Statesman Corporation

The Statesman CorporationÔÇÖs Jeff Mann talks to Gay Sutton about the companyÔÇÖs latest project, a luxury condominium development in a prime location in Calgary, and how new marketing ideas and incentives are helping to beat the downturnThroughout its 33-year history, the Statesman Corporation has grown and thrived by thinking outside the box. Founded by Dr. Garth Mann in 1976, the family-run enterprise primarily builds and manages multifamily communities ranging from apartment-style condominiums to garden townhomes and one-level luxury villas, and its properties are as widely spread as Alberta, Washington State and Arizona. However, in recent years the company identified a growing need for well-appointed accommodations for those at the other end of the age spectrum and has been pioneering a new concept in luxury suites, amenities and services for independent and assisted senior livingÔÇöthe Manor Village Life Centre. Having built five such communities in the Calgary area and undergoing its sixth location, the company has expanded the concept in Ontario and Arizona and will shortly be opening a Manor Village in North Carolina. Finally, taking diversification a step further, the company is also active in the construction and management of vacation club resorts in British Columbia, Washington State and Arizona.The companyÔÇÖs reputation has always been founded on the quality of the residences it builds and the services it provides. ÔÇ£To do this, we insist on being in control right down the line. It gives us a leg up on the management side, plus the opportunity to do a better job,ÔÇØ explains Jeff Mann, director of construction. ÔÇ£We acquire the land, build the properties as a general contractor, operate the business and manage the communities. We even employ the doctors and nurses in the senior living communities.ÔÇØMann, however, is a very busy person. Responsible for managing new construction work, he is currently overseeing the completion of a project in Seattle, while also managing the construction of a prestigious new development in Calgary. The Riverside Quays development has an ambitious breadth of vision. Located in an enviable position in the curve of the Bow River, itÔÇÖs only five minutes from downtown Calgary and the business heart of the city. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖve designed the development to appeal to young professionals and to the semi-retired who are looking to downsize and enjoy a maintenance-free lifestyle.ÔÇØDirectly adjacent to the beautiful Pearce Estate Park with its miles of wooded pathways, Riverside Quays will boast 694 residential units and 400,000 square feet of subsurface parking space. Six six-story residential buildings will rise above the underground parking garage, providing wonderful views of the surrounding areas. The final element of the development will be a series of townhouses fronting the river and park, and they will also benefit from fantastic views.ÔÇ£We also aim to bring nature into the community,ÔÇØ Mann says, ÔÇ£by constructing common outdoor patios, barbecues and social areas. For example, there will be big life-sized chess pieces between the communities, creating a user-friendly environment.ÔÇØ The development is aiming for Built Green certification at level 4 and will be one of the most ambitious Built Green communities in the Calgary area. ÔÇ£At the time we were designing the project, we felt the LEED checklist hadnÔÇÖt been refined enough to accommodate multifamily development, but that it was more geared toward commercial developments. So we chose to go for Built Green. Since then, the LEED program has developed a multifamily checklist, and we are shortly going to be doing a LEED-certified project in Washington State called Pleasant Harbor Marine and Golf Resort.ÔÇØRiverside Quays, meanwhile, is being constructed of noncombustible concrete and steel, and around 98 percent of the materials used are recycled. Among the many green initiatives from the checklist, Statesman is providing large energy-saving low-e windows, and it will be running a shuttle bus to take residents into the heart of the city for work. This will not only benefit the environment by decreasing the number of cars on the road but will also be an attractive and convenient service for residents who work in the city and donÔÇÖt want the hassle of driving to work. ÔÇ£Our biggest advantage,ÔÇØ Mann says, ÔÇ£is our reputation. WeÔÇÖve been setting the standard in multifamily housing for many years, so many of our buyers are repeat buyers or come to us through word of mouth.ÔÇØ The entire $300 million development will take five years to complete and is a complex multiphase development. Phase oneÔÇöincluding the installation of all site services, 25 percent of the total parking garage and one block of 124 residencesÔÇöwill be ready for occupation this summer and is almost sold out. The underground parkade for phase two is already completed and construction will begin on the six-story building above it in fall of this year. That block of 118 residences is now 20 percent sold. The townhouses are scheduled as phases four to seven, to be preceded and followed by further phases of parking and mid-rise condominiums.Like most organizations, Statesman has felt the impact of the economic slowdown. ÔÇ£However, one of the ways weÔÇÖve always set ourselves apart is by adapting to the times,ÔÇØ Mann says. ÔÇ£So weÔÇÖve really begun to think outside the box. Now is a great time to buy, with interest rates being so low, so weÔÇÖve been offering incentives to buyers to help create that sense of urgency.ÔÇØAround two years ago the company initiated its VIP program and extended it to all residents; there are 15,000 in Calgary alone. The company has affiliated with a wide range of businesses throughout the regions in which it operates. ÔÇ£Restaurants, clothing stores, tanning salons, golf clubs: you name it and weÔÇÖve affiliated with it,ÔÇØ Mann explains. ÔÇ£And simply by presenting our VIP card at one of these facilities, our home owners can receive significant discounts, itÔÇÖs almost like living for free.ÔÇØThen around a year ago, as a result of some lateral thinking, the company began marketing properties in demographically suitable areas to large businesses in the vicinity. ÔÇ£Take Seattle, for example. Businesses such as Microsoft and Costco have their corporate offices there and have people continually coming in for meetings. They can save money by purchasing units in one of our developments and housing visitors with us rather than a hotel. Our lifestyle is much more elegant, exclusive and private, and we provide the linen service and pack the fridge with groceries. ItÔÇÖs a no-brainer, really, and weÔÇÖve had really good feedback so far.ÔÇØ ÔÇô Editorial research by Michael Fretwell┬á