A new era has arrived in Victoria

Preview sales of homes at Era, Concert’s fifth residential development in Victoria, were off to a strong start this past weekend with savvy purchasers recognizing the value proposition Era represents – a quality Concert concrete building, priced within reach and ideally located in the heart of downtown Victoria.

A 16-storey development on Yates Street at Blanshard, Era includes 157 homes ranging from studio to two bedroom plus den urban flats. The selection of homes which remain available for purchase includes studios priced from $198,900, one bedrooms from $217,900 and two bedrooms from $369,900.

The Era Sales Centre is now open daily except Friday from noon to five at 754 Humboldt Street (next door to the Marriott Hotel). More information can also be found online at www.EraVictoria.com.

Concert is pleased to announce that it has received six Georgie Awards® from the BC Chapter of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association marking the company’s most successful year to date.

Concert was proud to receive two of the industry’s most coveted Georgie Awards® – the Customer Choice Georgie Award® powered by AVID™ and the Georgie for Large Volume Multi-Family Home Builder of the Year. This marks the fourth consecutive year Concert has been recognized with a Customer Choice Georgie Award® – awarded based on third party surveys administered to each new homebuyer – and the fifth time since 2000 that the company has been recognized as Home Builder of the Year.

“We are extremely proud to have been repeatedly recognized as the province’s top home builder,” said David Podmore, Concert’s Chairman & CEO. “In addition, the consistent recognition received directly from our homeowners fuels our ongoing commitment to delivering top quality homes backed by superior customer service.”

Concert also took home four Georgies for the seniors community Tapestry at Wesbrook Village UBC including Best Multi-Family Landscape Design, Best Brochure, Best Ad Campaign and the Sustainable and Innovative Community Award.

“Our win in the Sustainable and Innovative Community award category for Tapestry at Wesbrook Village UBC speaks to our vision for this community,” said Brian McCauley, Concert’s President & COO. “A unique, campus-based community offering exceptional rental and condominium homes to discerning seniors, Tapestry was built to adhere to gold sustainability standards, further setting this development apart from its peers.”

The winners were announced at the 2011 Georgie Awards® Gala on February 25, 2012 at the Vancouver Convention Centre West.

Further expanding Concert’s industrial portfolio in BC 

Concert recently acquired 7167 Progress Way, a single-tenant warehouse distribution facility in Delta, BC. This 121,822-square-foot facility primarily consists of 26 foot clear warehouse space including 6,000 square feet of office.

“This acquisition expands Concert’s industrial property portfolio in British Columbia south of the Fraser River and takes advantage of upcoming infrastructure improvements in the area,” said Concert’s President and COO, Brian McCauley.

The property is strategically located in an industrial area that is poised to see growth and development in the near future – north Delta’s Tilbury Industrial Area. Completion of the adjacent South Fraser Perimeter Road in 2013 will significantly improve access to the area and in the process draw a broader base of tenants.

Concert’s vision for Harbourside

Since acquiring the brownfield development site in 1996, Concert has been working to transform the waterfront of North Vancouver with the creation of Harbourside Business Park. In recent years, however, emerging issues such as climate change and sustainability have suggested that the final phase of Harbourside should take a different form.

In response to City initiatives, Concert’s development team began to envision transforming the single-purpose Harbourside Business Park into a vibrant, mixed-use community with places to live, work, shop and play. For nearly three years, Concert has worked to make this vision a reality. Today, the team is nearing the final stages of what has been an extensive public consultation process to amend the City’s Official Community Plan (OCP). Prior to going in front of Council this spring for a formal ruling on the proposed amendment, a public information session has been scheduled for later this month and two town hall meetings for April.

For more information and to find out how you can get involved, visit our newly-launched website at www.HarboursideWaterfront.com.

   Founded in 1989, Concert specializes in developing rental apartments, condominium homes and retirement communities, acquiring and developing commercial, industrial and infrastructure properties and in property management. With operations in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario and the backing of more than 200,000 Canadians represented by the union and management pension plans who own Concert, our commitment is to build strong, sustainable communities across Canada.