The Interview: Chris Harhay's Mid-Rise Portfolio Grows Up
From the street, Harhay Developments' Toronto office is easy to miss. Located just west of Spadina on Richmond Street and housed inside a pair of conjoined Victorian buildings, the unassuming office is part of a row of historic, 19th-century homes. In a city perpetually transformed—and perpetually becoming—by developers, it strikes me a somewhat unusual place to find one.
"It's a nice spot," says company President Chris Harhay, touring me through the building. "We actually back right out onto Rush Lane," he adds, "which is the 'graffiti alley' where Rick Mercer shoots his rants." Just inside, though, a conference room is framed in photographs and renderings of the company's projects. A collection of Harhay's 21st-century condos lines the walls of Harhay's 19th-century office; it's tempting to think of it as a contradiction in terms. So what gives?
"I believe development is about city-building," Harhay begins, espousing an admirable—if rather frequently trumpeted—ethos. "We've mostly developed mid-rise urban infill projects, which I hope enhance the neighborhoods they become part of without compromising heritage or existing character. For us, it's not about building the tallest towers or adding the most density," he continues, "it's about contributing contextually sensitive, well-built, and well-designed additions to the urban realm."
"We actually started as a builder, and then branched into development from there," Harhay explains, tracing a company history that dates back almost 30 years. In 1987, the company was founded as Harhay Construction Management Ltd by Chris' father, Walter. "The company started from a civil project background," the younger Harhay explains, "and our first condo project came in 2000." That was King West's Tecumseth Lofts (below), a 28-unit adaptive reuse project that added residential density atop an existing commercial building.
From there, the company—eventually renamed Harhay Developments—evolved along with Toronto's real estate market as condominium development began to boom. In the years since, the company's portfolio has come to include projects such as King Street's 12-storey East Lofts Condos and 10-storey Parc - Loft Residences (below), and Charlotte's Street's 16-storey Gläs Condos.
Touting a commitment to "high-design and high-style" projects which tend toward mixed-use infill developments, Harhay draws particular attention to projects that he points to as standout examples of the company's recent work. Developed in partnership with Carttera Private Equities, Riverside's The Ninety "was a really unique project," Harhay notes.
Designed by Core Architects, the 9-storey condominium saw "an 80,000 ft² office building integrated into the project." Harhay explains. "When we first toured the site in 2007, we were amazed with the building, which is an old Coca-Cola bottling plant that dates back to 1933. The plan was to build a condo on the site, but we fell in love with that building as soon as we saw it. If you pardon my language, I'll put it to you this way," he concludes, "the thing is built like a brick shithouse."
Touting a commitment to "high-design and high-style" projects which tend toward mixed-use infill developments, Harhay draws particular attention to projects that he points to as standout examples of the company's recent work. Developed in partnership with Carttera Private Equities, Riverside's The Ninety "was a really unique project," Harhay notes.
In the News
Harhay Developments and Carttera Private Equities' new 75 on The Esplanade development has been speeding past construction milestones on the southwest corner of Church Street and The Esplanade in Toronto's St Lawrence Market area.
Construction is pressing along on the southwest corner of Church Street and The Esplanade in Toronto's St Lawrence Market area, where a new condominium tower from Harhay Developments and Carttera Private Equities is racing towards welcoming its first residents later this year.
For developer Chris Harhay his first memory of the old Red Door shelter plays back like a TV commercial. He was a touring a property formerly owned by the United Church at Queen Street East and Logan Avenue in 2016 with an eye to building condos in what was then the Red Door’s quarters.
Having evolved over four years of planning and approvals, marketing brings details of a unique condominium development overlooking the Humber Valley in Toronto's Kingsway neighbourhood.
Kingsway Crescent is an eight-storey midrise coming soon to Toronto’s prestigious Kingsway neighbourhood. The residence by Harhay Developments boasts exquisite architecture, sought-after amenities and spacious suites with plenty of outdoor space.
Toronto's The Esplanade has seen a surge in residential growth in recent years, with the completions of major condo projects London On The Esplanade Condos, the L Tower, and Backstage on The Esplanade.
Located in Toronto’s sought-after St. Lawrence Market neighbourhood, 75 on The Esplanade is a new high-rise condominium now under construction at the site of a former parking lot adjacent to the Novotel Hotel.
A refined plan for four twisting condo towers in Etobicoke has been submitted to the City of Toronto by Harhay Developments alongside an application for Site Plan Approval.
