AVI URBAN REIGNS AT GALA EVENT
Developer nets Multi-Family Builder of the Year award
After being named the province’s best in multi-family housing in 2014, Avi Urban now wears the Calgary region crown.
The condo and townhome developer earned the Multi-Family Builder of the Year title at the Canadian Home Builders’ Association-Urban Development Institute Calgary Region Association SAM (Sales and Marketing) Awards.
Winners from the 2015 competition were announced during a gala event on April 16 at the Telus Convention Centre.
The multi-family trophy is one of five Grand SAMs, which are the top awards in the competition. Broadview Homes picked up Builder of the Year, McKinley Masters was named Builder of Merit, Renova Luxury Renovations won for Renovator of the Year and Wildwood Cabinets was Partner of the Year. Avi Urban is a division of Homes by Avi, which picked up Multi-Family Builder of the Year at the Canadian Home Builders’ Association- Alberta Awards of Excellence in 2014.
“We’re not in the business of putting birds on rocks, but to be appreciated by your peers, that’s a really big thing,” said Avi Urban president Charron Ungar at this year’s Calgary region gala. Each SAM trophy features a bird design.
“With the team coming together and the things we’ve been able to achieve — it feels good.”
On what elevated Avi Urban to the head of Calgary’s multi-family class, Ungar said “that’s for the (SAM award) judges to decide,” but added, “We spent a lot of time getting the right positions and putting everything we possibly could ... (into) getting the right feel, the right look and the right design. Sometimes it clicks.”
With Avi Urban’s Grand SAM, the company was also recognized for one of its townhome models and a standout marketing campaign.
The Jasmine E at Avi Urban’s northwest Calgary development Willow at Sherwood won in the category for Best Town Home $300,000-$359,999. And its Duke at Mission campaign submission earned Janine Coughlin Marketing Campaign of the Year.
With the team coming together and the things we’ve been able to achieve — it feels good.
“When you break it all down the most successful design is also the most livable,” Ungar said in an interview about the Jasmine earlier this year.
“At its core, the Jasmine focuses on larger room dimensions, oversized windows for plenty of natural light and functional living spaces that focus on open floor plans and great proportions rather than hallways and tight quarters.
“Combine that with an exemplary finishing package and our mix-and-match selections process, and you have a home that meets our needs for what we believe the market requires.”
Willow and Duke are two of five developments currently in various stages of sales and construction by Avi Urban, including Jackson at Walden, Canoe at Auburn Bay and Juno at Currie Barracks.
Since opening in 2000, Avi Urban has brought 22 developments to Calgary.
“Through our experience at Garrison Woods, we were exposed to a higher density approach to housing that got us thinking about our market in a different way,” says Ungar.
“At that time, multi-family was primarily a renter’s product in Calgary, but as home prices in the city continued to rise we realized that if it was possible to provide viable housing options for people that gave them a more affordable purchase price, while retaining a really well-designed product, then likely they would overcome the objection they might have for living in an attached home.”
The company kicked things off with street-oriented townhomes and hasn’t looked back, he adds.
“The multi-family segment will only grow as our population base expands. This coupled with the continuing rise in housing costs means that Avi Urban will strive to provide the best multi-family homes we can build to our community,” says Ungar.
Hopewell Residential was runner-up for Multi-Family Builder of the Year. It last won the award under its previous brand, Sabal Homes, in 2010.
Other finalists for the Grand SAM were Bucci Developments, Jayman Modus and Brad Remington Homes.
Hopewell picked up two awards in multi-family housing categories this year, including one from its Copperfield townhome development Chalet No6.
Chalet had three entries finish as finalists and won for in the category for Best New Design — Villa/Duplex/Townhome up to 1,199 sq. ft.
A floor plan from Hopewell’s Sandgate development in Mahogany was also a winner, leading the class for Apartment Style Condo 700 to 899 sq. ft.
Jayman Modus had the most wins in multi-family housing categories with three.
It picked up the award for Best Multi-Family Community for Ebony in Mahogany. Then it won for two submissions from Overture in Currie Barracks, Best ApartmentStyle Condo — One Bedroom Plus Den and Best Apartment Style Condo — Two Bedrooms and up.
Bucci Developments led all companies for finalists in multifamily housing categories this year with seven, all for its Radius in Bridgeland development. It won for Best New Design — Apartment Style 900 sq. ft. and over.
Also winning in multi-family housing categories were Brad Remington Homes, Empire Custom Homes, Streetside Development Corp., Brookfield Residential and Lupi Luxury Homes.
Brad Remington Homes picked up Best New Design — Apartment Style Condo up to 699 sq. ft. for an entry from Legacy Park, while Empire’s Valour Park Luxury Townhomes led the way for Best New Design — Villa/Duplex/Townhome 1,200 sq. ft. and over.
Streetside’s Killarney Townes won for Best Town Home — $360,000 and over and Lupi’s Verona earned the award for Best Villa/Duplex $375,000 and over. Meanwhile, Brookfield’s Cadenza model in Auburn Bay took home the Best Villa/Duplex-up to $374,999 trophy.