|
|
Mon Sep 11, 2006
Brant SPCA a step closer to new shelter
BY MICHAEL-ALLAN MARION
EXPOSITOR STAFF / BRANTFORD
Developer King and Benton has given the Brant County SPCA a golden opportunity to find a new home for its shelter by donating a block of land in its emerging Oak Park North business park.
"I'm ecstatic," SPCA manager Robin Kuchma said on the weekend of King and Benton Development Corp.'s donation of 3.5 acres toward the construction of a new $2-million shelter to go in its 427-acre business park on both sides of Oak Park Road just north of Highway 403.
"lt's very generous of (company president) Steve Charest to help us this way," she said in an interview at the Mohawk Street shelter.
"lt's very challenging to find a suitable location for a shelter that needs a fair amount of land for a building and space for other activities. The Oak Park location is an awesome spot, and we're very proud to be associated with King and Benton's new development."
More...
Thu Sep 07, 2006
$500M complex planned for Brantford
Torstar News Service
The Toronto Star
A Brantford developer has announced plans for a $500-million dollar commercial and industrial complex in one of the largest single land transactions in Canada this year.
Vince Guglielmo, director of marketing at the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, said the Toyota plant in Woodstock, slated to open in 2008 with about 1,300 employees will need suppliers.
"Toyota is going to create something new, a new automotive cluster," said Guglielmo. "It makes all the sense in the world for them to locate (in Brantford). It makes all the sense in the world for them to locate in Hamilton and the Golden Horseshoe."
John Sless, a Brantford city councillor, said the developer and city staff, asked to bring a report forward later this month analysing the proposal, have opposing views on some of the details. He's hopeful council can find some middle ground.
"I feel good about the project. I think we can overcome these obstacles."
More...
Brantford developer buys land for $500 million complex
BY LISA GRACE MARR
The Hamilton Spectator
The size, scope and sheer creativity of a bold plan by King & Benton to build the complex on the west end of the city may be a sign of things to come.
Steve Charest, King & Benton’s president, said it’s only natural developers should start looking west of the GTA, given the provincial greenbelt legislation.
Besides, he says Brantford is bursting with potential.
“It’s a great project. I think this is the result of a developer being confident of the city.”
More...
Mon Aug 28, 2006
$500-million project poses questions for city council
BY MICHAEL-ALLAN MARION
EXPOSITOR STAFF / BRANTFORD
A presentation to be made at a public forum meeting tonight by rising local developer hands city council an excellent opportunity to take a good look at its entire approach to economic development.
Steve Charest, the admittedly brash, impatient young president of King & Benton, will officially unveil the major details of a $500-million commercial and industrial mega-development covering his entire business park on the Oak Park North lands just above Highway 403.
He’s doing that because he wants a public discussion about the benefits of his impressive project to the Brantford area and he hopes council will help staff get in the facilitative spirit to put the finishing touches on getting over some important hurdles.
But more than that, he’d like to begin a serious discussion about how the city should do business with industrial and commercial developers now that the city is running out of municipal land.
More...
Sat Aug 26, 2006
Local developer to unveil $500-million mega-development
BY MICHAEL-ALLAN MARION
EXPOSITOR STAFF / BRANTFORD
Local developer King and Benton is ready to unveil a $500-million commercial and industrial mega-development north of Highway 403. Charest wants to build a combined prestige industrial park and power centre on about 450 acres of land his company owns on each side of Oak Park Road, north of the 403.
Here are the main features revealed by King and Benton officials in a presentation to The Expositor:
 An industrial centre of large buildings will be built on the west side of Oak Park Road, offering a collective 4.7 million square feet of space for warehousing, distribution offices and light assembly.
An 800,000-square-foot retail power centre and office complex is planned for the east side, containing big-box stores and a cinema.
Altogether, the assemblage of buildings will take up 44 per cent of total lot coverage, much higher than in the citys Northwest Business Park to the south or Braneida Industrial Park in the northeast.
When complete, the entire $500-million development would yield at least $10 million per year in commercial and industrial tax revenue.
It would create an estimated 5,000 new jobs.
King and Benton would donate land to allow for the construction of a new $7-million interchange at Oak Park Road and 403, needed to handle both the greatly increased traffic at Oak Park North and the Northwest Business Park to the south.
