GTA’s top builders and projects honoured at annual awards

GREATER TORONTO, May 7, 2018 /CNW/ – The GTA’s home building and land development industry recognized its top builders, projects and marketing initiatives at the 38^th annual BILD Awards on Friday, May 4.

A highlight of the evening was the presentation of BILD’s Lifetime Achievement Award to Hugh Heron, principal and co-founder of Heron Homes. This recognition is the Association’s highest honour and was presented to Mr. Heron for his 50 years of leadership in building and land development industry.

Taking home the night’s most prestigious awards for Home Builders of the Year were Mattamy Homes for Low-Rise and Great Gulf Homes for Mid/High-Rise.

The coveted People’s Choice Award, determined by members of the public through online voting, was awarded to CentreCourt Developments and SmartCentres for their Transit City development. Transit City is for people going places. Transit City residents will be able to get underground to the subway in 2 minutes or less. The proposed nine acres of park and cultural space is a green wonderland that welcomes every kind of outdoor activity.

“People’s Choice is a unique award because it is the public that decide the winner,” said BILD President and CEO Dave Wilkes. “Nearly 6,000 people voted for projects that competed for the best in city building that demonstrated how the industry is providing a wide range of housing options for GTA home buyers.”

For community building, BILD has two categories for outstanding projects that embody the province’s smart growth principles: Best New Community (Planned/Under Development) for a project currently planned or under construction; and Best New Community (Built) which recognizes a completed project.

The Daniels Corporation won Best New Community (Planned/Under Development) for Lighthouse Tower East. Located at Lower Jarvis Street and Queens Quay, the Lighthouse East Tower is a live, work, play, learn and create community that will change Toronto’s Waterfront forever.

For its work on Harbour Plaza and One York, Menkes Development won the award for Best New Community (Built). The downtown Toronto development is a spectacular mixed-use community with a unique integration of live-work-shop-play. Harbour Plaza’s two soaring towers will be complemented by fantastic retail options at the podium of the towers, in addition to the One York commercial office tower.

The Berkley by Arista Homes took home the award for Best Innovative Home Design, which recognizes cutting-edge design in low-rise homes that increase buying choices for entry-level consumers. The design features a forward thinking combination of flex space and living space giving buyers the option to live and work from home.

Best Innovative Suite Design went to Collecdev’s Unit E8, a 2 bed+2 bath unit that maximizes living space as there are no hallways or other space impeding factors. This award recognizes excellence in the design of a condo suite that increases options for first time home buyers.  

Curated Properties and Windmill Developments won the award for Best Mid-Rise Building Design for The Plant that seeks to bring new standards of sustainability and urban agriculture to Queen West without sacrificing the style and verve accustomed to the neighbourhood.

For their outstanding leadership in the implementation of green building practices, Dunshire Developments was named Green Builder of the Year, Low-Rise, and Tridel was named Green Builder of Year, Mid/High-Rise.

The Project of the Year, Low-Rise title went to TACC Developments, Arista Homes Limited, DECO Homes, Fieldgate Homes and OPUS Homes for their Richlands development in Richmond Hill, while Curated Properties and Windmill Developments’ project in Toronto was selected as the Mid/High-Rise Project of the Year.

The award for Best Overall Marketing Campaign went to the team of Graywood Developments, and Community for their campaign for Peter & Adelaide.

For a complete list of award recipients, visit www.bildawards.com.

With 1,500 members, BILD is the voice of the home building, land development and professional renovation industry in the Greater Toronto Area. BILD is proudly affiliated with the Ontario and Canadian Home Builders’ Associations.