REAL-ESTATE PROFILE
A Q&A with Sammy Sutera
Sammy Sutera, president of Sapphire Developments, comes from a family of cabinetmakers, from Ribera, Italy. Sammy was born in Montreal and grew up in St Léonard and Laval. His father followed family tradition and became a cabinetmaker, specializing in architectural millwork. Sammy worked with his dad for 12 years before becoming a builder.
We sat down together at the sales office of his current project, Sapphire Condominiums, in Dollarddes-Ormeaux.
Where did you go to school?
I graduated from Laurier Macdonald High and then studied commerce at Vanier College before completing the two-year architectural and construction program at Montreal Technical College.
What happened next?
After graduating, in 1994, I began working with my dad and uncle at the company they founded together called Arts and Traditions GAC Inc. Their area of expertise was manufacturing high-end, custom wood furniture, mouldings and doors. It was a thriving business with 25 employees and a 15,000-square-foot plant, near the Olympic Stadium. The work I did there was very intricate. I liked it but when my dad retired, in 2006, we decided to sell the company.
What was your first building project?
In 2003 I had acquired a general contractor’s licence and built a home for my family in Nouveau St-Laurent. A couple of years later I bought a second lot, close by, and constructed a similar one. It sold quickly. My first building contract, for someone else, was to create a luxury home in Town of Mount Royal.
How did you get into condo development?
My wife, Francesca Pennino, comes from a construction family. Her father and his four brothers had been building houses together since 1962. Their company was called Pennino Developments. They specialized in single-family homes and had an excellent industry reputation. I began a partnership with them.
In 2009, we noticed a lot for sale on Henri-Bourassa Blvd. west of St-Laurent. The property bordered on three streets and faced a huge park. We bought it and created our first condo project: L’Esplanade Sur le Parc — 36 condo units.
The following year we acquired land on St-Jean Blvd. in Dollarddes-Ormeaux, and created West Park Gardens: a two-phase project with a total of 86 condos and plenty of green space all around.
How did Sapphire Condominiums come to be?
I am a very conservative investor and like to finish one project before embarking on another. When Phase 2 of West Park Gardens was done and almost all of the units sold, we acquired this lovely piece of land at the corner of Sources Blvd. and Roger-Pilon St. We broke ground for Sapphire Condominiums in May 2016 and will deliver 36 condos in July 2017. Like our previous projects, a priority for Sapphire is open space and greenery. We are creating a private park with trees and a fountain between our structure and Sources Blvd. and there is a city park right behind the building. The dwellings will be quiet and owners will have attractive views on all sides.
Sapphire will consist of twoand three-bedrooms units ranging from 1,000 to 2,000 square feet. Each condo features two full bathrooms, granite countertops and air conditioning. I spend all of my time on site. After a sale is finalized, I am the one who connects with the new owner to help with accent choices for the home. We get to know each other and every client has a phone number where I can be reached at all times.
I maintain the same close relationship with our subcontractors.
What do you enjoy in your spare time?
Francesca and I have twin boys, Carmelo and Giacomo, who are now 14 years old. The boys play football, basketball, rugby and do some boxing. We are always accompanying them to one activity or another. From the time they were little, summer vacations consisted of four weeks at my parents’ condo in Florida. Then, a few years ago, we decided to take a trip to Italy — to visit the area where my dad was born. We fell in love with Ribera and neighbouring coastal town, Seccagrande. Our summer holiday grew from four to
six weeks. We will be returning to Italy this year to attend a family wedding. In the winter we all enjoy skiing in the Laurentians.
What puts the spring in your step?
Creating beautiful structures is thrilling. At Sapphire Developments we work closely with urban planners and architects to ensure that our projects fit in well with the surroundings. And I have noticed something unusual: even though I am well-acquainted with our sites before the work begins, by the time it’s all done I have completely forgotten what it looked like before. Our buildings are so well integrated into the landscape, it seems as though they were always there.