More...
Mon Jun 26, 2006
King & Benton has become a catalyst for community good news
If there's one thing that Steve Charest believes, it's that doing well in business doesn't mean anything if there isn't some kind of good that comes out of it. Lucky for Brantford.
Charest, who is the president and founder of King & Benton, a local development corporation,has played a significant role in the revitalization of several businesses and organizations.
The projects that King & Benton are involved in — from the transformation of local buildings such as the former Work Wear site (now the new YM-YWCA Family Program Centre) and an abandoned factory on Morrell Street (into a thriving business complex) to financial investments in organizations (the Brant County SPCA) and events (Brantford Canada Day Festival) — are all indicative of the company's emergence as a key player in our city.
"The assistance of King & Benton on behalf of the Y was the stabilizing factor that we needed. It enabled the Y to move forward in a new building, with new equipment, and new programs that have been a great success," said YM-YWCA CEO Nancy Romanenko,in a recent interview.
More...
Sat Apr 29, 2006
City ready to celebrate Canada Day
BY VINCENT BALL
EXPOSITOR STAFF / BRANTFORD
Lighthouse, a Canadian band that produced nine gold records and won four Juno Awards with tunes including Sunny Days, will be the headline performer at this year’s Canada Day celebration.
Friday’s news conference was held at the Holmedale Business Centre, created by the redevelopment of the former derelict Harding Carpet site on Morrell Street by developer Steve Charest of King and Benton.
King and Benton is the major sponsor of this year’s Canada Day celebration with a $25,000 donation.
It’s an important contribution because an event this size this needs stable funding, McConkey said.
In his formal remarks, Charest said he is pleased to be able to contribute the event.
“This is all about Canada, all about Brantford and all about the community.”
The news conference attracted many members of the Canada Day celebration committee as well as dignitaries, including Mayor Mike Hancock, Brant MPP Dave Levac and Brant MP Lloyd St. Amand.
“Any informed Canadian will know the place to be on Canada Day is Brantford,” said St. Amand, adding that he is expecting a great celebration.
More...
Thu Jan 19, 2006
Ontario's largest industrial land listing 427 acres in Brantford
BY ANN WHITE
THE REAL ESTATE NEWS EXCHANGE
King and Benton have 427 acres of industrial land listed for sale for $65-million dollars ($175,000 per acre) in Brantford, Ontario. It is the largest block of industrial land available in Canada.
King and Benton plan to complete servicing for the entire 427 acres in 2006 so that fully serviced lots will be available by the fall of 2006 and early 2007. Depending on the type of use that locates in the subdivision, it is expected to have between 4 and 7 million square feet of warehousing, distribution and manufacturing space.
More...
Thu Dec 15, 2005
Group to oppose ethanol plant in Oak Park North business park
BY MICHAEL-ALLAN MARION
EXPOSITOR STAFF / BRANTFORD
A month after a citizens' group forced a Brant County farmer-led co-operative to abandon its bid to build an ethanol plant in Cainsville, another group has formed to try to oust it from its originally intended location in the city’s northwest.
More than 100 people living around the northwest industrial area turned out Wednesday evening to an organizational meeting in Tranquility Hall of the new Citizens Concerned About an Ethanol Plant in Brantford.
The purpose was to lay the building blocks of a campaign to persuade city council, Brant MPP Dave Levac and federal election candidates in the riding to try to stop an attempt by Integrated Grain Processors Co-operative Inc. to build an 86-million ethanol plant on 48 acres in the privately run Oak Park North business park, north of Highway 403.
More...
Tue Dec 13, 2005
Industrial is Belle of the Real Estate Ball
BY TERRENCE BELFORD
THE GLOBE AND MAIL
Industrial real estate, the often overlooked stepsister in the commercial property sector, has emerged as a true Cinderella.
“We are in great shape right across the country,” says Keith Reading, vice president of research at Toronto-based real estate broker Colliers International. “Vacancy rates are low in every major centre, new buildings are leasing up quickly and new development is going on at a conservative pace.”
The boom in industrial space is being driven by unprecedented demand, not just from tenants but from investors as well, says Stefan Ciotlos, executive vice-president at CB Richard Ellis Ltd.
More...
|
| |
|
|
