GTA BUILDER CREATES THRIVING COMMUNITIES FROM THE GROUND UP
Fifty years ago, Greenpark Group began transforming southern Ontario into a first-class metropolis
As with most success stories, Greenpark had a modest start. Its three founding partners — Jack Wine, Philip Rechtsman and Carlo Baldassarra — began their operation from a bridge table in Wine’s basement.
Over the past 50 years, the company has grown, expanding beyond residential buildings into land, commercial and high-rise development. It’s a testament to the founder’s original convictions, valuing integrity, loyalty and hard work above all else — values that are very much present in the company today.
“From day one, we wanted to grow,” Baldassarra recalls. “That was our idea, to do a little better, work a little harder.”
That growth, however, didn’t come easily. In its first two years, the business built only nine homes. These initial years were lean, though they helped strengthen the respect and trust between the partners and redoubled their drive.
STARTING WITH A VISION
From the start, the partners had a vision for Greenpark: to build homes that made an impression, both inside and out. The homes they built were durable and functional but also opulent. The exterior of a Greenpark home would be all brick, while the interior would be highlighted by a circular staircase and grand hallway. According to Baldassarra, “A Greenpark home was meant to instill a sense of pride and confidence in its buyers and their guests”.
It was a unique approach to homebuilding and it hinged on a keen desire to expand the business, an ambition that consistently led them to push the boundaries of what was common practice in the real-estate industry. Time and again the company would go against the grain, achieving tremendous success as it created and supported communities from the ground up.
As business began to pick up, Greenpark’s founders knew they needed dependable partners throughout the industry if they wanted to keep expanding. Starting with the various trades, Greenpark gave its partners a mandate (and an opportunity) to keep pace with their substantial growth. The company knew where it was heading and what needed to be done. “The trade partners that stepped up got the chance to grow alongside the company,” explains Baldassarra. This unique approach created a real sense of loyalty and, in turn, a trusted and reliable system — a workforce, that according to Baldassarra, is still largely in place today.
AGAINST THE GRAIN
With this workforce in full force, Greenpark once again went against the grain by creating its own development division. The union of builder and developer within one company was uncommon at the time but proved to be a huge success, effectively eliminating any potential shortage or stoppage in the ever-increasing workflow. By 1977, with Greenpark’s system running on all cylinders, the company built over 1,000 homes in a single year for the first time. By 1985, it was building 2,500 per year.
The early 2000s ushered in another important step in the evolution of Greenpark: the expansion into highrise development. Though the move was uncommon for a low-rise builder, Greenpark launched its own high-rise division. In just over 10 years, Greenpark has been involved in several successful high-rise developments throughout the GTA and is positioned to continue to grow this branch of its business in the years to come.
In 2013, after more than 45 years of building on Canadian soil, Greenpark Group brought its expertise across the Atlantic by launching Greenpark Costruzioni in Italy. Within three years, Greenpark Costruzioni had built over 100 units and is currently developing 20 projects throughout Rome.
After five decades of determination and hard work, the future of the Greenpark Group has never been brighter. Guided by the simple tenets upon which the original partnership began — integrity, loyalty and hard work — Greenpark is now in the hands of the Baldassarra family. Carlo Baldassarra himself remains a leader and mentor in the organization as the next generation continues to make its mark. With more than 72,000 homes and condos to its name, Greenpark Group arrives at its 50th year in business firmly entrenched as one of Canada’s most storied builders.
“From day one, we wanted to grow. That was our idea, to do a little better, work a little harder.” – Carlo Baldassarra