Reflecting Upon ‘The Molinaro Century’ – PT1
We confess, that title sounds a bit pretentious, but it’s meant to be tongue-in-check. Granted, The Molinaro Century may not rival the Renaissance or the Age of Enlightenment for historical impact. That’s irreverence talking, not ego.For us it’s simply a way of reflecting upon everything the company has done on this 20th anniversary of the completion of our first post-millennium project, and the impact we’ve had on Burlington since then. There is a consistent through-line, beginning with the Spencer’s Landing project, completed in 2003,to the current ones nearing completion; Paradigm Grand Finale and Illumina.In between those landmark developments, we completed these iconic and influential buildings, each distinctive in its own way: Strata Spencer’s Landing Bunton’s Wharf (2007) The Baxter (2008) 360 on Pearl (2011) Company President, Vince Molinaro credits his father, Domenic, for recognizing what the city could be. “Spencer’s Landing was our first project in Burlington, I’m proud to say. When we first came here nothing much was going on. My Dad saw the vision a lot people didn’t, including us,” Vince says. Executive V-P, Robert Molinaro marvels at his father’s foresight: “He saw something in Burlington despite the rundown downtown. It was not what it is now.” Built directly across from the future site of Spencer Smith Park, Vince is impressed with how the traditional brick design and classic trim has withstood changing trends. “The project was truly successful. It was probably the first condo building built in Burlington in 20 years. It’s a prominent address on Lakeshore Rd., with amenities (indoor pool) that were unheard of at the time for a 116 unit building with 10 Townhouses. These traditional brick buildings,” he muses, “there’s something to be said about them.” The company’s next two buildings, incorporated lessons learned from the first one. Bunton’s Wharf was notable for the commercial space included on the ground floor. The family expanded on the theme when designing The Baxter, a striking, multi-terraced residence with street-level restaurants and retail that further stimulated local business and street traffic. “The Baxter was our third building in Burlington, again a mixed-use building with commercial at the bottom,” Vince says. “(There’s) more commercial there than at Bunton’s because it worked so well. Again the name is one of the original pioneers of Burlington. He controlled one of the wharfs in Burlington so we named adjacent buildings after rival wharf owners.” “People love the architectural look of Baxter with different terracing and obviously the commercial aspect at the bottom with various restaurants and shops. It’s a very interesting building,“Rob says. The common denominator is that the first four Molinaro buildings is their proximity to the harbour. Not coincidentally, the Burlington waterfront has evolved almost in lockstep. The City of Burlington Waterfront Project, anchored by Spencer Smith Park, opened in early June, 2006. Brant Street Pier was unveiled exactly seven years later. Those two projects enabled the annual cultural and social events that provide the foundation of Burlington’s brand as a great mid-size city. The Sound of Music Festival in June, the winter Festival of Lights and Canada’s Largest Ribfest (September), all owe their origins to the waterfront renaissance. The Burlington Performing Arts Centre opened in 2011, coinciding with 360 on Pearl, the turning point in the Molinaro Group’s trajectory to become the most innovative developer in the area. Similar cases may exist in other parts of the continent, but it’s hard to imagine a developer and a community being more closely intertwined on a mutual path to success. In the words of Managing Director Sam DiSanto, the Molinaro Group has always tried to take a collaborative approach: “We’ve been building here for many years and not just condos. We build relationships.” “Whether it be with council or city staff or things like that, it’s got to be win-win. We pride ourselves on working with the local ratepayers, councillors, and staff,” Vince adds. “The (building) names came from the city. It wanted to respect the heritage of the area. Mr. Bunton was one of the original pioneers in Burlington. He actually owned a wharf called Bunton’s Wharf and he did his business there. He sold goods, he had ships coming in. His rival was Baxter’s Wharf which was the next building we built (chuckles) so it’s kind of a cool history and we didn’t mind the city picking the name. We just ran with what they gave us and I think it worked out very well.” If anything, the Molinaro Group is the modern-day equivalent of those pioneering businessmen who first put the city on the map. Building upon that legacy has worked out well for all parties as the company footprint expands into midtown and beyond. DiSanto says the company won’t rest on its achievements and has plenty of (real estate) inventory to develop far into the future. If “what’s past is prologue,” as Shakespeare famously wrote, then Burlington and its residents will be the big winners. NEXT TIME: A New Generation. A Renewed Vision The Molinaro Century – PT3
Reflecting Upon ‘The Molinaro Century’ – Part 1 #2
