After being consumed with frustration by Solterra’s utter mismanagement of the Waldorf’s transfer of ownership (giving the Hotel’s current operations team nothing more than a kick in the pants for their successful rejuvenation of the Hotel’s culturally historic entertainment venue); I was able to shelve my thoughts of ‘developer disdain’ after reading Kerry Gold’s piece in the Globe And Mail about the purchase of the Save On Meats building by Anthem Properties.
The transaction took place between Save On Meats diner owner Mark Brand and Anthem CEO Eric Carlson – where the two were able to amicably hash out a mutually respectful deal that would tie culturally considerate development of the Save On Meats building with the ongoing support of Brand’s diner and his non-profit food programs – proof that small business and development don’t have to be mutually exclusive!
This is the fate I wished for the Waldorf – this was my…’in retrospect’ rant that I dished out after a few drink into a Solterra conversation. As a developer, why try to rid a neighbourhood of its character defining spaces – it’s these social institutions & successful independent businesses that draw people to the neighbourhood in the first place.
No need to reinvent the wheel developers, work with the people that know the neighbourhood and understand what makes it special so you can keep it that way.
Cudos Anthem Properties – you’ve done good.