It's been about four months since we last checked in on construction at 75 on The Esplanade, a new condominium tower from Harhay Developments and Carttera Private Equities rising at the southwest corner of Church Street and The Esplanade in Toronto's St Lawrence Market area.
An application submitted to the City of Toronto seeks an Official Plan Amendment and rezoning to permit four new condominium towers on a suburban office campus site at 900 The East Mall on the southwest corner with Eglinton Avenue, and located just next to the meeting point of Highways 401 and 427 in Etobicoke.
The southwest corner of Church and The Esplanade in Downtown Toronto will soon be home to a new 29-storey, architectsAlliance-designed condominium tower.
To live in Toronto’s St. Lawrence neighbourhood is to live among history. From the Flatiron Building to St. James Cathedral to a 200 year old public market, the area is teeming with architectural and cultural gems.
Earlier this year, we got a taste of the interior amenity spaces at Harhay Developments and Carttera Private Equities' oneeleven Condominiums, a 17-storey, Core Architects-designed development in Toronto's King West neighbourhood.
From the street, Harhay Developments' Toronto office is easy to miss. Located just west of Spadina on Richmond Street and housed inside a pair of conjoined Victorian buildings, the unassuming office is part of a row of historic, 19th-century homes.
A recent proposal tabled for a site on Dundas Street immediately west of the Humber River aims to create an appropriate transition between the medium density developments to the west and the established neighbourhood to the south, while acknowledging the scenic river valley to the east.
Do you dream of exposed concrete and floor-to-ceiling windows? Loft-style living has grown in popularity over the years and oneeleven embodies this contemporary flair in King West.
Heritage architecture is kind of like cool jazz. Almost everyone claims to dig it - put on Brubeck’s “Take Five” and you’ll get a room full of tapping feet - but everyday clubs have troyble finding bums to fill seats.
A small group of Leslieville residents felt it was important to preserve and incorporate a piece of the community’s history into a new development so they contacted there local councillor, who in turn consulted the developer and the city’s planning department, and made it happen.
On Wednesday, May 6, Toronto City Council unanimously approved financing to purchase the 20,000-square-foot complex from Harhay Developments that will house a purpose-built, 94-bed shelter within a new seven-storey, 118-unit condominium development at 875 Queen St. E. at Booth Avenue.
Harhay Developments and Carttera Private Equities have submitted a proposal to the City of Toronto for a 34-storey condominium to be located at 75 The Esplanade, at the southwest corner with Church Street.
Three months ago, it looked as if the Red Door Shelter would be forced to close. The building in which it had been a tenant for 33 years was caught in a nasty real estate dispute between two wealthy families. It had been placed under bankruptcy protection. A new developer was eager to build an upscale condominium on the site.
In its latest boutique project, Harhay Developments is attempting to expand the allure of penthouse living by making it available to more than just the top-dollar buyers.
Designed by Core Architects, oneeleven promises to be a distinctive building. The site will have 255 units, with interiors by II BY IV Design Associates and feature a bold lobby.Builder/developer Harhay Developments and Carttera Private Equities.
The Ninety, 90 Broadview Ave.: This recently completed loft conversion on Broadview Ave. south of Queen St. E. continues a process of revitalization well underway in this part of the city.
The box office has been boffo at the new Theatre District condominiums, a 47-storey tower that will rise from a narrow parking lot next to Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre.
When Chris Harhay and his father Walter were walking through a 1900s warehouse that stood on a site they were considering for a condo development, they were struck by its attractive, wide hallways and rounded concrete columns.
The site of the nine-storey, 222-unit building to be built at 90 Broadview, just south of Queen, is minutes by car or transit to the heart of the city. It is just as close to major arteries, a few steps to public transit in the heart of the Queen St. E. Broadview Village and a hop, skip and jump to vibrant Leslieville which flows into the Beach.
John St. could well be one of Toronto's best-kept secrets – except that it's no longer a secret. Indeed, north of Queen St., it's now becoming the main drag of a thriving downtown neighbourhood.
Early next month, Harhay Construction Management Ltd will officially unveil its latest urban development in the city's east end where a growing number of chic new restaurants, cafes and shops are settling in.
Downtown Toronto east of Yonge Street may not be the first area that comes to mind for potential condo buyers, but Harhay Construction Management has convinced many people there's no better place to live.
Walter Harhay puts lessons learned in building dams and bridges to work in the condo game.