We confess, that title sounds a bit pretentious, but it’s meant to be tongue-in-check. Granted, The Molinaro Century may not rival the Renaissance or the Age of Enlightenment for historical impact. That’s irreverence talking, not ego.For us it’s simply a way of reflecting upon everything the company has done on this 20th anniversary of the completion of our first post-millennium project, and the impact we’ve had on Burlington since then. There is a consistent through-line, beginning with the Spencer’s Landing project, completed in 2003,to the current ones nearing completion; Paradigm Grand Finale and Illumina.In between those landmark developments, we completed these iconic and influential buildings, each distinctive in its own way: Strata Spencer’s Landing Bunton’s Wharf (2007) The Baxter (2008) 360 on Pearl (2011) Company President, Vince Molinaro credits his father, Domenic, for recognizing what the city could be. “Spencer’s Landing was our first project in Burlington, I’m proud to say. When we first came here nothing much was going on. My Dad saw the vision a lot people didn’t, including us,” Vince says. Executive V-P, Robert Molinaro marvels at his father’s foresight: “He saw something in Burlington despite the rundown downtown. It was not what it is now.” Built directly across from the future site of Spencer Smith Park, Vince is impressed with how the traditional brick design and classic trim has withstood changing trends. “The project was truly successful. It was probably the first condo building built in Burlington in 20 years. It’s a prominent address on Lakeshore Rd., with amenities (indoor pool) that were unheard of at the time for a 116 unit building with 10 Townhouses. These traditional brick buildings,” he muses, “there’s something to be said about them.” The company’s next two buildings, incorporated lessons learned from the first one. Bunton’s Wharf was notable for the commercial space included on the ground floor. The family expanded on the theme when designing The Baxter, a striking, multi-terraced residence with street-level restaurants and retail that further stimulated local business and street traffic. “The Baxter was our third building in Burlington, again a mixed-use building with commercial at the bottom,” Vince says. “(There’s) more commercial there than at Bunton’s because it worked so well. Again the name is one of the original pioneers of Burlington. He controlled one of the wharfs in Burlington so we named adjacent buildings after rival wharf owners.” “People love the architectural look of Baxter with different terracing and obviously the commercial aspect at the bottom with various restaurants and shops. It’s a very interesting building,“Rob says. The common denominator is that the first four Molinaro buildings is their proximity to the harbour. Not coincidentally, the Burlington waterfront has evolved almost in lockstep. The City of Burlington Waterfront Project, anchored by Spencer Smith Park, opened in early June, 2006. Brant Street Pier was unveiled exactly seven years later. Those two projects enabled the annual cultural and social events that provide the foundation of Burlington’s brand as a great mid-size city. The Sound of Music Festival in June, the winter Festival of Lights and Canada’s Largest Ribfest (September), all owe their origins to the waterfront renaissance. The Burlington Performing Arts Centre opened in 2011, coinciding with 360 on Pearl, the turning point in the Molinaro Group’s trajectory to become the most innovative developer in the area. Similar cases may exist in other parts of the continent, but it’s hard to imagine a developer and a community being more closely intertwined on a mutual path to success. In the words of Managing Director Sam DiSanto, the Molinaro Group has always tried to take a collaborative approach: “We’ve been building here for many years and not just condos. We build relationships.” “Whether it be with council or city staff or things like that, it’s got to be win-win. We pride ourselves on working with the local ratepayers, councillors, and staff,” Vince adds. “The (building) names came from the city. It wanted to respect the heritage of the area. Mr. Bunton was one of the original pioneers in Burlington. He actually owned a wharf called Bunton’s Wharf and he did his business there. He sold goods, he had ships coming in. His rival was Baxter’s Wharf which was the next building we built (chuckles) so it’s kind of a cool history and we didn’t mind the city picking the name. We just ran with what they gave us and I think it worked out very well.” If anything, the Molinaro Group is the modern-day equivalent of those pioneering businessmen who first put the city on the map. Building upon that legacy has worked out well for all parties as the company footprint expands into midtown and beyond. DiSanto says the company won’t rest on its achievements and has plenty of (real estate) inventory to develop far into the future. If “what’s past is prologue,” as Shakespeare famously wrote, then Burlington and its residents will be the big winners. NEXT TIME: A New Generation. A Renewed Vision The Molinaro Century – PT3
Our Customers Love Our Condos! Joe C.
Our Customers Love our Condos – Episode Eight: Joe C. At the Molinaro Group, customer satisfaction is our #1 priority. It’s why so many of our customers buy more than one condo from us. In this series of videos, we proudly give our customers a platform to share their thoughts on our condos, our team and Burlington.
Our Customers Love Our Condos! Masha & Himanshu
Our Customers Love Our Condos – E7: Masha & Himanshu At the Molinaro Group, customer satisfaction is our #1 priority. It’s why so many of our customers buy more than one condo from us. In this series of videos, we proudly give our customers a platform to share their thoughts on our condos, our team and Burlington.
Jeremy & Rose
Our Customers Love Our Condos – Episode Four: Jeremy & Rose At the Molinaro Group, customer satisfaction is our #1 priority. It’s why so many of our customers buy more than one condo from us. In this series of videos, we proudly give our customers a platform to share their thoughts on our condos, our team and Burlington.
