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Civic Developments is committed to thoughtful city-building, balancing the parallel priorities of equity, innovation and design excellence.
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Civic Pride.

A different kind of development company, Civic was recently formed by a small number of seasoned industry professionals. We are united in a vision to bring our collective experience to bear on the development of sustainable, innovative solutions to the housing crisis. Fresh housing solutions for all: today.

“Housing design transcends mere aesthetics; it entails creating residences that not only exhibit visual appeal but also evoke a sense of community and inclusion. A successful housing project necessitates a keen understanding of its contextual surroundings – how the new structures integrate into the existing landscape –  with a focus on their physical, social and environmental impact.”   

-Howard Cohen

“Housing design transcends mere aesthetics; it entails creating residences that not only exhibit visual appeal but also evoke a sense of community and inclusion. A successful housing project necessitates a keen understanding of its contextual surroundings – how the new structures integrate into the existing landscape – physical, social and environmental.”

—Howard Cohen

Featured Project

Civic Developments is pleased to announce our latest  housing initiative, ‘Kennedy Co-op.’ Developed alongside our partners at Windmill Development, this project has been developed through a collaborative partnership with CreateTO and the City of Toronto, along with the Co-operative Housing Federation of Toronto.  Conceived as a future model for mixed-tenure housing in Toronto, the development will include more than 300 affordable oo-op homes, a further 300 market co-op homes, and 300 condominiums. Currently, in the planning application phase, the project is anticipated to break ground in 2025 and is located across from Kennedy Station at 2444 Eglinton Avenue. East.

Project Name: Kennedy Co-op
Location: 2444 Eglinton Ave. East
Status: Planning application in process

For further details, please contact us at info@civicdevelopments.ca

Civic Works

A chronicle of design excellence across past and present development projects.

Kennedy Co-ops - 2444 Eglinton Avenue East

Status: Planning application in process

Featured Project:

Kennedy Co-ops

The first new significant co-op in Canada in 25 years rises in Scarborough, across the street from three major transit lines.  300 affordable apartments, a total of 600 co-ops; in all more than 900 new homes.  Cutting-edge design, sustainability + ecological features. 

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Built Projects

A Civic Collection

Civic partners are responsible for a broad swath of residential buildings across Toronto and beyond.  All projects share the same basic principles: design excellence, sustainability + contextual sensitivity.

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Built Projects

Residential projects developed by the Civic team

A Spotlight on Civic 

We shape our home, and then our homes shape us - Winston Churchill

Civic Developments
10 Morrow Avenue, Suite 100 Toronto, ON M6R 2J1

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Civic Developments
10 Morrow Avenue, Suite 100
Toronto, ON M6R 2J1

Copyright © 2023 Civic Developments.
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Copyright © 2023 Civic Developments.

Howard Cohen

Chairman

Howard, an esteemed architect, served as Chief Planner for Toronto in the 1970s, playing a pivotal role in shaping the St. Lawrence Market community. With a rich career, he led the Harbourfront Corporation, developed luxury units at Queens Quay Terminal, and spearheaded family-oriented social housing at Bathurst Quay. As President of the Goldman Group, he initiated renowned projects like Castle Hill and Prime Life Housing. Howard’s private consultancy contributed to notable landmarks such as the Design Exchange, University of Toronto, Royal Ontario Museum, and the Living Arts Centre, Mississauga. His passion project, Context, revolutionized downtown intensification with projects like Radio City, winning global accolades. Partnering in Lawrence Heights’ Revitalization, Howard transformed a 100-acre site into a mixed-income community. Notably, Context revitalized 1555-1575 Queen Street, integrating condominiums, purpose-built rental, affordable rent-geared-to-income housing, and affordable market rental suites. Howard’s legacy lies in innovative design, sustainability, and transformative city planning, leaving an indelible mark on Toronto’s architectural landscape.

Matthew Cohen

Managing Partner

Matthew has been building in the residential, commercial, and not-for-profit sectors for more than 25 years.  A natural progression from his micro-development company Incommon Projects, Civic has been Matthew’s primary focus for the past several years.  The company is the culmination of decades of city building work, having dabbled around the edges of residential development for the majority of his career.

Matthew’s early career was devoted to building Context Development.  He is responsible for the launch of many storied projects including Radio City, Mozo, Spire and Tip Top Lofts.  With an MBA and a long time focus on sustainable design, Matthew’s other notable projects include a pivotal role in the development of Evergreen Brick Works, and the design and build of the Centre for Social Innovation in New York City.  Such projects led Matthew to start his NYC-based design firm Matthew Cohen Design Collective, specializing in bespoke, sustainable design and build projects with a socially progressive client-base. In 2016 MCDC was recognized for building 2 of the top 10 new office spaces in North America by notable and Archilovers.   

Peter Venetas

Partner, Planning

Trained as an urban planner, Peter has had the fortune of managing some of Toronto’s most complex and architecturally forward-thinking city building projects including most recently the Mirvish Village/Honest Ed’s redevelopment and the Lawrence Height’s Revitalization. Peter’s approach and philosophy has been to ensure that community interests, and arts and cultural programming are included in the development process and woven into the final project.

In addition to his work with Civic, Peter is an independent real estate consultant advising developers, arts organizations, and community groups. He also acts as a Public Art consultant working on a series of public projects as well as producing Nuit Blanche Independent Zones in 2016 and 2017.

Tim Otten

Partner, Construction

Tim Otten oversees construction for Civic and is an integral part of the management team.  He is also the Managing Partner at Bluescape Construction Management Inc. Joining the firm in 2008 and leading the 10-year, four-phase River City development from concept to completion, Tim’s expertise combines skilled leadership and project management with an extensive technical understanding of construction approaches and methods. A graduate of Civil Engineering and holding a certificate in Structural Engineering from University of Waterloo, Tim draws on past experience delivering projects with some of Toronto’s largest design firms and general contractors, as well as nearly 15 years of experience leading projects in a construction management capacity. From Pre-Construction planning to project execution, Tim works closely with clients, trades, and Bluescape’s project team to lead clear and consistent communication and knowledgeable project planning for a successful project delivery.

Ami Patel

Partner, Finance

Ami Patel, CPA, CA, is a Chartered Professional Accountant who leads the financial and strategic evaluation of development projects at Civic. She oversees project financing, accounting, financial reporting, and corporate services.

Before joining Civic, Ami spent over a decade in the community housing sector. She was recently the Director of Development at the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHF Canada) and previously served as the Chief Financial Officer of Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation. Ami also held the position of President at the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA), where she represented and advocated for Canada’s largest community housing organizations at municipal, provincial, and federal levels.

Ami’s early career includes experience on Bay Street with one of the Big 4 audit firms and a major Canadian bank. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Honours Arts Chartered Accountancy Studies and a Master’s in Accounting, both from the University of Waterloo.

In addition to her role at Civic, Ami leads her own development start-up focused on missing middle housing.