By Nick Ainis – Founder & CEO of Fusioncorp Developments Inc.

This is a synopsis of the fourth of 10 Chapters, each to appear in Construction Links Network which began in November 2023. BUILDING TORONTO’s SKYLINE: TORONTO’S CONDOMINIUMS THROUGH THE AGES is available through Amazon in print, Kindle and audible editions.

In this chapter, we explore the rise in popularity of the condominium from the concept’s very beginnings, which date back to ancient Rome. The insula, or large apartment building that housed lower- and middle-class Romans, is the oldest example. The idea caught on in other cities and even small towns. Some were 10+ storeys in height, with residences on the upper floors and businesses on the ground level. Sound familiar?

By the 16^th Century, Cairo had high-rise apartment buildings with rental units above two levels used as storage and commercial space. Plus, during that century, Yemen developed high-rise apartment complexes constructed of mud bricks, some over 30 metres high. The concept also spread to China, where enclosed, fortified earth structures could house up to 80 family units. 

In North America, we tend to think of multi-family residences as gaining popularity in New York City. Population density led to the development of tenements (rented rooms or groups of rooms within a larger building). Originally, these were mainly single-family homes that were divided into smaller, cramped dwellings for the lower class. Unfortunately, these were crammed onto small lots with little space for natural light or even air shafts. These were deemed unsafe and unhygienic living conditions.   

New York established the Tenement House Act of 1867, which at least required fire exits in the buildings and windows in every room. Tenants still had little quality of life. This Act was reformed in 1879, 1901 and 1919. In 1903, the Tenement House Department was established. The deplorable living conditions for tenement dwellers was made public, leading to awareness of sanitation practices and legal issues. By the 1950s, many of these tenement buildings were demolished. In 1929, a new multiple-dwelling law was introduced and is currently still in effect.  

Completed in 1870, Stuyvesant Apartments in Manhattan was created by Rutherford Stuyvesant and designed by renowned architect Richard Morris Hunt. It featured 16 apartments and four artists’ studios and was rented before being finished. 

In 1960, the first condominium in North America was built in Salt Lake City, Utah. Under the Housing Act of 1961, the Federal Housing Administration was allowed to insure mortgages on condominium properties. By 1969, there were condominium laws enacted in all 50 states. Today, the concept is widespread across North America.

The author of Building Toronto’s Skyline: Toronto Condominiums Through the Decades, Nick Ainis is Founder & CEO of Fusioncorp Developments Inc., a boutique construction management and general contracting company specializing in multi-unit residential condominiums. He’s an experienced and highly respected construction professional with a Bachelor of Technology degree in Architectural Science and Project Management from Ryerson University. With over 20 years of experience, he leads a team who has a strong track record of delivering high-quality construction projects on time and within budget. His expertise is in managing high-rise residential projects, having developed a reputation as one of the industry’s finest project managers. As Fusioncorp’s CEO, he is involved in all aspects of each project from pre-construction through to construction and project closeout.

Check out more news and blogs here

• 
•