Our Customers Love Our Condos – Episode Three: Diane & Martin
Customer satisfaction is our #1 priority. In this video, Diane & Martin share their story about how the condo they purchased saw the Molinaro Group go the extra mile to get the details right.
Better in Burlington – One of Ontario’s Best Kept Secrets
Burlington Ontario continues to be one of Ontario’s best kept secrets. Despite its breathtaking waterfront, abundant cultural and culinary delights, and ideal location between Toronto and Niagara, Burlington is off the radar for most. In this video, the Molinaro Group Team presents just a few of the many reasons Burlington is easy to love.
Join the Success Story
Even though the real estate market has cooled off, some projects are hot. Case in point is Paradigm Grand in Midtown Burlington, Ontario. This is the Grand Finale of one of Ontario’s most successful master planned condo communities. And right now is your opportunity to deal directly with the builder and its exclusive broker to get the best deal. In this video you will learn about the Molinaro Team’s personal approach to treating buyers. You will dscover just a few of the many attributes Paradigm Grand possesses that make it an unparalleled investment. Join the Success!
Paradigm Grand Takes the Pain Out of the Great Commute
Paradigm Grand Takes the Pain Out of the Great Commute For many of us, The Great Commute could be back in full swing. And it’s not great for all of us. How can you make it easier on yourself? Thankfully, after many months of pandemic-induced isolation at home, many of us are finally (if reluctantly) ditching remote work (if only partially) and returning to the familiar routine of making the daily trip to the office or job site. Reconnecting in person with co-workers is the upside; the downside for many is the toll of the journey and hours spent in transit. Driving is more costly than ever. And enduring the traffic delays while navigating the to-and-fro in the GTA at peak hours can be a test of one’s sanity, regardless of the means of travel. While we’re all glad to back in circulation, we also have our limits. How Paradigm Grand Reduces Makes the Grueling Commute, Easier It goes something like this: spend your home and leisure hours enjoying the restorative small-city charms of Burlington while saving time, money and stress hormones via a swift and seamless GO train ride to the big city next door. What’s the clincher? Your GO ride is only a short walk away. At the Molinaro Group we can’t say we saw the pandemic coming when selecting the Paradigm site; it only looks like a stroke of genius in hindsight. Please forgive us for patting ourselves on the back but it’s also true that we envisioned Paradigm this way as part of our master plan for building a better Burlington. Breaking ground next to a GO station way back in 2007 simply made a ton of sense even if, at the time, it wasn’t common practice in North America. “Building by the GO station was unheard of many years ago,” says company president, Vince Molinaro. “Paradigm being right adjacent to a major GO station made a lot of sense to us even though the city probably didn’t have the planning in place for it. Even though purchasers were probably thinking about places. But we saw the benefits to buyers before everyone else did.” Managing Director Sam DiSanto concedes that the plan came with obstacles but the Molinaro Group surmounted any and all objections because the development made so much sense. “We had this inkling that transit very soon is going to be extremely important, so we pursued the deal. We needed the land to be re-zoned for mixed use and residential, which we knew would work here. Take a look at all the great cities in Europe and everything is built around transit stations.” “As they say, the rest is history,” he says with a smile. A New Chapter Launches Paradigm’s Grand Finale Paradigm Grand Takes the Pain Out of the Great Commute Another window of opportunity for commuters is about to open with the pending launch of Paradigm Grand’s two front towers, right on Fairview. This is the Grand Finale of the five-building, community originally envisioned by the Molinaro group. Anyone who missed out on the first phases of the development will have another chance to take advantage of this unparalleled access to fast and affordable transit. Imagine your workday starting with a short walk to the station, followed by a scenic ride along the lake. Relaxed, rested and ready to go is a much better mindset to begin your workday than arriving frustrated and even angry after gripping the steering wheel in stop-and-go traffic. The Paradigm Grand way is to live in a growing mid-sized city and work in the big city, without the mental and physical toll that makes highway commuting such a soul-sapping burden. City-dwellers in North America are gradually coming around to the benefits of the car-optional European lifestyle . This includes more intimate living spaces, proximity to neighbourhoods, transportation, parks and recreation. For the Molinaro Group it is all of a piece. “We’re not just building condos we’re building lifestyles,” Vince says. “We’re creating a better Burlington for people who live here and for people who want to live here. And Paradigm Grand is the full expression of our vision for how to do that, right here in Burlington.” Paradigm Grand Takes the Pain Out of the Great Commute
Construction Update: “Kitchen Progress, Two Storeys of Fun… and more!” – August 2022
The end of Summer sees Rob Molinaro at Illumina as it moves forward to completion. The main lobby is getting prepped for finishing, flooring and kitchens are going in, and the rooftop, two storey party room and outdoor terrace are really starting to shape up.
