitness facilities, and rooftop pools, such as at The Parker – which is welcoming its first residents this month.
Another priority of Fitzrovia is the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) of its buildings. ESG has become one of the key ways to measure the sustainability and societal impact of a company, and Fitzrovia is striving for the best.
Environmental criteria considers how a company performs as a steward of nature. Social criteria examines how a company manages relationships with its employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates. Governance deals with a company’s leadership, executive pay, audits, internal controls, and shareholder rights.
“ESG is a top priority as we continue to expand our portfolio and grow our business," said Rocca. "We recognize the importance of ESG and the role we play as a major developer in the City of Toronto."
Fitzrovia is committed to reducing its environmental impact and building more sustainable communities to help combat climate change. The development company aims to do this by having the environment top of mind at every stage of the property life cycle. Examples of efforts the company has made with the environment in mind include reducing energy consumption, increasing water conservation, and reducing waste.
Specifications including high-pressure, low-flow bathroom fixtures and toilets, and rainwater harvesting are some tactics Fitzrovia employs to conserve water. To decrease energy consumption, all of Fitzrovia's buildings feature high quality, energy efficient heating and cooling systems, smart hydro meters, energy efficient windows and doors, and integrated LED lighting systems. Tri-sorter garbage chutes are also included in all of Fitzrovia's projects, to better sort and as a result, reduce waste.
"At the project level, we are committed to a minimum of LEED Gold and targeting LEED Platinum on all future developments," said Rocca. "At the corporate level, we are focused on workplace diversity including targeting 50%+ female representation on our leadership team and are actively pursuing a new vertical focused on affordable rental development.”
The social impact of all projects is also of importance to Fitzrovia. Cleveland Clinic virtual clinic rooms will provide healthcare for residents, while the Montessori offerings in each young-family targeted building will provide a quality education option offered at a subsidized rate for residents. An emphasis is also placed on offering three-bedroom units, to provide viable housing options for families.
Fitzrovia is also prioritizing the incorporation of on-site public green and community spaces which showcase public art wherever possible. The company believes that green space helps to create a strong community and acts as a public amenity for residents.
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