All-Female Team Behind New Condo Building

A new residential building is set to rise on the site of the now-demolished House of Lancaster that has the unique distinction of being led by the country’s first all-women development team.

Reina, which means ‘queen’ in Spanish, is a proposed nine-storey condominium in the community of Stonegate-Queensway, with approximately 200 units.

Previously, the site of the former strip club was earmarked for townhomes. However, the project, known as Royal Q Towns, was cancelled after the original developer, Parallax, rescinded its application to transform the site.

Family-Friendly Living
Reina’s development team says it is committed to creating a building that will be “characterized by the female perspective at every degree, from the street level design to unit layouts.”

The project will include lower level retail, a large courtyard and walking paths. Other elements being considered include storage space for strollers, bedrooms designed specifically for children and even a communal kitchen for families to host large gatherings.

A design consultation will be held July 10, so area residents can share their ideas about amenities and features. The evening will centre around the lifestyles and needs of purchasers.

A collaborative design questionnaire is also available online to fill out.

The plan is to go to market in the fall and break ground next year.

Re-envisioning Female Roles
Reina is spearheaded by Taya Cook, director of development at Urban Capital, and Sherry Larjani, managing partner at Spotlight Development. The duo is joined by 10 female real estate development professionals dedicated to bringing a unique perspective to city building.

The concept for an all-female development team began with Cook who read an article touting the condo titans in the city. None of them were women and it was a wake-up call about gender parity in the industry.

Cook’s vision became a reality when she partnered with Larjani who kick-started her own career in development more than a decade ago. As an entrepreneur, Larjani had to prove herself over and over again as an outsider in the industry.

The goal of the project, beyond creating a family-friendly residential building that redefines the way condos are designed, is to inspire younger women and prove that a career in development is a viable path.

To register for this upcoming development or ‘stay in the know,’ contact Clare Tattersall at 647-625-3282 or clare@realtorontowest.com.